Reports are surfacing that suggest that Lancia is considering reviving the Monte Carlo nameplate for a new model. The original Monte Carlo was a small mid-engined sports car from the 1970s, designed and built by Pininfarina. Because Chevy already had dibs on the name in the US (and does still), the American version was sold as the Scorpion, and was marred by modifications that were required for certification on American roads. Lancia raced the Monte Carlo in Group 5 and was the basis for the legendary Type 037 Group B racer.
Lancia’s parent company Fiat has been in the process of rejuvenating its many brands, and with Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Ferrari all returning to their respective heydays, Lancia’s next. But with only a handful of quirky models in its line-up, Lancia is in need of a halo car to boost its sales and image. A small, affordable mid-engined sports car could be just what the doctor ordered. But without a cost-effective platform in the Fiat Group on which it could be based, its production could be a tough sell to the bean-counters.
[Source:
Winding Road]