FIRST DRIVE: Lancia DeltaLancia is relaunching in Ireland with a hatchback that is likely to fall between several stools, writes Paddy Comyn.
THIS CERTAINLY wasn't what I expected. And it's probably safe to say that anyone with even a passing interest in Lancia will think the same thing.
Walking into the auditorium where the new Delta - which will mark Lancia's re-entry to the Irish market - was being presented, I said to a colleague, "That's not the Delta, is it?"
We had, of course, seen pictures, and the Delta HPE concept car (described by Lancia as a sporting estate rather than a hatch) had shown at the 2006 Paris Motor Show. And the production model which appeared at Geneva had changed little from the concept.
But even after all the preparation, I'm not quite ready for the Delta up close and personal. I loved the old Delta, you see. I loved its boxy shape and its 1980s plushness: all velour and posh rust. For a start, this new one is just too big.
Lancia has positioned the car midway between C- and D-segment, sitting it with a longer version of the Bravo platform and offering incredible roominess. It is 4.5 metres long, 1.8 metres wide and 1.5 metres high, and the boot can take 465 litres with the rear seats put forward.
The styling is certainly very dramatic, with a long, imposing nose, a large grille and a curved rear end with tall LED tail lights. It looks way ahead of its time, and people react as if it's a concept car.
Inside, the car is very well finished, with a multitude of high-class materials to choose from, including leather, Alcantara and a new, leather-look dashboard material called Benova. The seats are like comfy chairs, and you can slide the rear ones back to get the legroom of a much larger car.
If you are tall, though, you will have a problem in the rear: the high base of the seat and the curved roof meant that I struggled to have enough headroom.
Engines range from the 120bhp 1.4-litre T-Jet petrol to the 200bhp 1.8 twin turbo petrol, with a 120bhp 1.6-litre diesel, 165bhp 2.0-litre diesel and 190bhp twin turbo diesel in between. The 1.4-litre units are surprisingly good, but in environmental terms, the 1.6-litre diesel, with its band B CO2 emissions of 130g/km, will be the most attractive of the bunch.
On the road, those expecting the new Delta to be a sporty, dynamic car will be disappointed.
Lancia is emphasising the new type of ESP called Absolute Handling System and DST (Drive Steering Torque), which helps the driver control the car in an emergency. It felt more like Absolut in the vodka sense. This car rolls quite a lot through bends and the long gear change and wishy-washy steering don't help. Lancia has optimised the suspension for comfort and lightness over sporty performance - and it shows.
I walked away, scratching my head; I really don't know what this car is trying to be.
Fiat should have learned with their Croma that if you sit between a number of stools, you will fall on your rear end. Sadly, I think this is probably what will happen to the Delta.
It feels like a more luxurious version of the Croma and I'm not sure there is a need for one of those. Irish buyers tend not to go for hatchbacks in this size.
For Lancia-lovers, and those who want to buy something different, this new Delta will appeal. But a lot will depend on pricing, too. And, for my sixpence worth, the Delta name should have been kept for the smaller car due in the next few months. This is not a spiritual successor to the old car.
It is due here in summer 2009. Expect prices to start at about €25,000.