Lancia’s first brand-new hot hatch in decades in an electric hatchback, and it’ll herald a return to rallying for the Italian marque.
The Lancia Ypsilon HF has been revealed as the high-performance version of the car that launched the brand’s rebirth, the standard fourth-generation Ypsilon, which was revealed exclusively with electric power earlier this year.
Lancia is expected to bring the Ypsilon HF to the European market in May 2025, while the brand will make its World Rally Championship (WRC) return with the Ypsilon Rally4 HF – albeit not in the top-flight category, and with petrol power.
The Ypsilon is built on the e-CMP platform, shared with other electric vehicles under the Stellantis umbrella including the Fiat 600e, Peugeot e-208, and Jeep Avenger EV.
It’s powered by a 51kWh battery pack, with a single front-mounted electric motor producing 115kW of power and 260Nm of torque.
The HF version bumps the power figure to around 180kW for a 0-100km/h time of 5.8 seconds, and brings lowered suspension, a wider wheel track with fender extensions, aggressive styling, and version-specific six-spoke alloy wheels.
The re-introduction of the HF logo and red elephant icon is a reminder of Lancia’s performance heritage and pedigree and nods to the brand’s passionate owner base.
Lancia has won 15 WRC titles and competed with some of the most iconic cars in the history of the sport, and its return to racing with the Ypsilon Rally4 HF is expected to be a welcome addition to the field.
Rendered in a livery reminiscent of Lancia’s Martini Racing colours, the Ypsilon Rally4 HF will be fitted with a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine producing 156kW of power, in line with the WRC’s Rally4 category regulations.
It will be mated to a five-speed mechanical transmission sending power to the front wheels with the help of a limited-slip differential, while the return to competition will bring back the historic Lancia Corse HF branding.
The HF logo will also appear on Lancia’s future models, including the Gamma crossover and Delta hatch.
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