An example of the Ferrari-engined Lancia Thema 8.32 would be a novel enough find on a European classifieds site but this one is on Craigslist. Located in scenic San Francisco, this restored and virtually spotless Thema 8.32 is one of a tiny handful imported to the US long after their production run in Europe. Curbivores, is the $34,000 price of admission worth it?
For those unfamiliar with the Thema, it was Lancia’s flagship between 1984 and 1994 and shared the Type Four platform with the Fiat Croma, Saab 9000 and, later, the Alfa Romeo 164. The Thema was the only Type Four car to receive a station wagon variant (albeit only in LHD markets) and the only one to feature a V8.
That V8 was a 2.9 V8 related to the one powering the Ferrari 308 and Mondial Quattrovalvolve and built by Ducati; the 8.32 name signified the number of cylinders (8) and the number of valves (32). The small yet sonorous transverse-mounted V8 produced 212 hp at 6750 rpm and 210 lb·ft at 4500 rpm and was mated to a five-speed manual. Top speed was 149 mph. From 1989, it was detuned slightly to 202 hp and 194 ft-lbs.
Lest you think this was some track demon because of the Ferrari V8 and the mandatory stick, I must remind you this was a rather large, front-wheel-drive sedan. Though it was rapid for its time – the 0-60 sprint took 6.8 seconds, the quarter mile in the mid-15s – this was more of a high-speed cruiser.
When new, the 8.32 cost around double the price of the base Thema. Somewhere in between sat turbocharged 2.0 four-cylinder Themas with similar torque figures that were only fractionally slower to 60mph. That didn’t quite help the 8.32’s value proposition but the V8 model compensated with niceties like a Poltrona Frau wood, leather and Alcantara interior and a trick electrically-retracting rear spoiler. From outside, however, the 8.32 was exceedingly discreet and differentiated from lesser Themas only with subtle side skirts and badging, different mirrors, and unique 15-inch alloy wheels. Unfortunately, the Thema was already the most understated and conventional-looking of the Type Four cars and consequently the 8.32 is rather unassuming. That is, until you hear that throaty V8 burble.
In total, 3901 8.32s were produced between 1986 and 1992 and a few have eventually found their way to the US. This 8.32 has 110,806 miles on the odometer but has been well taken care of. I’ll let the ad and pictures – of surprisingly high quality for Craigslist – do the rest of the talking:
This exceptional example was recently refreshed by our team in Italy and has undergone a thorough cosmetic redo, new paint, comprehensive interior restoration and detailed mechanical inspection and rebuild as necessary. All import paperwork is in order, and fees and duty paid.
The base car was in excellent mechanical condition overall prior to restoration. From the ground up all suspension components were inspected, new bushings installed as required, lower left control arm replaced, new shock absorbers fitted front and rear, finished with a 4-wheel alignment and balancing. Rims were inspected and reconditioned.
Under the hood, the entire drivetrain was tested and proven mechanically sound. Engine showed good oil pressure and compression. Replacements included the clutch cable, shift linkage components, coils and spark plugs, sending units for cooling and oil pressure, mid and rear exhaust system and replacements of all fluids. A new air conditioning compressor was installed along with a full recharge of the AC system. The car now starts and runs like new.
There was no visible rust on any part of the entire body. The undercarriage is in exceptional shape and has been cleaned. The entire body was hand sanded in preparation for a respray in the original Lancia green and finished with a 2 stage clear coat. New pinstripes to match original Ferrari paint scheme were applied. New tail lights were installed and the seals for the retractable spoiler were redone. All exterior trim and badging touched up. The car shows beautifully with a rich, deep luster to the appealing and uncommon metallic green color.
The plush Alcantara interior was professionally cleaned and sanitized including seats, door panels, carpeting and air ducts. All instruments and dash wiring were inspected and repaired as necessary including all gauges, controls and dash lights. The headliner was removed, cleaned and refreshed with new padding. Interior now shows as new with no visible wear or any staining or deterioration of the materials. Dashboard sports an impressive array of gauges and controls, all in perfect working order.
On the road the 8.32 behaves like proud stallion. The Ferrari V8 starts with a subtle roar, idles smoothly and runs strong and clean at all rpms. Shift and clutch action are sure and crisp. The steering is tight and balanced. This Thema 8.32 handles rough roads with a confident poise and surprising comfort. The car demonstrates its premium character and sophisticated engineering at every opportunity.
A very clean and solid example with a well done full cosmetic restoration. Rides, drives and runs like the thoroughbred it is, with an upscale, high tech interior that is sure to delight any enthusiast. Very rare, and in very fine shape … a unique and desirable motorcar by any standard
On one hand, $34,000 is a lot to pay for a conservatively-styled 1980s sedan that’ll likely be a nightmare to repair and service, especially so far from home. On the other hand, this is one of the only sedans to ever use a Ferrari engine (and the only Lancia) and one of the most remarkable Q-ships of the past thirty years. Is $34,000 a fair price? If you want to buy it, here’s the ad. I must point out, however, that a condition of purchase is you must write about it on Curbside Classic.
Related Reading:
Curbside Classic: 1993 Alfa Romeo 164 – Alfa’s American Farewell Present
CC Capsule: 1988-89 Fiat Croma – Croma Flair
Curbside Classic: 1992 Saab 9000 – Snapshot From The Heydey of Snaabery
Buy it and have the only one at your local Cars & Coffee.
Former Evo magazine Exec Editor Harry Metcalfe did a superb YouTube review of one of these (all of his “Harry’s Garage” reviews are superb) last year. Well worth 15 min of one’s time.
https://youtu.be/y3rHl4DH-fY
Here’s an Italian one where a guy really flogs the car. This guy’s videos are also rather good, albeit his language is a foreign job and the subtitles are a bit Detroit Malaise.
Lustworthy but a pass unless the pole barn of my dreams had room for a dozen cars. That press shot of the red car instantly transported me back to the day, I am virtually certain that same picture was in CAR magazine when the car was new.
I do like the veloooouuuuuuurrrrrr interior, it looks exceedingly comfortable and the noises this thing must make would be wonderful while ripping through the Broadway tunnel in SF, but for this amount of coin the Lancia in my driveway would be a Delta Integrale HF, thank you very much. Or a Fulvia coupe.
They actually have two of these for sale, so the exclusivity index just went down by 50%. But servicing it shouldn’t be too tough, at least in SF, there is a little shop right near where I used to live and work near 22nd and Pennsylvania in the Potrero Hill district that only worked on random Italian stuff, there were frequently Dinos, all manner of Lancia, Fiat, Alfa and Ferrari, older Lamborghinis and Maseratis in the driveway and the shop being worked on; this was before many of those marques became common “tech-crowd” or exchange student rides.
Edit: I guess there WAS a little shop…looking on Google Streetview there is now a condo development in that shop’s space and hipsters walking around and coffee places galore. Oy.
Looks too much like a Saab 9000.
Front 3/4 view….I see Volvo.
If I read the Craigslist ad correctly, its price when new is almost identical to its current asking price…unadjusted for inflation.
LOLnope.
The best Thema’s were the Diesels, those were a match made in heaven for people who ate miles for living. Of course this was prestigious, the mild Ferrari engine the rear deck spoiler, but a cambelt change meant the engine had to get out of the car.
I believe the 2 liter turbo i.e. was even faster.
Too bad the Italians never made a real successor for the Thema, the Kappa was too bland, the Thesis too strange and avantgarde . In its day the Thema’s were quite popular against the BMW 5 series, a couple of engines to choose from, an elegant body style and those fabulous Diesels.
I´d argue the Kappa was too flouncy inside whilst the Thema was suitably austere. The Kappa did pretty well in terms of sales and like the Thema had a good range of engines and body styles (estate and coupe). I had a chance to drive one recently and found a lot to like about it, especially the lovely steering, smooth ride, good build and overall finish and pleasant five-cylinder petrol engine. Downsides: rather coarse starter motor, very partially obscured speedo (steering wheel in the way) and a flimsy cover for the stereo. And the interior design is (as I said) a bit OTT though not horrible. I´d be happy to own one in place of my own car (a Citroen XM).
Wonderful… there’s a nice road test with one of these by Davide Cironi on YouTube… in Italian
Indeed! (Only saw yours after I’d already commented above).
No, not worth it now. There are plenty of $35K new cars that will run rings around this, and it will impress no one. After a week the buyer has this 30 year fantasy out of his system. Now what?
This is the fancy version of buying that perfect 1974 Javelin with a six and column shift auto trans, the realizing that it isn’t fun to drive and it doesn’t impress people.
Exactly so.
It doesn’t really need to impress people though and there’ll always be “better” and “faster” cars. If this is what one lusted after back in the day and now has the means, why not. I’d love an old 80’s 8V GTI again, but wouldn’t think that it’d be nearly as fast comparatively as it seemed at the time, and would probably happily spend more than I did the first time around in the early ’90’s.
It just needs to make you happy to have it. Half the fun is just looking at it and enjoying it for what it is/was. (It being whatever the vehicle in question is, not necessarily this particular one)
It’s the same thing as spending much more than the value of a car to restore a car. If it’s what you want and you’ll be happy with it forever, God bless. Hope you don’t change your mind.
Plenty of used ones too, for half the price:
https://nh.craigslist.org/cto/d/windham-2016-ford-taurus-sho/6868207531.html
Wow, you really should stick to a new Civic or something.
I’m convinced this car would be fun for a week.
4 years ago in Chicago; I had to scale a fence to get the pics:
I have seen one of these. And it was pulling away at a green light up a hill. That sound…
I’d love a Lancia someday, but there are so many great ones that this would be a bit down the list.
I’m definitely getting a late-80s/early-90s Chrysler-Dodge-Plymouth vibe from those seats.
Must…resist…overpowering…urge…to…compare…Lancia…build…quality…unfavourably…to…late-’80s…early-’90s…Chrysler…products…Urrrrrrggggghhhhh!
I love everything about this car except the price although if I was the seller I wouldn’t let it go for a penny less than that.
Was in Houston last week and next to the freeway was the remains of a car dealership pole sign. Most of the light boxes lacked any plastic but Lancia and TVR remained. There was no visibile remains of a building or display lot, just the sign with those two brands represented. So the weirdest pre-CC effect I’ve ever encountered. Now we just need a TVR article.
Here’s the sign, right?
Yes that is it but the oval was now empty. I have to ask how did you find it so quickly?
Google es mi amigo. “Houston Lancia TVR” then click Images above results. First row on the right.
Just never would have expected that to show up.
You inspired me to do a little google searching myself. Here is a picture of the building that I saw no remnants of with the sign in the background.
A little more digging reveals that it was apparently a place named Chequer (Checker?) Imports and they also perhaps sold Lotus. I’m guessing those garage doors always had plenty of work going on behind them with that triumvirate…
Anybody else have any info on this place? Sounds like it would have been an enjoyable hour or two of browsing in its heyday.
Yes meant to add that it was called Chequr Imports as that is what led me to that and an another photo of the building. And yes I image with a line up like that they needed all of those service bays, even if they only moved a few cars a month.
More googling shows they also sold Alfa and Fiat.
Hmm, one wonders if things were going well with the Italians and then they decided to branch out and add a few British makes (We already sell Lancia, Alfa, and Fiat, we’ve seen it all!) or if it was the other way around (We already sell Lotus and TVR, let’s add some makes that are actually built in factories instead of sheds!). The real mystery is why were the French makes not obvious candidates? Or perhaps that was to be phase three 🙂
Ha ha. One last hijack. https://arch-ive.org/archive/chequer-imports/
If I had the spare cash, and a way to get parts. and somebody to do maintenance, if if if… If it drives anything like my old 164 (3L V6 and the queen of torque steer) it could be a lot of fun. Could you consider this to be the spiritual successor to the Dino Fiat?
I find it interesting that Lanca didn’t use the 4wd system that some of the 164s had.
There was some criticism of the 832’s dynamics and torque steer and back in the day some Fiat group bigwig had hinted a 4wd version was either being developed or considered. Of course this never came to pass.
Thr Fiat Dino (especially in coupe form) was one of the most beautiful designs ever. So a Ferrari engine doesn’t this make this Thema a spiritual successor to the Dino in my book, interesting as it is.
The 164 3 liter V6 was the better car, more capable and allrounder then the 8.32 Lancia. The Alfa was more sporty the Lancia more a mile eater.
From what I’ve read over the years I would agree.
I suspect it would be no contest between an Alfa 164Q with more power and traction (being 4wd) than the 832. Indeed the Alfa V6 has many of the attractions of the 832, mainly an impressive soundtrack attained with a more common, less complex and less expensive motor.
Indeed the 16valve 2 litre turbo Themas had similar performance and better weight distribution compared to the 832.
The 164 is unquestionably the most attractive of the Type 4 cars, although I do like the Lancia. The other 3 were compromised with the use of similar or identical door and window frames.
The Lancia shared more than the platform with its cousins. The doors, including door handles, and windshield and no doubt cowl for example are the same as on a Saab 9000.
An Italian Cadillac Seville.
That doesn´t do the Lancia justice. Much as I like the Seville from the same time (and I consider them very charming), the Lancia is more agile and compact while being much more comfortable inside. I don´t think any Cadillac reached the absurd levels of hand-finishing this car was adorned with. Plus, the Lancia screams understatement in the way a Cadillac doesn´t. Lancia made a point of making their cars dead plain – the appeal is counter-intuitive and cerebral.
It´s interesting that a recent prime minister of Italy (Mario Monti, I think) had one, a saloon, and that was when he was in office between 2011 and 2013.
Harry Metcalfe posted a video piece on “Harry’s Garage” on the 8.32 last September. See it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3rHl4DH-fY
Although its engine was based on the Ferrari V8 of the time, it had a normal rather than flat plane crank. The video is worth watching just for the V8 sound.
Scooped by Curbside Classics**! Just last week I sat in one of these cars which was recently up for sale in Dublin, Ireland, and has now found a home with an appreciative Lancia collector (good to know).
The bit I want to add is that a) the sound of the engine is worth a lot of the extra money asked for; b) the quality and character of the interior is excellent – it feels very special with lovely craftsmanship for the leather trim and c) the rear seating is both very, very accomodating and yet the car is not huge. That last point is very interestng, that the car with its compact dimensions manages to feel so delightful inside, more delightful than many larger and more recent cars I have sat in. I noticed this with regard to some Alfas from the 1970s I sat in.
(I plan to write an article about my experience of the car in the near future)
I´ve sat in or driven a fair number of Lancias now and apart from the last Delta the experience has been nothing but postive. These were characterful and satisfying cars in so many ways. It´s a pity FCA have not one clue to how save the brand and make something of its qualities which seem not to be found in vehicles from other brands. I don´t know where a “homeless” Lancia afficionado might go today.
“On the other hand, this is the only sedan to ever use a Ferrari engine…”
Excluding the Maserati Quattroporte, that is.
And if a 4-door Ferrari is what you’re after, a decent used Quattroporte would probably be both easier (?) to find and cheaper (!!!) to service. Relatively speaking, of course.
Whups, typo. Fixed. I could never forget the gorgeous 2003 Quattroporte, one of the most beautiful sedans of all time.
You make a good point there, too. Against the Maserati, the Thema would be much more laborious to own. And against the Maserati, the Thema looks very, very frumpy.
As if on cue, and to prove the point, Tyler Hoover just bought a 2007 4porte. Skipping to the end (spoiler alert!): purchase price and required repairs are $21k LESS than the ask on this Thema.
Watch here…https://youtu.be/pus075nqczo
Lots about it that tempts, including the Medici-era dash, those huge, sticky-looking lounge chairs, and, ofcourse, that sound. But no. The reviews show over-assisted steering, poor-ish gearshift and great wads of understeer, all of which would quickly become unendearing.
Most noticeable in this ad is that there’s no mention of the belt being recently changed. That’d be, what, $5k alone for this engine-out job? 110,000 miles is not nothing for all the componentry, and all up, the price is at the least ambitious.
At this money, a Fulvia for me too.