Now here’s something you don’t see every day. Or at least, you don’t if you live in North America. What we have here is a 1996 Lancia Ypsilon – a supermini primarily sold in its home market of Italy. And yet here it is, smack in the middle of Pennsylvania, where it was never sold new. What’s likely even stranger to anyone who does live where these cars are common is that this one won a fancy award at a car show. That’s definitely something you don’t see every day.
Every year at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, Italian Cars are shown in an event called the Cortile della Corsa, and the best cars from various manufacturers will win an award called the Cortile Cup. There are categories for Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Lamborghini, Fiat, and two for Ferrari. Even French cars get a category, which was won this year by this 1971 Citreon DS. But every other Italian automaker gets lumped into a ‘Specialty Automaker’ grouping. And this year, it was won by none other than a tiny hatchback.
Lancia used to have its own award in the Cup, as was won by this 1947 Aprilia back in 2021. But this year they got lumped into the catch all category. Probably because no other Lancias showed up. So I suppose this Ypsilon was a shoe-in.
Image Credit: Stellantis
Fun fact, the Ypsilon is Lancia’s only car left in production, and has been for many years. It got an update this year, and it’s quite a looker in my opinion, so maybe there’s still hope for the brand yet. But at least this car got a moment to shine, when so many of its brethren are consigned to living hard lives as commuter cars in European cities.
Shine on, little guy.
Related CC reading:
The maroon coloured car is an Aprilia, not an Aurelia.
My bad, thanks for catching that!
Thanks; I’ve amended the text.
I liked these when they came out; it was refreshingly different in style and concept.
Not bad for a fancier Punto and far worthier than the early oughts Flavia which was a rebadged Chrysler 200.
These small Lancias are very charming indeed. They are a kind of brougham B-class car: scaled like a budget car and fitted with nicer trim and design. Catering for this market in Europe are the Vignale edition Ford Fiestas and, until recenlty, the Opel Adam. Renault used to offer “Baccara” versions of the Clio and Peugeot liked to label their brougham babies Roland Garros. DS supply a DS3 which may also count.
I’ve never heard of the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix car show before, but after seeing all of the cars you’ve written up from this show, I’m very impressed. I’ve never seen one of these Ypsilons in person, so I think I’d spend a good amount of time there looking it over.
And I hope that Aprilia’s owners took it in good humor that their classic was passed over for an award in favor of a 28-year old hatchback!
It’s worth a “look/see”! Been a long time since I’ve been to it. Always had a good time though,
Alright, I need an explanation for why there’s a “French” category at the Italian car show. 🙂
Shirley there are enough French cars in Pittsburgh so that they could have their own show. That said, I’d give that DS an award too. Just for being a DS, and in a lovely green color to boot.
I also like look of the 2024 Ypsilon. The 1996, not so much.
We have such a Lancia Y (albeit the facelift from 2000). Here in Germany it’s starting to become difficult to keep a Y on the road, some spare parts are no longer available from the brand dealers (thanks also to FCA/Stellantis, who of course would rather have their new vehicles sold).
How crazy do you have to be to bring a Y to Pennsylvania? The owner must have nerves of steel cable. Or he’s a magician.
I bow my head.
Kudos to Lancia for making a car that looks totally unlike anything else on the road, and is good looking at the same time.
+1
French cars at an Italian car show, ok I get it they look better than some Italian efforts, it never fails to amazed me how much the badge will get for imput on these cosmetic brands, Fiat Puntos came to NZ so Ive seen an original,
Fiat did amazing things with that platform its even a Jeep of some flavour or other now, Ive seen a different version of Ysllon but not this one so 2 models?
After being prepared for burial, Lancia is making a comeback. Quite where in the marketplace it’s going to compete with Stellantis having too many brands will be it’s first problem. But for petrolheads, it’s a reprieve from what appeared the inevitable.
https://www.lancia.com/lancia-new-era
From behind – I saw loads of them in Sicily, this one’s in Catania
Another one on the same street – I think this one was a “Dedra”.
In Europe at the end of the 1990s, the Lancia Ypsilon was t h e city car for fashion-conscious young women with a penchant for the “better”. The interior, which could be put together largely according to your own ideas, was the icing on the cake
Another Ypsilon – it’s got Italian number plates but I snapped it in Tarragona, Spain. Seems to be a facelift version.
White one photographed by Buck Stradler is a Delta II, a 1995 one by the plate.