Classic: Lancia Gamma Coupé
Posted on 17-10-2015 to 18:00 by larssb – 36 Comments”
Nothing was easier than falling in love with her. That happened and at the time that you willoos for her looks and charms fell, she had you fully in its grip. This Italian beauty demanded all your attention, patience and hard-earned pennies on. That delicious, dekselse Lancia Gamma Coupé.
In 1977, came this coupévariant out of the year sure introduced Lancia Gamma berlina. Aldo Brovarone designed under the banner of Pininfarina, the two top models, but they shared only their name, grill, headlights and turn signals. Outside of those parts were the 2 totally different cars, each with its own supporters. What they again shared was the fact that this is the last Lancia designed model was before Fiat the sheets came to hand out and a now forgotten word with thick letters on the flip chart in the canteen kalkte: qualità. It would then still take a while before everyone feels the meaning of those remembered and still wanted to deliver.
The last self-contained model of a famous and old car manufacturer did suspect that this may be their most evolved and mature pièce de résistance could mean, a great achievement. That was not so. The styling was beautiful, everyone was full of praise about its driving performance and the veercomfort, but the first series of engines was downright garbage. Miserabile. In itself it was a very beautiful design of The Virgilio: an exceptionally smooth 2.5-litre four-cylinder boxer engine, good for 140 HP. Due to its low construction are also particularly suitable for such a slim compartment. In a segment where 6 cylinders at that time dominated it was also quite daring with such a huge four-cylinder engine, one of the greatest in his time. But that fun turned out to be of short duration. Just like your good mood.
Far too often achieved at the same time with that little gem under the hood is the boiling point and allowed your Gamma Coupe swearing when it again overheated but brilliant threw in the towel. Totally out of your panty did you like the nokkenasaangedreven V-belt of the stuurbekrachtigingspomp broke, or worse, the camshaft even twisted and a huge engine damage caused. If the camshaft at all, not worn, of course, was. That outdated, namely unusually fast, as in a form of nokkenasprogreria. Of course, that was all very bad for your mind, confidence, and savings or huishoudgeld. But you continued to love her, and the local Lancia garage also you very much.
That last relationship was a lot less profound with the advent of the faceliftversie FL, in 1980. On many of the points were improvements, but the styling remained virtually unchanged. That was a timeless beauty and are difficult to improve and that you could of that fat bitch in the front of not say. The Weber carburettors were replaced by Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection. That was a big sip on a drink in the power consumption at constant performance: a peak of 200 km/h and now the quantity appeared, took the sprint to the 100 yet but a small 10 seconds, instead of a week or 3 for a review. Also the other issues of the first series viercilinders were addressed and the problems it solved. But, as history so often had to show: the damage had already been done. The Gamma 1 had, in a short time have a poor reputation, and saddled the facelifted series on this fraught inheritance. Success.
That remained also. Despite the greatly improved quality of the facelifted FL were from the Gamma Coupé is no more than a small 6800 units sold, series 1 included. In its last year of production, we write 1984, were there only 33 of the band in Turin. That 6800 pieces were not only 2.5-litre versions, in Italy, was also a 2.0-litre available. That was fiscally more attractive: the road tax for cars with an engine capacity of more than 2 litres ran sharply in the former system. So you could get to save up for new camshafts, or for the faceliftmodel. Because she was beautiful.
In spite of that showed the most of the Range to the left, out of fear for a long and costly affair with the garage. In addition, there was competition enough to experience, often with 2 cylinders more for the same money, or even less. It makes the Gamma Coupé to an exclusive appearance, especially today. But make sure that you have a later series, or a completely restored copy as the 1st series. So you have a long-term relationship can begin with such a seductive Belladonna and not constantly running to kwakkelen with Kortjakje. Unless you are only on Sundays of course.
Gallery: Lancia Gamma Coupe classic
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