Lancia is one of several Stellantis brands struggling to stay afloat. For years, it was confined to a single market: Italy. However, with last year’s launch of the new Ypsilon, the brand also expanded its presence beyond the country shaped like a boot. Following a long hiatus, Lancia returned to France, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signaling a potential revival. In Italy, 160 showrooms were modernized last year.
You might expect sales to rise, given the fresh product and improved availability. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. According to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), Lancia’s relaunch is off to a rough start. Deliveries dropped a staggering 72.7 percent, falling to just 2,208 units in the first two months of the year compared to the same period in 2024.
Photo by: Lancia
For clarity, the ACEA industry body bundles Lancia sales with those of Chrysler, although the American brand isn’t officially sold in Europe. We can’t imagine too many people buying Pacifica minivans and 300C sedans from the few dealers importing American cars to Europe. It’s worth noting that Chrysler killed the 300C in 2023, leaving the Pacifica/Voyager as its sole model.
We also looked at Dataforce’s sales figures, cited by Automotive News Europe, and they’re almost identical. Lancia sold 2,195 cars in January and February, down from the 8,086 units registered in the first two months of 2024. It corresponds to a huge drop in demand of 72.85 percent.
Why isn’t the relaunch going as Lancia had hoped? There could be several reasons. For starters, the new Ypsilon is significantly more expensive than its predecessor. The hybrid model starts at €23,900 at home in Italy, rising to €29,900 for the fully electric version. Before going away, the previous-generation car had a starting price well below the €20,000 mark.
Competition within the Stellantis group shouldn’t be overlooked. The Ypsilon shares its underpinnings with the Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa, both of which benefit from a much stronger brand recognition than the nearly dormant Lancia. With the discontinuation of the cheaper previous-gen model, the Ypsilon now competes at a similar price point, making it harder to grab a piece of the sales pie.
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But Lancia isn’t giving up just yet. The brand plans to open 70 new showrooms in 70 cities across Europe by the end of this year. France, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands are leading the charge, with Germany set to follow in 2025. The Ypsilon celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and will be followed by the new Gamma in 2026, with the resurrection of the Delta slated for later in the decade.
Just weeks before resigning, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares stated that all 14 brands were fully financed through 2026. It suggests that Stellantis is willing to give Lancia some time, showing patience to see if the struggling automaker can turn things around over the next few years. However, with a replacement for Tavares to be announced in the first half of the year, it’s unclear what the future holds.
Lancia isn’t the only Stellantis brand in a delicate situation, as DS Automobiles isn’t doing great either. ACEA numbers show deliveries plummeted by 30.3 percent in January-February 2025 to just 5,060 cars in the EU+EFTA+UK region. Figures from Dataforce paint the same grim picture for Citroën’s luxury brand.
Sources:
European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, Dataforce