Lancia will expand its range with a new model in 2026, following the recent debut of the new Lancia Ypsilon. This will be the future flagship of Stellantis’ premium brand, which until now has been known as the Lancia Gamma. However, it seems that this may not be the official name and could change before its debut. This is according to Luca Napolitano, CEO of Lancia, who has stated that he would like to call the future Lancia flagship Thema.
Will the Lancia Thema return to the market in 2026?
Two years before the new Lancia Delta, which will be released in 2028 and will be electric only, the company could launch a car with a name that evokes the brand’s glorious past. This is a difficult and risky challenge at the same time, but Lancia has the potential to create a car that has been missing for too long from the brand’s lineup and from the Stellantis group in general.
It should be noted, however, that Napolitano clarified: “The clinic test of what we are calling the Lancia Gamma for now went well, the car was liked and was defined as futuristic by customers. But it is not a Thema, it is not a sedan. It recalls the innovations of the first Lancia Gamma and this is the name that best suits it.” In short, these are decidedly cryptic words that open up to different options, and that in any case do not exclude a resounding return of the Thema.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the beautiful three-volume sedan, so it could be the right opportunity for a similar announcement. Recall that the future Lancia Gamma/Thema will be built on the STLA Medium platform and will be produced at the Stellantis plant in Melfi, Italy. It will be about 4.6 meters long and 1.6 meters high, with a weight of between 1,500 and 1,600 kg. It will also have a fastback body, therefore a car that has very little to do with the Thema: but then why these words from Napolitano?