Golf R

Make
Volkswagen
Segment
Hatchback

Earlier this year, we got wind that Stellantis may finally put some action into saving the legendary Lancia brand, and why not? The company has some truly iconic cars in its archives, including the inimitable Stratos and the breathtaking 037. Sadly, the closest we've come to seeing the revival of these uber cool names has been from third-party tuners and designers, but now we finally have the glorious news we've been wishing for: Lancia has confirmed that it will be resurrecting the brand's most well-known car, the Delta. The news comes via Corriere della Sera, an Italian publication that recently had an interview with Lancia's new CEO Luca Napolitano.

In the interview, Napolitano says that everyone at Lancia is aware of the love people have for the Delta: "Everyone wants the Delta and it cannot be missing from our plans. It will return and it will be a true Delta: an exciting car, a manifesto of progress and technology. And of course, it will be electric." Details are scant, but Corriere della Sera speculates that we'll see a platform that can offer up to 435 miles of range off a single charge. This will likely be completed in 2026 when Lancia will sell only pure-electric vehicles. That means that its current offering in Italy, an obscure car called the Ypsilon, will be replaced in 2024 as the last combustion-powered Lancia.

While it may be disappointing that the revived Delta won't be a turbocharged, AWD rival to the likes of the Volkswagen Golf R, Napolitano says that electrification makes sense for the brand. "We will build cars with a great sense of responsibility towards the world we live in, as our customers want a clean drive, and the revolution towards pure electric is in line with our tradition of great technological innovation," says the CEO. To help the brand achieve its goals, it will reportedly be aiming to launch a new dealership network from scratch in Europe, with the cooperation of the existing Alfa Romeo and DS dealers. There's no word on whether to expect the new Delta to be sold in the US, but if the brand manages to successfully revive itself in Europe, other markets will surely be on the cards in due time.