Lancia Beta Forum

General Category => Betas in the Press => Topic started by: HFStuart on April 16, 2026, 01:35:59 PM

Title: Oh dear Stellantis!
Post by: HFStuart on April 16, 2026, 01:35:59 PM

Taken from their heritage page

"In the early 1970s, the Lancia Beta was the first model to be launched after the brand had come under the aegis of Fiat. Designed at the Fiat Centro Stile, the hatchback made its debut at the November 1972 Turin Motor Show"

I promise you the 'hatchback' did not debut in 1972 - or indeed ever to the general public!

https://www.stellantisheritage.com/en-uk/heritage/stories/lancia-beta-hpe

Title: Re: Oh dear Stellantis!
Post by: Nigel on April 16, 2026, 10:03:47 PM

Stuart,
Yes, the dates are a bit weird, but they are referring to the HPE not
the Berlina, which, as we know, had a factory hatch variant but only for
support use on events.
I've not seen any evidence that any survived.

Maybe the script was lost in translation?

Nigel

Title: Re: Oh dear Stellantis!
Post by: HFStuart on April 17, 2026, 12:18:14 PM

You give them too much credit Nigel - they talk about the launch of the HPE in 1975 separately a little further down!