Lancia Kappa | |
Aka: | Lancia k |
Manufacturer: | Lancia |
Predecessor: | Lancia Thema |
Successor: | Lancia Thesis |
Class: | Executive car (E) |
Layout: | FF layout |
Platform: | Type E[1] |
Body Style: | 4-door saloon 5-door estate 2-door coupé |
Transmission: | 5-speed manual 4-speed automatic[2] AISIN or Z.F. |
Wheelbase: | Saloon/estate: 2700mm Coupé: 2580mm[3] |
Length: | Saloon/estate: 4687mm Coupé: 4567mm |
Width: | Saloon/estate: 1826mm Coupé: 1830mm[4] |
Height: | Saloon/estate: 1462mm Coupé: 1425mm |
Weight: | 14250NaN0-15800NaN0 |
Related: | Alfa Romeo 166 |
Designer: | Ercole Spada at I.DE.A Institute (saloon) Centro Stile Lancia under Enrico Fumia[5] (coupé) Pininfarina (estate) |
The Lancia Kappa or Lancia k (Type 838) is an executive car manufactured and marketed by Italian manufacturer Lancia from 1994–2000, with saloon, estate, and coupé variants - sharing platforms with the Alfa Romeo 166. The Kappa has a front-engine, front-drive, five passenger, left-hand drive design.
After its debut at the 1994 Paris Auto Show, production reached 117,216, over six years.[6] The Kappa was manufactured at the Fiat factory in Tetti Francesi, Rivalta di Torino and was designed by the Lancia Style Center in collaboration with the I.DE.A Institute.
Lancia had earlier used the Kappa nameplate for the 1919 Kappa, with evolutions called Dikappa and Trikappa).[2]
Kappa is the tenth letter of the Greek alphabet, Lancia having frequently used the Greek letters for its model nameplates. In writing, Lancia often referred to the Kappa simply as the k (lower case "k"), which is fairly similar to the original Greek letter κ.
In Poland, where Fiat Auto is the largest domestic car manufacturer, the Kappa served as official government cars (replacing Themas).[4]
Autocar's Peter Robinson reviewed the Kappa in November 1994.[7] He commented on the car's bland styling which was justified by Fiat's Paolo Cantarella on the basis that the designers did not want to create too much "visual noise." The body was reported as having twice the torsional rigidity of the outgoing Thema, and was 15 percent stiffer than any of its rivals. The automatic Aisin-Warner gearbox (50-40 LE type) was shared with the Volvo 850. Robinson went on to say "the Kappa´s dimensions ensure a commodious interior, the impression of space only heightened by a low cowl and very Japanese-looking fascia, somewhere between a Honda NSX and Lexus LS400." Rear cabin room was described as "immense" but the cushion was criticised for being too flat, a fault rectified in later iterations of the car. Robinson criticised the "horrid mock wood with which Lancia frames the prominent central console that runs from the handbrake, up the full length of the dash and over the top." About the driving characteristics, Robinson wrote: "If Lancia quietened the starter motor, this would be one refined drivetrain...with no hint of any 5-cylinder unevenness." The 2.4 litre engine tested appeared to have been tuned for low-end torque, a characteristic of this Alpine brand. The engine was praised by Robinson for its "smooth responsiveness" and "torque steer has been eliminated...and the Servotronic steering is terrific, with just the right degree of self-centering." His summary of ride and handling was that car was better than average but not class-leading: "On the Lancia there is too much body roll and the front grip in the wet didn't inspire confidence."
The station wagon version of the Kappa, designated "SW" by Lancia, was designed and built by Pininfarina and did not differ from the saloon exterior dimensions, sharing most of its body panels.[2] Only 9,208 cars were built in Pininfarina's factory. This estate version was also available with Boge-Nivomat self-levelling hydropneumatic rear suspension.
The Coupé was designed by Centro Stile Lancia and built by Maggiora and technically quite different from the saloon, having a shorter wheelbase (by 120 mm),[8] wider rear track and a distinctive profile with frameless doors. The front, from bumper to the window screen, was identical to the other Kappas. It was Lancia's first coupé since 1984, when the Beta and Gamma coupés were discontinued, and remains the last Lancia to feature this body style to this day. The small building capacities at the Maggiora factory for this essentially hand-made car, and the relatively high price, destined it to be a rare vehicle. As a money saver the rear lights came from Delta. Only 3263 coupes were manufactured from 1996 to 2000, making this model a true rarity.[2] Car magazine[8] described the car as looking "top heavy, like a Bentley Continental that's been heated up and squeezed at both ends." However, the car's engine range was praised for matching the vehicle's dynamics, the 2.4 litre five cylinder and the 3.0 Alfa-derived V6 coming closest to "infusing the k Coupe with the classy character its styling tries to suggest."[8] "It's the spiky turbo four that asks the hardest questions of the chassis and the all-strut suspension doesn't flounder. It shines. A viscous coupling helps the front wheels cope with the onslaught of the engine's old school, big-bang turbo delivery, and it feels remarkably untroubled."[8] About the refinement and ride, John Barker (of Car Magazine) reported that the occupants "are completely isolated from any vibration while the ride is smooth at moderate speeds, parrying bumps quietly and unobtrusively."[8] The interior was described as "appealing" and having "curvy, attractive door casings, plump supportive Recaro seats and choice plastics.".[8] The 1997 price was estimated at 24,000 pounds sterling.[8]
The Kappa had engines fitted transversely, all powering only the front wheels. They were available with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission, unless otherwise indicated.[2] [4]
Engine | Displacement | Power | Torque | Body | Gearbox | Top speed | 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Petrol engines | ||||||||
2.0 20V LE | 146PS at 6100 rpm | 185Nm at 4500 rpm | Sedan | manual automatic | 205km/h - | 9.8 s - | 1994 | |
2.0 20V | 155PS at 6500 rpm | 186Nm at 4000 rpm | Sedan | manual automatic | 212km/h 210km/h | 9.2 s 12.1 s | 1996 | |
SW | manual | 205km/h | 10.0 s | 1996 | ||||
2.4 20V | 2446cc | 175PS at 6100 rpm | 230Nm at 3750 rpm | Sedan | manual automatic | 218km/h 215km/h | 8.7 s 10,5 s | 1994 1998 |
SW | manual automatic | 212km/h 210km/h | 8.9 s 10,7 s | 1996 1998 | ||||
Coupé | manual | 218km/h | 8.7 s | 1996 | ||||
3.0 V6 24V | 2959cc | 204PS at 6300 rpm | 270Nm at 4500 rpm | Sedan | manual automatic comfortronic | 225km/h 220km/h 220km/h | 8.0 s 9.8 s - | 1994 1994 1998 |
SW | automatic comfortronic | 218km/h 218km/h | 9.9 s - | 1996 1998 | ||||
Coupé | automatic comfortronic | 225km/h 220km/h | 9.8 s 8.9 s | 1996 1998 | ||||
2.0 16V turbo | 1995cc | 205PS at 5600 rpm | 298Nm at 2750 rpm | Sedan | manual | 235km/h | 7.3 s | 1994 |
SW | manual | 230km/h | 8.3 s | 1996 | ||||
Coupé | manual | 235km/h | 7.3 s | 1996 | ||||
2.0 20V turbo | 1998cc | 220abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 5750 rpm | 315Nm at 2750 rpm | Sedan | manual | 243km/h | 7.3 s | 1998 |
SW | manual | 235km/h | 7.9 s | 1998 | ||||
Coupé | manual | 243km/h | 7.3 s | 1998 | ||||
Diesel engines | ||||||||
2.4 10V td | 2387cc | 124PS at 4000 rpm | 265Nm at 2000 rpm | Sedan | manual | 193km/h | 12.6 s | 1994 |
SW | manual | 190km/h | 11.5 s | 1996 | ||||
2.4 10V JTD | 136PS at 4250 rpm | 309Nm at 2000 rpm | Sedan | manual | 202km/h | 10.0 s | 1998 | |
SW | manual | 200km/h | 10.8 s | 1998 | ||||
The Lancia Kayak or Bertone Kayak was a 4-seater coupé concept car by Italian coachbuilder Bertone based on Lancia Kappa mechanicals, unveiled at the 1995 Geneva Motor Show. [9] Design was by Luciano D'Ambrosio.[10]
A one-off Kappa Limousine with extended middle section, and wheelbase, was built for Gianni Agnelli. Its concept was very similar to the Thema Limousine from 1987. The car was finished in dark blue with a matte-black roof.