Lancia Flavia

Lancia Flavia
Lancia Flavia Series 1 Coupé
Overview
Manufacturer	Lancia
Production	1961–1971 (Flavia) 1971-1975 (2000) 105,848 produced
Designer	Pietro Castegnero (Berlina) Pininfarina (Coupé) Giovanni Michelotti at Vignale (Convertible) Ercole Spada at Zagato (Sport)
Body and chassis
Class	Executive car
Body style	4-door sedan 2-door coupé 2-door cabriolet
Layout	FF layout
Related	Lancia 2000
Powertrain
Engine	1.5 L (1488 cc) Lancia H4 1.8 L (1800 cc) Lancia H4 2.0 L (1991 cc) Lancia H4
Dimensions
Wheelbase	104 in (2,600 mm)
Length	180 in (4,600 mm)
Width	63.5 in (1,610 mm)
Height	58 in (1,500 mm)
Chronology
Successor	Lancia 2000

The Lancia Flavia (Tipo 815/819/820) is an executive car produced by Lancia in Italy from 1961 to 1971. Production continued as the Lancia 2000 from 1971 to 1975.

The Flavia was launched with a 1500 cc engine at the 1960 Turin Motor Show by Lancia and introduced in major European markets during the next twelve months. Coupe and convertible versions developed by Pininfarina and Vignale quickly followed, together with one or two low volume 'specials' including a Zagato coupe. Performance improved over the next ten years as the engine size increased, progressively, to 2000 cc. The car remained in production until 1970 when it was updated and renamed as the Lancia 2000. Flavia was named after Via Flavia, Roman road leading from Trieste (Tergeste) to Dalmatia.

In 2011, Fiat announced that the Chrysler 200 convertible would be sold in Europe (LHD markets only) by Lancia under the Flavia name from early 2012.

The Lancia Flavia was developed by Professor Antonio Fessia in the late 1950s, and introduced for sale in the UK in 1961. Initially available only as a four-door saloon, it featured a 1.5 L aluminium boxer engine, Dunlop disc brakes on all four wheels, front-wheel drive and front suspension by unequal-length wishbones. This model was soon joined by a two-door coupé, designed by Pininfarina on a shortened platform. Vignale built 1,601 two-door convertibles, while Zagato designed an outlandish-looking light weight two-door sport version. The sport version has twin carburetors for extra power (just over 100 hp/75 kW); however, this version of the engine was notoriously difficult to keep in tune. Even the single-carburettor engine suffered from the problem of timing chain stretch. Sprockets with vernier adjusters were fitted to allow for chain wear, and the cam timing was supposed to be checked every 6000 miles. Early cars also suffered from corrosion of the cylinder heads caused by using copper gaskets on aluminium heads; nevertheless, the car was quite lively for its day, considering the cubic capacity. When leaving the factory Flavias originally fitted either Pirelli Cinturato 165HR14 tyres (CA67) or Pirelli Cinturato 155HR15 tyres (CA67).