Lancia Trevi | |
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1983 Lancia Trevi
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Overview | |
Manufacturer | Lancia |
Also called | Lancia Beta Trevi |
Production | 1980-1984 |
Designer | Lancia |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Entry-level luxury car (D) |
Body style | 4-door notchback saloon |
Layout | FF layout |
Platform | Lancia Beta |
Related | Lancia Beta |
Powertrain | |
Engine | straight-4 |
Transmission | 5-speed manual or 3-speed automatic |
Dimensions | |
Length | 4,320 mm (170 in) |
Width | 1,710 mm (67 in) |
Height | 1,400 mm (55 in) |
Curb weight | 1,165 kg (2,568 lb) |
Chronology | |
Predecessor | Lancia Fulvia |
Successor | Lancia Thema |
The Lancia Trevi (Type 828) was a saloon car which was produced between 1980 and 1984. It had transversely mounted in-line four cylinder engines driving the front wheels. Its engines had twin overhead camshafts and electronic ignition. The clutch was a single dry plate with diaphragm and a five-speed gearbox was standard. The suspension consisted of MacPherson struts all round with coil springs and anti-roll bar. The wheels were fitted with 185/65 14 inch tyres (Pirelli P6). Steering was rack and pinion. The manufacturer's estimated fuel consumption was 29.4 mpg (9,6l/100km)at 75 mph for the 1600 manual and 28 mpg (10,1l/100km) at 75 mph for the 2000 manual. The 2000 fitted with an automatic transmission had an official fuel consumption of 25.4 mpg (11,1l/100km)at 75 mph.
The Lancia Beta Trevi was presented at the Turin Auto Show in May 1980. It was presented to the UK market at the Birmingham Motor show of November 1980. Much of the car was derived from the Lancia Beta. The most powerful version of the Trevi was introduced in 1982 - this Volumex (VX) version had a supercharger. The name stems from the Italian "Tre Volumi" (three-box).
Developed from the Lancia Beta, the Trevi (or Beta Trevi as it was called until 1982) was introduced in 1980. The chief engineer for the Beta was Sergio Camuffo who was also responsible for the original Beta and the Gamma and numerous other models. The Beta, which was fitted with the same interior as the Trevi, was sold for two years alongside the Trevi (and sold as the Beta Berlina) Sales literature from Lancia emphasised that the car was both luxurious and sporting in nature. Lancia's intention was that the restyled Beta would to help re-establish Lancia's credibility after the debacle of the rusting Betas: "Lancia´s position took an unreasonably big knock as a result of the revelation that they were buying back cars with corroded sub-frame mounting points...a new Lancia today - thanks to the over-compensation that was necessary to make their point - promises to be as rust resistant as any of its rivals" wrote UK's Autocar in 1981. The review continued to say the Trevi was "a conventional three-box saloon...it is a Beta under its skin but most the body panels and the interior are completely new." The sales literature explained that the designers set out to create a classic three-box notchback saloon. The appearance of the car drew this comment from Autocar: "The Trevi is, to most eyes, a rather curious looking car, an odd combination of curves and angles, that produces an incipient spoiler from the slight upturn at the rear of the roof panel". The introduction of a saloon body-style was part of a general conservative trend in which existing fastback cars or unusually-styled cars were given more conventional appearances. The VW Golf body was given a boot in 1979 to become the VW Jetta, the Citroën Visa gained a grill as did the Fiat Ritmo, and the fastback Simca 1307 was restyled with a boot and sold as a Solara, and the Saab 900 was sold in booted form as the 900 CD "The residents of Staid Lane" wrote Tumminelli, "preferred conformity...as a courtesy to Reagan, Thatcher and Kohl, the old-fashioned saloon, standard bearer of the bourgeouisie, must be reanimated".