1973 LANCIA Beta Coupe 2.0L 5MT FWD (115 HP)

Vehicle Overview

The Italian carmaker made a radically different version of the Beta and introduced the Beta Coupe on the market in 1973.

Fiat acquired Lancia in 1969 since the premium carmaker was in deep financial troubles. Its best model, the Fulvia, was developed without too many concerns about production cost and was too expensive to be profitable. Gianni Agnelli, the former head of Fiat in those times, pushed the Lancia’s engineers to develop a new car, but this time with specific costs on the table. The result was the Beta in 1972 and its coupe version in the following year.

The car was designed by Aldo Castagno helped by Petro Castagnero, who was the Fulvia’s designer. It resulted in a sporty car with a flat and low hood. Its front fascia featured double headlights and a black plastic grille. Its slim, chromed metallic bumper revealed a panel extended with an apron on the lower side. Beta Coupe’s profile showed a cab-rearward design, despite its front-wheel-drive architecture. Its short and sloped trunk lid helped the car achieve a better aerodynamic coefficient.

Inside, the car featured a raised instrument panel extended over the center stack. Its dials with individual clusters and an aluminum panel gave the driver a clear view. On the center stack, the carmaker installed the ventilation controls and the buttons for the radio. The front bucket seats provided some lateral support while the rear bench was profiled for two, but with limited headroom, which the designer sacrificed for the car’s exterior look.

Under the hood, Lancia installed naturally aspirated or supercharged engines with up to two-liters displacement due to the Italian taxes.