When was the last time you spotted a Lancia Thema?

Kowalski

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Manchester, UK
Damn! I haven't seen a Lancia Thema for quite a long time.

Of all the type four models (Alfa Romeo 164, Fiat Croma, Lancia Thema, Saab 9000), the Lancia Thema was my favourite. The deep green 1990 Thema SE Turbo 16V my father-in-law used to have 15 years ago was quite a Q-car (sleeper).

Anyway, when was the last you saw one of these?

Lancia-Thema-Image-009.jpg

Lancia-Thema-Image-008.jpg
 
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I'm guessing they have all rusted away by now. :p
 
They had galvanised steel, so I guess the real reason why the vanished were those Italian electrics...:p

Galvanized steel still rusts.
 
I can't remember having seen more than one Lancia Thema in my entire life, overtaking a dark one with czech or slovakian numberplates in Norway this summer.

Must have been a memorable experience since I still remember that.
 
You can still see one or two here, but of the four cars it's probably the least common. Cromas are next, 164:s can be seen more often. 9000:s are a daily sight, of course.
 
I've never seen a lancia, most likely I never will:lol:
 
Saw one today, and yesterday and last week..and not just the Thema. There are Kappas, Zetas, hell, even a Delta Integrale was in town not so long ago.

But this I haven't yet had the honour to see in person...the Thema 8.32. Fully fledged Ferrari V8 and some awesome features make this a real gem..

https://pic.armedcats.net/s/sc/schumacherm/2010/12/17/lancia_thema_8.32_5.jpg

I've never seen a Lancia in person in my life. :cry: The Integrale is a damn pretty car, and the Thema in the pic is sweet too. :D
 
I last saw a Thema about a year ago and that was an estate version, which I didn't even know existed. It's cousin the 9000 seems to go on forever mind, I still see a ton of them on nearly every street corner every day. The 164 an more infrequent sight, although a few people in my hometown own one.

I can't remember the last time I saw a Chroma though.
 
The V6 engine can misfire under heavy acceleration (due to faulty engine management) and the cooling system can leak at the water pump and the bottom radiator hose joint. Tyre wear is heavy at the front and clutch wear in common on V6 models (expect to replace the clutch at 60,000 miles). The gearboxes were quite good, but look out for a weak synchromesh on 3rd gear on some early V6 models. The gear linkage has also been known to break, leaving some cars stuck in gear. Check all the gadgets as these can be expensive to fix. The 8.32 model should really be looked over by a specialist as it needs constant maintenance. Otherwise look for blue smoke blowing from the exhausts of Turbo models and look at the tyres for signs of suspension misalignment. Body panels are increasingly difficult to get hold of and try to find a car that has a decent stainless steel exhaust fitted.

http://www.desperateseller.co.uk/reviews/models.asp?models=Lancia Thema (1986 - 1994)

Awesome ownership prospects then.
 
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Sorry, but I fail to see such an inordinate amount of possible faliures to defunk it as a good classic car. Putting aside the engine issues, if you just showed me this text and said it's for a 90s Mercedes, I wouldn't question you..

I'm not denying that it's still a Lancia, but they pulled their finger out after the withdrawal for RHD markets.

The Thema re-established Lancia as a high-quality luxury manufacturer with a galvanized steel chassis and rust protection that equaled or bettered that of its competitors. Build quality was higher than the Fiat Croma's and on par with the Saab 9000's.
 
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