The new Lancia Ypsilon HF marks a return to the hot hatch scene that the marque was once such an integral part of.
While enthusiasts fondly remember hot Delta hatchbacks fanging around rally tracks, and their homologated cousins sold to satisfy racing regulations, Lancia has subsisted on sepia-tinged memories and an aging city car with the faintest whiff of luxury for over a decade.
The fourth-generation Ypsilon, launched last year, is significantly larger and more advanced than the models before it, but a hot hatch it certainly isn’t, with buyers able to choose between a 115kW EV or 82kW 1.2-litre three-cylinder mild hybrid.
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Starting from the third quarter of this year, a new HF (for High Fidelity) variant will enter showrooms with a 209kW/345Nm electric motor driving the front wheels via a Torsen limited slip differential.
Pedal to the metal, Lancia says the Ypsilon HF is capable of completing the 0-100km/h dash in 5.6 seconds. A 54kWh battery is fitted as standard, and is good for a driving range of 370km according to the WLTP standard.
If these numbers sound familiar, that’s because the motor and drivetrain is shared with the recently revealed Peugeot e-208 GTi. Both cars are based on the e-CMP architecture that’s also used by Jeep Avenger, Fiat 600, Alfa Romeo Junior, and many others.
Interestingly, the Ypsilon HF is 0.1 second faster to the century than the e-208 GTi. It also has 20km more range, although Lancia says this is only achievable on standard tyres.
Pumped up wheel arch protectors are required as track has grown 30mm, while the HF sits 20mm lower to the ground than the regular Ypsilon.
There’s also a new front bumper with a large greyed-out section around the lower air intake and licence plate holder, 18-inch alloy wheels, and fake fender vents.
It should be a sharper drive too, as the suspension has been retuned, and there are significantly stiffer anti-roll bars at both ends. Stopping prowess is improved thanks to larger 355mm Alcon discs at the front with four-piston monobloc calipers.
On the inside you’ll find Econyl sport seats supposedly inspired by the Delta Evoluzione, perforated leather for the steering wheel, aluminium pedals, revised graphics for the instrumentation and infotainment screens, and a dashboard top that fades from blue to orange and back again.
For those who want HF looks, but don’t have an HF budget, the Ypsilon is now available in a HF Line trim (below) that has 17-inch alloy wheels, the HF’s front bumper, and the same 1.2-litre three-cylinder drivetrain used in lesser models.
It will be interesting to see if the HF will spark renewed interest in the brand. The new Ypsilon is larger than the decade-old model it replaced, but the increased price tag has seen sales drop by around 70 per cent year-on-year.
Under the leadership of previous Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, Lancia was given 10 years to save itself. It plans to launch the Gamma SUV and Astra-sized Delta hatch in the next few years.