Ask Nathan: The Lancia Delta Returns, Is The Bremach Off-Roader Still Coming, and Hatred for the Undriven?

The Lancia Delta could be making a comeback

Lancia Delta concept rendering by: Sebastiano Ciarcià

In this week’s Ask Nathan:

  • Return of the Lancia Delta
  • Is the Russian SUV company Bremach USA actually happening?
  • I hate a car I never drove!

The first question comes from a Lancia Delta fan.

Q: (Via Twitter@NathanAdlen) My Italian bro, I think the Lancia Delta will make a come back!

Giuro sugli occhi di mia madre (I swear on my mother's eyes) that the Lancia Delta was the best car in the world, and I think a return would save the company. Am I right il mio amico (my friend)?

— Giovanni Su67Sub 

A: Yes, it looks like the Lancia Delta may return – but there’s a catch…

For decades, the mighty Lancia Delta has been rumored to return. Rubbish. FCA did their very best to make Lancia into the Italian equivalent to Chrysler, which was depressing. During that time, the prospects for Lancia’s survival were low.

1990 Lancia Delta HF (Image: TeamSpeed)

Very brief history…

For those of you who don’t know, Lancia is one of history’s most successful rally car builder. They ushered in a variety of innovative, brutally capable homologated machines – which includes their production version spinoffs.

They truly started kicking ass in the mid 1960s with the Lancia Fulvia, before the Ferrari-powered, Bertone-designed Lancia Stratos came along. It was a champion, and still looks incredible. After their impressive, but short-lived 037, Lancia came out with the outstanding  Delta HF 4WD, and its predecessor, the Delta S4.

The Lancia Delta you know today has its roots in one of the most dominate rally histories to date.

I was lucky enough to drive a HF 4WD, but not the storied Delta HF integrale “Evoluzione.” That’s the model everyone loves. It’s a brute, and the look is still savage. I love the blistered fenders, and that screaming four-banger turbo.

Sadly, after the real Delta sputtered out by the mid-90s, the name made a comeback. Honestly, the 2006 Lancia Delta was an abomination based on a Fiat C2 platform. It had nothing to do with the storied name, and it was painful to look at.

(Lancia Delta concept: Sebastiano Ciarcià)

… and here we are.

Stellantis may have created a reprieve for the Delta. Under new management, it looks like things are changing – hopefully for the better.

Lancia Chief Executive Officer, Luca Napolitano stated: “Everyone wants the Delta and it cannot be missing from our plans. It will return and it will be a true Delta: an exciting car, a manifesto of progress and technology. And of course, it will be electric.” – Via: Corriere della Sera

Now, as amazing as the prospects are, we have no idea if Lancia will build it for the United States. Remember, Lancia pulled out of the U.S. market in the early 1980s. So, it may not be something for our market, even if it’s awesome. Maybe, just maybe – something like the future Lancia Delta EV could be sold at Alfa Romeo dealerships.

I’m crossing my fingers, but not holding my breath.

— N

(P.S. — I’m not Italian.)


The next question comes from a fan who wants to know if the upstart Russian off-road builder, who moved to the United States (Bremach USA) is for real.

Q: Question for the Ask Nathan feature

Is Bremach USA any closer to selling Russian built pickup and SUV in USA?

Thanks,
— Gregor

A: Hi Gregor!

For those of you who don’t know, Bremach USA is a startup who is building a modified version of the UAZ Patriot off-road truck-based SUV, and pickup. Also, we had a reader sighting you can read about here.

Not only does it appear that they are serious about production, they are going to show up at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show too.

While it seems hard to process the possibility of bringing a simple 4×4 to a country that’s about to phase out internal combustion engines, there is some merit to this plan. If they can get past the pesky federal safety and Department of Transportation requirements, production is possible. They could still produce vehicles for several years, before EPA mandates creep in.

The idea of a sturdy, inexpensive 4×4 is compelling for many. Still, I am waiting to see these things being sold before I fully declare that they are the real deal. Time will tell.

We hope to get more information about their products and production after the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show this November.

Also, we did this…


The last question/statement comes from a few comments who pan vehicles before they drive them.

QHow can you guys hate a vehicle before you’ve even tried it?

(Regarding the 2022 Lexus NX)

Improvement yes but honestly it’s a wasted effort from Lexus. There are so many better options out there. Even cheaper alternatives like the Mazda CX-5 Signature or Acura RDX SH-AWD are better than this. Even the Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy is almost as luxurious as the NX but for less cash and a longer warranty and better technology The Genesis GV70 quite simply murders any 2022 NX in every way possible no two ways about it.

NK

(Regarding the Jeep Wrangler 4xe)

I can tell that this is another Jeep stinker. It is to heavy and to slow. You guys just like it because its a Jeep. You can tell that the battery is going to fall apart!

A: Man. I guess you guys heard it from a little bird, right?

Despite your misgivings about the automaker’s you don’t like; weighing in about how they perform without driving them sucks. Sorry, but it does.

I totally get bias, but the fact is: until you’ve actually sampled it, you’re just regurgitating information from another source. Or, worse yet, you’re simply making a declarative statement with no substance to back it up.

You’re entitled to your opinions, but backing your statements up with a crazy thing called “facts” would make you look a bit less discourteous and disreputable.

Speaking of that Lexus NX