Lancia is preparing to play one of the most ambitious cards in its recent history. At the Brussels Motor Show 2026, the Italian brand will orchestrate a relaunch based on a clear triptych: design, motorsport and electrification. With the Ypsilon family as the cornerstone and an official return to rallying. Stellantis wants to reposition Lancia in the compact premium segment, combining an assertive heritage with technological projection.
Against a backdrop of declining attendance at major international motor shows, the Belgian event has established itself as a European stronghold for electrified vehicles and reconquest strategies. For Lancia, the show marks the first major public milestone in a « key year », seen as the tipping point for an industrial renaissance. On its stand, the brand is telling a story. It’s the story of a historically premium Italian manufacturer, once dominant in rallying, determined to regain the upper hand in performance and technology. This strategy is fully in line with Stellantis’ group logic. Alongside DS Automobiles and Alfa Romeo, Lancia should become a pillar of the premium division, more emotional and linked to the history of motor sport.
A renaissance announced and assumed
At the heart of this relaunch, the new generation Lancia Ypsilon is a genuine family, designed to cover several uses, several levels of the range and several customer sensibilities. The electric Ypsilon HF is the technological and sporting showcase of this strategy. With a claimed power output of 280 bhp, a 0 to 100 km/h time of 5.6 seconds and a battery capacity of around 54 kWh for a WLTP range of almost 370 km, Lancia has some credible figures when compared with other electrified sports compacts on the market. In addition to its raw performance figures, Lancia emphasises the chassis work, the enhanced brakes, the self-locking differential and a dynamic setting directly inspired by its racing experience. The HF badge is more than just a marketing gimmick.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Ypsilon Ibrida HF Line transposes this sporty DNA into a more accessible proposition. With around 110bhp and either mild or full hybrid depending on the market. It is aimed at an audience that wants style and distinction, without going all electric or adopting a radical sporty stance. It is a key model for volume, and therefore for the commercial viability of the relaunch. Finally, the Ypsilon Elettrica LX is positioned as the top-of-the-range model. It focuses on comfort, finish, on-board technology and connected services. Lancia’s aim here is to appeal to an urban premium clientele that values design as much as user experience.
The return to rallying, between heritage and credibility
Lancia’s relaunch would not be complete without motor sport. In Brussels, the symbolic star remains the Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale. Homologated in the Rally2 category, it marks Lancia’s official return to WRC2 and the European Rally Championship from 2026, with a first entry announced for the Rallye Monte-Carlo at the end of January. This choice of Rally2 allows for an official presence at a high level, while remaining compatible with a logic of controlled costs and distribution to customer teams. Lancia has clearly taken on a showcase role: demonstrating its technical expertise, recreating an emotional link with its glorious past and restoring sporting legitimacy to the brand.
The shadow of the Delta Integrale obviously hangs over this Ypsilon Rally2 HF. Without indulging in excessive nostalgia, Lancia is making the most of its unique historical heritage. The name HF (High Fidelity), the involvement of emblematic figures and the communication around the transmission of rallying know-how all help to reactivate a collective memory that is still very much alive among enthusiasts. The 2026 programme includes at least eight events in the WRC2 and ERC. The aim is not just immediate victory, but the building of progressive credibility, the identification of young talent and the long-term inclusion of Lancia in the modern rally ecosystem.
Premium positioning under Stellantis management
Behind this offensive lies a broader industrial and commercial strategy. Stellantis intends to refocus Lancia on a few key European markets: Italy, of course, but also France, Belgium, Spain and, more broadly, Western Europe. The brand is abandoning the idea of worldwide distribution in favour of a targeted and controlled reconquest. Electrification is a central pillar of this vision. Lancia is to become a highly electrified brand, with a timetable for phasing out combustion engines depending on the market. This transition is presented not as a regulatory constraint, but as an opportunity to reposition the brand at the top end of the range, where technology serves design and emotion. Faced with fierce competition, Lancia is playing the cultural differentiation card. Italian style, rallying heritage and a strong communication identity are becoming as important levers as technical specifications.
A decisive year for Lancia in 2026
The Brussels Motor Show 2026 is therefore much more than just a show. It is the founding act of a relaunch that will affect Lancia’s image, sporting credibility and commercial future. The Ypsilon family, in all its variants, will serve as a laboratory and manifesto. Volumes, customer acceptance and Lancia’s ability to maintain this electrified premium positioning over the long term will be decisive. But one thing is certain: for the first time in a long time, Lancia is no longer content to survive. It is proposing a coherent, clear and ambitious project. In Brussels, the HF flame has been rekindled.
Sources: Stellantis, Chrysler
