Lancia Kappa

Production period:	1994 to 2000
Class :	Motor car
Body versions :	Saloon , station wagon ,coupe
Engines:	Gasoline : 2.0-3.0 liters (107-162 kW)  Diesel : 2.4 liters (91-100 kW)
Length:	4565-4685 mm
Width:	1825 mm
Height:	1430-1460 mm
Wheelbase :	2580-2700 mm
Curb weight :	1425-1630 kg

The Lancia Kappa (or Lancia k ) was built from 1994 to the middle of 2000 from the Italian automaker Lancia .

History 

Kappa was from August 1994 as a successor to the top model in the Lancia program and came after a particularly long-lasting development time.The Kappa Limousine was designed by the in-house design department Lancia Centro Stile in collaboration with the Turin design company IDEA. The car was built on the internally called "D" platform.  The design forms a more classical look. The rear dominated by the trunk lid divided taillights, a flat rear window and a large-scale bumper in body color.

The vehicle existed as a four-door notchback sedan, five-door station wagon and two-door coupe. It is named after a historic model built between 1919 and 1922. Like many Lanciamodels, it was named after a letter of the ancient Greek alphabet.

The Kappa was powered by either a two-liter turbo four-cylinder (205 hp), a two-liter five-cylinder (145 hp), a 2.4-liter five-cylinder (175 hp), a three-liter V6 (204 hp) or a 2 , 4-liter turbo diesel with 124 hp. The two-liter version was available with either a short or a long gear ratio. In July 1996, the performance was raised to 155 hp 2.0 hp. The Kappa SW 2.4 also featured the so-called PowerDrive transmission.

The equipment of the Kappa was extensive and included among other things height and length adjustable steering wheel and a built-in rear window radio antenna, check-control system, air conditioning (depending on version), velor padding ( Alcantara or leather by Poltrona Frau on request), ABS , double airbag . There were three trim levels at launch: LE, LS and LX. The radio models of the first series were by Clarionand kept in the same design as the air conditioning operation. Unusually for that time was that one also made the odors of the plastics in the new car thought and an odor neutralizer installed in the form of a special cushion under the seat. A version with extended wheelbase, which included a two-part B-pillar, was made in five copies only in the color dark brown, two of which were vinyl-roofed and used by the management of the Fiat Group. 

Like its predecessor SW, the Kappa estate version was designed and built by Pininfarina.Kappa SW was in June 1996  introduced and had the distinguishing feature of a matt anodized chrome trim on the roof edge, the widely followed the door opening in the C-pillar a piece and was at this point the Pininfarina logo, the combination of the had designed. In the turbo models, the roof trim in dark gray was anodised and the door handles as in coupe and sedan painted in body color.From the Kappa Station Wagon 9,193 copies were made.

The Kappa Coupe was from January 1997 to March 2000 by the Italian body building firm Maggiora.Up to the A-pillar sedan and coupe are identical, the rest of the body has been redesigned. The rear window runs smoothly backwards and is flanked by two indicated tail fins. They are a reminiscence of the design of the Lancia Flaminia coupe from the 1960s.The interior was fitted as standard with Recaro seating in Alcantara. A leather upholstery of the Italian manufacturer Poltrona Frau , in which twelve color variants were selectable ("Kaleidos Leather"), could be ordered as an extra charge extra.The Carrozzeria Maggiora in Chivasso made of the Kappa Coupé a total of 3271 copies. It is thus considered one of the rarest mass-produced vehicles.

In May 1998, the Kappa series underwent a slight overhaul. The most important innovation were the two new engines: a two-liter five-cylinder gasoline engine with turbocharger and an output of 220 hp and a 2.4-liter turbo diesel with common rail - direct injection , which made 136 hp. There were also side airbags and a radio navigation system from Blaupunkt (only in Germany) as standard.

By fully painted in body color bumper, high-gloss root wood imitation and a continuous anthracite-colored dashboard, the vehicle seemed modern and high-quality. New extras were cruise control and xenon headlights .

The variant "LE" accounted for, although aluminum wheels, fog lights and Alcantara upholstery in the basic version was still not standard. New was the "turbo line" for the turbo, which was characterized by dark anodized window surrounds, perforated Alcantara upholstery as well as body color painted door handles.

In July 2000 ended the production of the Kappa sedan and the station wagon. Overall, the Kappa 117,216 units were produced, of which 104,752 copies on the sedan, 9,193 on the station Wagon and 3,271 on the coupe accounted.  This was from the three variants by far produced the sedan most frequently, so that the combination only 4%, and the coupe contributed only 2% of sales.