Lancia Pu+Ra HPE concept is a dream Stratos of the future | GRR
This is our first look at the new direction Lancia is taking, as the famed Italian marque attempts to redefine itself as a stylish maker of luxury electric cars.
It’s called the Pu+Ra HPE, and while that’s a bit of a mouthful, there’s meaning in the otherwise scramble of letters. ‘Pu+Ra’ is said to stand for the brand’s new design language, which it describes as ‘pure and radical’, while HPE is a reference to both the brand’s past and its future. The acronym was used in the 70s on the shooting brake version of the Beta, standing for ‘High-Performance Estate’. Now though, it refers to High-Performance Electric.
Squint a bit, and the Pu+Ra HPE looks a bit like a modern-day Stratos, with Lancia itself making no bones about the fact that the design borrows and reinterprets some of the cues of its famous mid-engined rally legend. Particular influence is spotted at the rear of the car, with the arrow straight leading edge and two circular taillights evocative of Marcello Gandini’s original.
Lancia says that the lines form a ‘streamlined’ look not too dissimilar to the Aurelia and Flaminia, but there’s plenty new about the Pu+Ra too. The new Lancia logo is present alongside touches such as the new face – the three rays of light will play an important role in defining the look of the brand from this point onward, and we’ll see this in production with the next-generation Ypsilon.
As for the interior, the space is influenced by the interior design of contemporary homes, claims Lancia. The brand points to the round carpet and the front seats, which evoke Maralunga armchairs. Round tables are found on the centre console and dashboard, while the round glass panoramic roof is there to get as much light into the cabin as possible.
As for the technical underpinnings, Lancia says that the Pu+Ra previews the sharpest end of its electrification curve. A range of over 435 miles is touted, presumably as a result of usage of the Stellantis STLA Medium platform. And accompanying the tentative specs is a rundown of what to expect from the brand in the coming years.
The new Ypsilon will arrive next year, with fully-electric and hybrid versions planned. But from 2026, Lancia will only launch fully electric models. One of these models will be a new Delta, which the firm hopes to have on sale in Europe by 2028. Could the firm re-emerge in the UK? Watch this space.