Stellantis aims for 50% of sales online at relaunched Lancia

　　div classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodivpTURIN Reuters – Stellantis is aiming to make 50 of Lancia sales online as the carmaker gears up to relaunch the premium brand across Europe, Lancia CEO Luca Napolitano said on Friday. p

　　pThe 116yearold brand, which had shrunk to just one model in one market – its home of Italy, plans to launch a new Ypsilon model in Italy in early 2024, and then in France, Germany, Spain, Belgium by the end of June that year, Napolitano said.pdivdivdiv classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodiv

　　p“I can see about 100 dealerships in the 60 major European cities … and a massive use of the digital world,” he said.p

　　p“Here we expect 50 of sales to be online,” he said, adding online sales would be completed through dealers.p

　　pThe CEO said Britain was not currently part of Lancias plan, but that could change later.p

　　pSome analysts had thought Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares might pull the plug on Lancia after the creation of a 14brand group from the merger of Peugeotmaker PSA and Fiat Chrysler last year. p

　　pBut he gave Lancia a chance to establish itself alongside the companys other premium marques, Alfa Romeo and DS. p

　　pLancias 10year business plan is based on a threemodel range. The new Ypsilon, both hybrid and battery electric, will be followed by a flagship compact crossover in 2026, currently nicknamed Aurelia, and a compact hatchback in 2028, the Delta, both fully electric.p

　　p“We have a gap to cover with other major premium brands,” Napolitano said. “Its important we start to confront them.”p

　　pHe said Lancia would not need a lot of dealers or big showrooms, and would coordinate with Alfa Romeo and DS. p

　　pHe reiterated it would only launch full electric cars from 2026 and would only sell them from 2028.p

　　p

　　pp Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari Editing by Mark Potterp

　　divdivdiv classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodivdivdiv