Overview

The Flavia model range seems complicated at first with four body styles and three engine sizes, but all models follow the same pattern of front wheel drive, flat four high compression (for the time) all alloy engine with twin cams operating short push rods to the valves, and with disc brakes all round. The Flavia was the first front wheel drive car produced in Italy. The car’s innovative approach, like many of Lancia’s cars, was allied to their legendary high standards of engineering and materials. It has been argued that this was the last of the true Lancia which FIAT wanted to stop when they took over the company and its debts.

There are four body styles. The berlina (or saloon) built in house at Lancia’s factory in Turin. The coupe styled by Pininfarina, a convertible version built by Vignale, and the Flavia Sport, a lightweight model by Zagato. All models were built on the same transmission platform which featured a light subframe holding the engine forward of the front wheels. The flat four engine allowed for a low centre of gravity and with a well-located rear axle with leaf springs, anti-roll bar and Panhard rod which allowed for excellent road holding and comfort.

Development came with improved performance by increasing the engine capacity from the initial 1500cc to 1800 and finally the 2000 models. Fuel supply was developed from carburation to fuel injection, firstly by Kugelfischer and finally with a Bosch system; although fuel injection was an option that was contemporary with conventional carburation until the 2000HF

Transmission was developed late in the model’s lifetime for the 2000 model from four to five speed box and with power brakes and steering.

The name Flavia, a tradition of Lancia to name a model after one of the ancient Roman roads (Fulvia, Aurelia, Flaminia, Appia) was eventually and slowly dropped to be rebadged as first the Flavia 2000 (which introduced the revised body styling for both the berlina and the coupe), then the 2000 and lastly the 2000HF. Lancia had a fateful tradition of being complicated.