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Lancia at the 80th Geneva International Motor Show

Lancia is back at the Geneva International Motor Show with the Delta, the Ypsilon and the Musa – prestigious cars that showcase the best of European style – on the Swiss ramps along with some Chrysler vehicles (from March 2, 2010, more information at chryslergroupgeneva2010.com) sealing their recent alliance.

For the first time the two brands are displaying in one exhibition area designed to move away from trade show traditions in favour of a more symbolic stand.

Why this choice of more meaningful elements on a symbolic level? Because the Lancia-Chrysler alliance has strong characteristics precisely on this level: we are talking about two brands that have made the history of the automobile and that now interpenetrate, completing each other like two puzzle pieces that encapsulate the best of what automotive history has produced on both sides of the ocean, two puzzle pieces that, uniting, become a new entity, a kind of new hero of the two worlds that has and will have many new things to say.

This gives rise to a unique setup where the graphic design of a puzzle unites with the latest fashions and colours. The imposing backdrop comes out of a perfect union of enormous puzzle pieces with images of the two brands, a symbolic fusion of Lancia and Chrysler under the banner of the values that they share: from elegance to technological innovation, from history to the will to shine in the future. Even the floors of the booth take up the puzzle theme to represent the union of the two brands as do the two big platforms, shaped like puzzle pieces, showing off on one side two Lancia Deltas and on the other side two Chrysler 300Cs. In this setting the visitor becomes an essential part of the composition. In fact, the images of the public are transformed into puzzle pieces to complete the puzzle of the booth, thanks to a play of mirrors and video cameras.

The star at Geneva is the new Ypsilon ELLE, a special series created by Lancia in cooperation with ELLE, an emblem of femininity and modernity that each season creates and establishes a wide range of women’s clothing and accessories. Manufactured in a limited edition and marketed in the major European markets, the model on show features a 1.2 60 HP engine and two-tone body colour (matt black/white).
The spotlight is also on a show car, the Lancia Musa in a world preview, which, on the one hand is inspired by high-end jewellery, and on the other hand pays tribute to the atmosphere of the recent TV commercial featuring the model, starring Audrey Hepburn, the immortal symbol of elegance and beauty.

The vehicle on show is a concept car that anticipates a special series to be marketed in the major European markets in the second half of 2010. In addition, with the new version, the Musa range gets an original 1.3 Multijet II 95 HP (Euro5) engine along with the Start&Stop system that lets drivers lower fuel consumption and emissions on the combined cycle by up to 114g/km (109 g/km with robotised transmission), putting the Musa in a leading position in the MPV segment. A confirmation of Lancia Automobiles’ consistent focus on the environment through the research and development of concrete solutions accessible to all that can be summed up in the slogan: “The environment is a luxury we want to allow ourselves”.

Alongside these exclusive versions, let’s not forget the Lancia Delta present at the motor show with a special new series with shiny black roof and matt black body. It is the first automobile to sport the exclusive standard paint finish called Hard Black. Equipped with a 1.8 Di TurboJet 200 HP engine and Sportronic automatic transmission, the vehicle on show in Geneva features some interventions on the interior that explore future aesthetic solutions, such as the dashboard in beige and central console with luxurious treatments and new colour combinations. In addition:
The Lancia display is concluded with a Delta Platino equipped with a 1.6 Multijet 120 HP engine with standard DPF as well as Selectronic automatic transmission. Set apart by a two-tone body (white with matt black roof) and by Frau leather interior, this model comes with the characteristic back seat, to date an exclusive of the Executive version. From today even the Gold and Platinum versions of the Lancia Delta come with these cosy and comfortable seats that provide the same comfort as an armchair in business class on an intercontinental flight, besides having a reclining backrest to create lots of legroom, a comfortable feature on long trips. This exclusive treatment at the rear of the Lancia Delta makes it a real modern alternative to bigger, heavier, more expensive sedans with higher fuel consumption levels.

Also, brochures and customised totems at the stand will introduce visitors to the products of FGA Capital, a joint venture of Fiat Group Automobiles and Cr?dit Agricole specialised in the automotive segment. The company, which offers its services to important car manufacturers, will be operative in Italy and across Europe with a sole mission: supporting the sales of all Fiat Group Automobiles brand vehicles by offering innovative financial products with high value-added services targeted to the dealership network, private customers and companies.

The Lancia stand will have a specific corner dedicated to the growing cooperation between Lancia and Magneti Marelli and technological features realised for Lancia models: the Reactive Suspension System, Adaptive Xenon Lights, the built-in satellite navigation system (Instant Nav) Selectronic robotised transmission and the Blue&Me™ system, developed jointly by Fiat Group Automobiles, Magneti Marelli and Microsoft, providing hands-free and music player functions.

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Lancia is the main sponsor of the 10th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates

The main theme of the Summit is “Knocking down new walls and building bridges for a world without violence”.

This year the Summit is being held in Berlin the day after the celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall. A great number of Nobel Peace Laureates and various protagonists from the international scene committed to the battle to knock down all walls, both physical and cultural, will meet.

They will include Nobel Peace Laureates Mikhail Gorbachev, Frederik Willem De Klerk, Lech Walesa, Muhammad Yunus, Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Betty Williams and many guests of honour such as the President of the European Commission Jos? Manuel Barroso, Annie Lennox and others.

Lancia wished to support the Summit with its presence and the use of its flagship Lancia Delta. It wished to stand alongside the Nobel Peace Laureates to be another central voice in the universal message of freedom.

In order to reinforce the meaning of its presence, the brand has created an imposing background at the front of Summit: a symbolic section of the Berlin Wall shattered by the message of the ex-President of South Africa Mr. Nelson Mandela projected on an enormous screen in the middle of the installation.

A message that the South African leader has created especially for this Lancia initiative, accompanied by moving pictures that tell the story of barriers broken down by the desire for independence and emancipation.

The web: Your Face For Freedom

Location: YourFaceForFreedom.org.

Mass media meeting place: Facebook.com, one of the best known social networks.

Date: 10th December 2009.

From 12th November, Lancia is also launching the “Your Face For Freedom” initiative which is designed to create an online event with a very powerful impact thanks to the support of everyone who, through a small gesture, wants, together with Lancia, to support the campaign for the freedom of the Burmese Nobel Peace Laureate.

Simply replace your picture on your Facebook profile with the slogan “Aung San Suu Kyi Free Now” by 10th December, the date of the official ceremony for awarding the Nobel Peace Prizes to spread this important message for liberty.

Supporting this initiative will be visible both on Facebook and at YourFaceForFreedom.org, where all the photos of the Facebook profiles of the participants in the event who have lent their support directly will be published on the Wall For Freedom.

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Lancia Delta will be the “Official Car” of the world celebration of twenty years since the fall of the Berlin Wall

Lancia renews its commitment to pressing social issues by taking on a starring role in one of the most significant celebrations of the last few years. The fall of the Berlin Wall changed history forever, and today it is increasingly seen as a symbol of all the struggles against the barriers to knock down, both physical ones as well as cultural ones in particular.

On 9th November, a fleet of Lancia Delta cars will be accompanying all the numerous institutional guests along the streets of the German capital up to Brandenburg Gate where the spectacular celebration ceremony will take place.

Lancia’s engagement will also be testified by one of the dominos for the Festival of Freedom onto which the brand will be able to imprint its DNA, interpreting this historic moment through its values and its own identity.

“Delta” is the symbol for difference, for that additional factor which drives every evolution, every improvement and this is why the Lancia saloon has always been the carrier of messages and actions which have defied the status quo.

An example of this is the advertising campaign starring Richard Gere which raised awareness amid the public opinion on the Tibetan issue and the moving 30’’, aired at the beginning of the year, which paid homage to Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace winner in 1991, in support of her liberation. This latter project was devised on the occasion of the 9th World Summit of Nobel Peace Prizes which took place last December in Paris and scheduled this year to take place in Berlin itself, following the celebration of twenty years since the fall of the Wall.

The 10th World Summit of Nobel Peace Prizes will in fact open its doors on 10th November and the main theme will be the knocking down of social and cultural barriers, which still exist in many places around the globe today. Lancia will be the Main Sponsor of the Summit and the fleet of Lancia Delta cars placed at the disposal of the event will have the honour of accompanying the Nobel prize winners taking part.

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The Lancia Powerboat

The concept

Like a car, a boat distinguishes its owner.
Lancia shares common values with performance boating, typified by the pleasure derived from a unique form of travel.
Lancia’s association with the sea dates back many years and involves sailing as well as powered boating. From the Flaminia class speed boats of the 1960s to the Monaco Classic Week 2009.
Now, Lancia’s first powerboat is making its debut in Venice, a city where roads and cars are replaced by canals and boats – or launches (lance) as the Venetians prefer to call them.
The stage chosen for the event is the Venice International Film Festival, of which Lancia is main sponsor. While Lancia cars accompany celebrities to and from Palazzo del Cinema, the Lancia Powerboat will be carrying others to and from the moorings of the Hotel Excelsior.
The new boat has been developed jointly by four Italian companies, each leader in its own sector: Sacs, who produce luxury RIBs; FPT, a company in the Fiat Group and manufacturer of the “best in class” engines and Martini, regular partner of Lancia in the field of racing.

Boats and glamour

Lancia’s involvement with boats dates back to the company’s origins. Back in the 1920s, the company’s founder, Vincenzo Lancia himself, drew inspiration from the ribbing of boat hulls to design the monocoque body shell of the Lancia Lambda, an innovation that changed car design for ever. Over the next decades the link between Lancia’s prestigious cars and the yachting world grew even stronger, resulting in the creation of a special class of speed boats in the 1960s. Flaminia Class boats were three point racers powered by the same V6 engine as the Lancia Flaminia car. In 1980 Lancia sponsored the J24 sailing class, and in 1987 the finals of the One Ton Cup in Naples. Later, Lancia was behind the Azzurra boat in Italy’s challenge for the America’s Cup, as well as the Destriero, the boat that won the Blue Ribbon Atlantic crossing race with Cesare Fiorio, winner of six world rally championships and racing director of Team Lancia. For demonstration purposes a Class 2 offshore powerboat was even equipped with the 8.32 Ferrari engine used to power a special version of the Lancia Thema. In more recent times, Lancia has become a partner of the Monaco Yacht Club and sponsored the 2008 Viareggio-Montecarlo-Viareggio power yacht race. Lancia sponsored the Monaco Classic Week in 2007 and is doing again this year, the centenary year of the Yacht Club’s flagship, the Tuiga.
It should also be remembered that Lancia’s latest model, the Delta, is now the inspiration for a competition announced in Yacht Design magazine, with five of Italy’s most prestigious marine design studios invited to re-interpret the car in a marine key. The proposed designs will be presented at the Monaco Yacht Club on the 24th September, during the Monaco Boat Show.

Cinema, fashion, design and marine sport are the stages that Lancia has chosen to consolidate its presence and highlight the class and style of Italian products.
The Venice International Film Festival brings all these elements together and is therefore an ideal opportunity for Lancia to take to the water, in the company of stars of the cinema.

Partners

Lancia is continuing its historic partnership with Martini, acting as technical sponsor for the Lancia Caf? in Venice’s Hotel Excelsior.
Sports fans are sure to spot the distinctive red, dark blue and light blue stripes of the Martini Racing Team, enhancing the elegant livery of the Lancia Powerboat and evoking the domination of Lancia and Martini, first in the world rally championships of the 1980s and later in offshore class 1 powerboat racing. The continuing partnership between Lancia and Martini confirms the affinity of these two icons of Italian style for sport and elegance.
Martini, Lancia and Sacs provide the lifestyle and “joie de vivre”, while the Fiat Powertrain Technologies provide the exhilarating engines.

The Lancia Powerboat

To get you moving on the water, Lancia has embodied all the aristocratic elegance of a great sports coupe into a boat built by Sacs. Sacs has twenty years of experience in producing all types of RIB, and is world leader in high-tech luxury RIBs. The Lancia Powerboat is the ultimate expression of this type of vessel.
The boat was designed, modelled and built using the advanced tools and equipment that have established Sacs as the sector’s technical leader.
The Lancia Powerboat is the creation of Christian Grande, one of today’s most talented boat designers, and the genius behind concepts that extend beyond the confines of boat design into the realm of dynamic art.
Each individual boat is unique, manufactured industrially, but finished with all the care and attention of a master boat-builder. The fibreglass hull is made using moulds finished by robot milling machines. Every component is then assembled and installed by hand to permit each boat to be personalised to customer specifications. In this way Sacs combines industrial levels of productivity with all the exclusivity of ‘custom’ production.
The Lancia Powerboat will be presented to the public at the Genoa Boat Show.

Characteristics

The hull is 13.10 metres in length, with a broad beam of 3.83 metres. These figures give a moderate coefficient of fineness, in search of balance between performance and comfort on board. A limited draft of only 0.80 metres permits navigation even in shallow waters. A weight to power ratio of about 7.5 kg/HP establishes the boat as one of the most powerful available. The two N67-560 engines by Fiat Powertrain Technologies are “best in class”. The choice of JMD propulsion, as used in competitive powerboats, typifies the quest for high dynamic efficiency, not only for speed purposes, but to reduce consumption and emissions by ensuring maximum screw efficiency too. The fuel tank has a capacity of 1000 litres, giving sufficient autonomy even for long crossings. Cruising speeds range from 15 to 45 knots, while top speed under ideal loading conditions tops 55 knots. The Lancia Powerboat can carry up to 11 persons, and has a cabin to sleep two.

The modelling and finish of the exterior surfaces faithfully reflects Lancia style. Designed by Christian Grande, the Lancia Powerboat is characterised by an aggressive yet balanced profile, with perfectly proportioned bow, cockpit and stern. The hood blends perfectly with the lines of the boat, thanks to a low profile that accentuates the vessel’s sporting character. You can nevertheless stand up in the cockpit even with the hood in place, if you want to drive in maximum comfort and total privacy. The bow deck incorporates two sunbathing mattresses to either side of the central walkway that leads to the bow like a catwalk for passengers to embark and disembark. In the same way, the engine covers at the stern are upholstered to create a second sunbathing area, with another walkway leading to the bathing platform. The windows are design elements of special importance, each with a specific function and style. The side windows accentuate the boat’s aggressive character; the windscreen opens to the bow gangway, and the rear window evokes the fascinating style of a classic car. The RIB tubes are largely incorporated into the hull, emerging only where their presence serves to facilitate manoeuvring in tight spaces without the need for fenders. The tubes also ensure unsinkability by providing a number of separate air compartments. Rows of LEDs under the transom and front windscreen simulate the appearance of modern Lancia car lights and emphasise the advanced technology and racing temperament of the FPT engines. The deck expresses the boat’s dynamism, with every aspect designed, shaped and finished to convey a sense of movement even when the boat is stationary. No perimeter handrails protrude to compromise the purity of the boat’s sensuous lines. Passengers are nevertheless well protected by tall inboard backrests and experience a sensation of greater stability than normal thanks to the low cockpit floor. The sky is yours at the touch of a button too! The hood retracts into a dedicated compartment leaving the full beauty of the cockpit open to the sun. Martini Racing graphics add a final sporting touch. A fold-away LCD television and a galley complete the cockpit equipment.
In the cabin, furnishing is characterised by modern shapes and materials, and the lounge converts quickly to a double bunk. Air conditioning lets you escape from the heat of the sun and cool down. Bathroom facilities are minimalist but impeccably finished. There are even coloured LEDs to provide romantic lighting in the shower.

The driving experience

The Lancia Powerboat is the ideal choice for owners of character, lovers of speed who would never think of giving up the wheel because that would mean losing control over so much power. 1120 horsepower, delivered at 3000 rpm, propel you at up to 55 knots. The Fiat Powertrain Technologies N67-560 engines develop ideal torque and power curves for marine use, with bags of thrust at low engine speeds to get the hull planning effectively. Driving the Lancia Powerboat is a ‘not to be missed’ experience, and offers you the choice of moderating power as you would in an elegant saloon or using it to the full as you would in a thoroughbred racing boat. The choice is entirely up to the driver. The hull’s profile in the water has been carefully designed so that anybody can drive the boat just like a Lancia car, but with the added excitement of travel without limits. If you want a more stimulating experience, all you have to do is adjust the trim of the propulsion. Two buttons on the throttle levers modify the propulsion angle to move the screws higher or lower in the water. This changes the angle of the hull with respect to the surface of the water, increasing speed or stability in rough water. The hull is derived from a Sacs racing prototype, and does not need flaps, making it especially easy to drive. The engines are controlled by electronic levers that operate the throttles and smoothly engage forward and reverse propulsion. The engines respond instantly, giving you complete control over available power, and allowing you to turn and negotiate waves with speed and precision.

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FPT engines

FPT – Fiat Powertrain Technologies is the Fiat Group company specialising in the R&D, production and sale of engines and transmissions for automotive, industrial, marine, power generation and railway applications.
The FPT engine range spans 20 to 1020 HP, and displacements from 1,000 to 20,100 cc.
FPT is one of the world’s leading power train manufacturers, and boasts over a hundred years of experience through different brands. In 2008, output reached 2.9 million engines and 2.4 million gearboxes and axles. FPT employs a workforce of around 20,000 (including 3,000 highly qualified engineers), in 16 production plants and 11 research centres (two of which are dedicated to advanced research) located in nine different countries.

FPT’s N67-560 diesel engines are best in class, as their main specifications clearly show: weight to power ratio is 1.16 kg/HP; power to displacement ratio is 83.58 HP/litre; and volume to power ratio is 1.2 dm3/HP. The N67-560 engine is derived from the N67-450. Various changes have been made, however, making the new engines far more suitable for racing use without losing any of the reliability for which FPT’s touring engines are famed. Technical developments include the use of a higher class of turbocharger for better boost and air flow. Injector operating pressure and atomiser flow have also been increased to inject more fuel in less time. Combustion chamber design has been modified to improve efficiency while also reducing combustion pressure in order to extend engine life. A new air/water heat exchanger has been installed to reduce intake pressure drop and lower the temperature of the combustion cycle. The flow rate of the oil pump has also been increased to improve lubrication. Finally, ‘ladder frame’ reinforcement ribbing has been added to the bottom of the cylinder block to absorb the stress of high speed operation on water. Prior to selection as power unit for the Lancia Power boat, the N67-560 engine was tested in endurance racing at even greater power outputs. Because of the durations and speeds involved, endurance racing provides the toughest dynamic testing to which any marine engine can be subjected. The victory of four N67 engines in the prestigious Cowes-Torquay-Cowes race in 2008 is tangible proof of the excellent performance of the turbo diesels in FPT’s N series, which includes 370, 400, 450 and 480 HP engines.

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George Clooney with Lancia for L’Aquila, an evening in Fregene for the RomaFictionFest

Last night, in two completely different sets of circumstances, Lancia hosted two amazing events featuring international show business stars. At one, George Clooney, together with the Nobel Peace Prizewinner Betty Williams, was at the inauguration of the Nobel Peace Hall at the San Demetrio tent city near L’Aquila. At the other, at the Lancia Beach Club Riva in Fregene (Rome), guests took part in the “RomaFictionFest 2009″ including Hill Harper and Sofia Milos of CSI, Christian De Sica, Paolo Conticini, Stefano Ambrogi, Antonella Salvucci and Margherita Granbassi.

“Nobel for Peace Hall” for L’Aquila

Set up using the funds collected from the Nobel Prizes for Peace and sponsored by Lancia, the Nobel Peace Hall is a permanent, multipurpose building which will be designated as a cinema but can also host meetings and other activities. Figures from the world of politics and large organisations took part in the ceremony as well as famous people from the world of show business and the arts. These included the actor George Clooney and the Nobel Peace Prizewinner Betty Williams who wanted to meet some representatives from the communities affected by the earthquake. Some scenes from Fantastic Mr Fox, an animated film by Wes Anderson, featuring the voices of George Clooney and Meryl Streep, were screened after the inauguration of the new Nobel Peace Hall. There was also a special preview screening for the occasion of the Italian version of the film “Ice age 3″.

The initiative supported by Lancia confirms, on the one side, their strong bond with the world of cinema, an exclusive relationship as demonstrated by the direct participation of several of their cars in famous films and the support that, since 2006, the brand has been giving to the main film festivals, those international events standing out for elegance, style and importance. On the other side, the sponsorship of the Nobel Peace Hall is a further example of the strong, well established bond that exists between Fiat and Abruzzo, a collaboration that was set up at the very beginning of the aid measures, between various companies within the Group and the Civil Protection League to deal with the diverse needs that emerged after the earthquake in a timely and effective manner. In this sense Lancia’s commitment to the Nobel Peace Hall represents a real contribution in restoring some normality to the lives of families affected by the disaster.

In addition, in order to support, in practical terms, the G8 summit, which is being held at the moment in L’Aquila, the Fiat Group has placed an entire fleet of 221 vehicles at the Civil Protection League’s disposal including cars, electric vehicles, off-road vehicles, commercial vehicles and buses that will be used for transporting the participants to the summit. The Delta Executive, the Lancia flagship that was recently chosen as the Official Car of the 9th World Summit for Nobel Peace Prizes is a symbol of this participation.

Without forgetting that the Lancia Delta has become the car of cinema stars. Since last year this model is the Official Car of the most prestigious film festivals sponsored by the brand: after its debut at the 65th Venice International Film Festival, a fleet of Deltas accompanied cinema starts on the red carpet in Rome, Barcelona, Milan and Turin. Also, recently the Lancia Delta was “recruited” for the new Columbia Sony Pictures action film “Angels and Demons”. The relationship between the Delta and the cinema doesn’t stop with the new Angels and Demons film. Just think of the exclusive saloon that has been launched internationally using the talents of an actor of the calibre of Richard Gere and a soundtrack composed by the Oscar winning Ennio Morricone.

“Satis…Fiction Night”: the cinema stars meet at the Lancia Beach Club Riva

Last night the original “Satis…Fiction Night” party took place at the Lancia Beach Club Riva in Fregene, one of the most exclusive and elegant clubs on the Rome coastline that is sponsored by the brand for the third consecutive year.

Hill Harper and Sofia Milos of CSI, Christian De Sica, Paolo Conticini, Stefano Ambrogi, Antonella Salvucci and Margherita Granbassi: just some of the many famous people who were invited to this prestigious event, all actors and guests at the “RomaFictionFest 2009″, the festival dedicated to international television fiction supported by Lancia with a fleet of 50 cars that accompanied the stars on the Orange Carpet and also with a contribution to the “Serial” section of the Festival, the most representative part of the show.

A night of music and entertainment as alluded to by the title “Satis…Fiction Night” – joining the glamour, elegant and exclusive world of fiction with “satisfaction” understood as “knowing how to live” Lancia – that features as main character also an Ypsilon ECOCHIC in the stunning location of Fregene. This model, together with the Lancia Musa, makes up the new ECOCHIC range: cars with a dual fuel supply (LPG and petrol) that represent an innovative concept of “environmentally-friendly” cars because they are luxurious, yet accessible, spacious, but at the same time compact, lively but fuel efficient.

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Lancia is the sponsor for the RomaFictionFest

Lancia is the official sponsor for the RomaFictionFest 2009, scheduled to take place in the Italian capital between 6 and 11 July. It’s the largest festival in the world dedicated to international television fiction in all its formats; from serials to TV movies, from mini-series to sitcoms. RomaFictionFest is put forward as the most comprehensive annual event to focus on global production, offering interesting new shows, some previewing for the first time.
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Lancia Delta 1.8 Di Turbo Jet 200 HP

Lancia Delta reflects perfectly the concept of “Anticrisis Luxury” as it fulfils the current requirements of prestige and mobility thanks to the logic of downsizing – i.e. it ensures high quality and performance, reducing cost, size and fuel consumption. Thanks to these winning characteristics, in March this model became the leader of its car range in Italy and is fast growing at European level. In order to improve these results, today Lancia launches a new engine and a new version together with a number of technological changes that make this car the reference product for this car range.

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Delta: the difference between Angels and Demons. A film, an ad.

The new international film star, featured in an original advertising campaign, is the Lancia Delta: the car that revolutionises product placement and publicity.

The version fitted with the new 200 HP 1.8 Di TurboJet was “engaged” for the thriller produced by Columbia Pictures and distributed by Sony Pictures, “Angels & Demons”, inspired by Dan Brown’s bestseller of the same name in the spirit of “The Da Vinci Code”, likewise directed by Ron Howard, starring Tom Hanks as Professor Langdon.
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