LANCIA BETA COUPE 2000 S2 pre face lift
Silver with geen cloth and brown carpet.
The Lancia Beta Coupe was designed by much the same team that designed the Fulvia coupe some 10 years previously, headed by Aldo Castagno with Pietro Castagnero but it was dynamically better in every way. It ran through 4 series, S1, S2, S2 face lift, and second face lift, the second face lift cars attempted to look more 80's than the previous and could be ordered with fuel injection or a supercharger (Volumex) and had light power steering. Like the Fulvia it was based on a shortend beta saloon chassis, 190mm wheelbase and 295mm overall reduction gave it short over hangs. Weight was reduced by over 100kg together with more powerful versions of the saloons Lampredi twin cam 1800 and 1600 engines. Steering box and cart springs of the fulvia were replaced by rack and pinion steering, and coil over MacPherson struts all round, wish bones at the front with anti-roll bars and independent at the rear with parallel transverse links and anti-roll bars, a unique design which Lancia should have patented, it worked so well that it was widely copied. These cars handled extremely well that in road tests of the day it was shown capable of developing 0.8G of lateral force in cornering, with 175 profile tyres! It also had crushable crumple zones and reinforced doors, orthopedic designed seats, adjustable steering wheel, fade free servo assisted disc brakes. 16v 190bhp versions of the early 1800 coupe where rallied along side the Stratos with considerable but unspoken success almost to the point of embarrassing the Stratos. On several occasions the leading Beta was told to wait for the following Stratos to overtake (team orders) but more often than not the leading Beta would break due to its ultimate lack of development for rallying, it was withdrawn after just 18 months. The Lancia beta Coupe is a serious candidate the the title of 'Most underated car of all time', most people just seem to remmember it for the 'R' word. They may have been dynamically better than the Fulvia but the build quality wasn't and the rate of attrition was considerable especially the early S1 and S2 pre face lift cars and trying to find a decent car is nigh on impossible even in Italy. This car. This particular car is an early S2 It is a rust free car originally registered in Florence in 27/4/1977 in an unusual colour scheme of silver with green cloth. It still has a complete book pack including the service booklet. There are also a good few recipts totaling around €4000 for things like the cambelt, rear shock absorbers, gearlinkage bushes, gearbox oil changes ball joints wheel bearings brake work, rebuilt carburettor etc etc It went striaght through the MOT only needing brake hoses. Body, Is completely rust free and original all the factory spot welds are still visible in the wheel arches and sills and the jacking points are perfect. Interior, Is in excellent and completely original condition carpets are as new, the seats are in good condition although the material is a little faded. Engine gearbox and drive train. The engine is in excellent condition, compressions all in the 180's it pulls very well with not a whiff of smoke. To be fair the Lampredi designed engine is probably the most durable part of the car being capable of around 200000 miles. The gearbox is also spot on the week point here are the gear linkage bushes which have been replaced on this car. The most underated car of all time? I think so.
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