Little-known luxurious super saloon powered by Ferrari engine can be yours for a fraction of what it was once worth
A LITTLE-known Italian super saloon that boasts a Ferrari engine can be picked up for a bargain price – but they’re extremely hard to find.
The very plush Lancia Therma, a seldom seen motor in the UK, was produced between 1984 and 1994 and once considered one of the most luxurious cars of the 1980s.
Available as both a saloon and as a station wagon, the Therma was designed and produced by Pininfarina – known for making seriously good looking motors.
Spacious and comfortable inside, the top-of-the-range model was the Thema 8.32 – introduced in 1986 – which was powered by a 3.0-litre Ferrari V8 engine capable of reaching 146 mph.
Inside, the trimmings were made using wood-and-Alcantara, with stitched leather covering the entire dashboard.
Brilliantly, Enzo Ferrari owned an Therma 8.32 towards the end of his life as his own personal transport.
The Thema 8.32 rivalled other fastest saloons of the late 1980s, including the Audi Quattro, BMW M535i, Ford Sierra Cosworth RS, Saab 9000 2.3 Turbo S, and the Vauxhall Lotus Carlton.
Road & Track magazine described the 8.32 as “one of the weirder sleepers to come out of the 1980s.”
According to How Rare is My Car, only 27 Lancia Therma’s are currently registered in the UK with a full MOT.
Of course, these could be the second-generation Therma, built between 2011 and 2014 – although in the UK these were badged as the Chrysler 300C.
The original Therma is incredibly hard to come by and, much like Lancia models in general, only occasionally appear on car auction websites.
Incredibly, a Lancia Therma 8.32 from 1987 is currently up for sale on the Cars & Classic website.
Finished in a lovely dark red colour and with just 92,000 kms on the clock, which is roughly 60,000 miles, the motor is a steal at £16,000.
The listing says the car is “very well maintained, drives perfectly” and has a “private plate included.”
This comes as Lancia recently revealed the release of the brand’s first hot hatchback in decades – and a return to the World Rally Championship.
And another little-known motor that’s rare in the UK can be bought for just £12,000 – and it has a huge fan in the form of Jeremy Clarkson.