Lancia Trevi

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The Lancia Trevi is a four-door sedan made from 1980 to 1984. It was developed from the Lancia Beta and was sold as the Beta Trevi until 1983, when it became simply the Trevi. The car was designed to be a stylish, comfortable, entry‑level luxury saloon with a three‑box (notchback) shape.

Under the bonnet, the Trevi used front‑mounted inline‑four engines with front‑wheel drive. Initial versions came with a 1.6‑litre or a 2.0‑litre engine, both with twin overhead camshafts and electronic ignition. Early 2.0 engines used carburetors, and in 1981 Bosch electronic ignition was added to the 2.0 IE models, boosting power. In 1982 a special Volumex version appeared, using a Roots‑type supercharger to push output to about 135 hp, giving the Trevi more performance without a big jump in fuel use. A rare Trevi Bimotore, built in 1984 for tire testing, used a second engine in the rear and produced about 300 hp in total.

The Trevi’s chassis was simple and sensible: MacPherson struts at the front and rear, 185/65 R14 tires, and a five‑speed manual gearbox as standard (an automatic was available with the larger 2.0‑litre engine). It weighed around 1,165 kg. The interior, designed by Mario Bellini, used distinctive styling but drew mixed reactions for its dash, which some critics likened to Swiss cheese. Despite this, the Trevi offered generous equipment and solid road manners, with praised handling and comfortable ride, though some testers found the seating and space to be less practical than rivals.

The Trevi was introduced at the Turin Auto Show in 1980 and reached the UK market later that year. Lancia positioned it as a luxurious, sporting family car to help rebuild the brand after the Beta rust problems. It was available in two main engine families (1.6 and 2.0) before the Volumex variant, and only the 2.0 options were offered with automatic transmission in some markets. The name “Trevi” comes from Tre Volumi, or three volumes.

Production sadly ended in 1984 with about 36,784 Trevi cars built. A notable curiosity was the 1984 Trevi Bimotore, created for tire testing with a second rear engine to study performance under race‑car like conditions. The Trevi’s mix of luxury, unusual styling, and capable handling left it as an ambitious but controversial chapter in Lancia’s history.