Lancia Flavia and 2000At the Turin motorshow in November 1960 Lancia showed a new car, the Flavia. With a 1500cc four cylinder horizontally opposed engine (78bhp) driving the front wheels it was a departure from the norm for Lancia. The front suspension consisted of unequal length wishbones and a transverse leaf spring whilst at the rear there was a dead axle located by a Panhard rod, leaf springs and telescopic dampers as well as an anti-roll bar. The brakes were discs all round and a four speed transmission with a column mounted shift was standard.
In 1962 the Coupe, a 2+2 designed and built by Pininfarina and fitted with a 1500cc engine developing 90bhp, was introduced, built on a wheelbase shortened by 170mm and fitted with a floor mounted gearshift. Also in that year Vignale introduced the Convertible, this being a four seater with the same 90bhp engine as the Coupe. Zagato also contributed the Sport, a 2+2 coupe design with an all aluminium body and improved aerodynamics giving it the best performance.
1963 saw the introduction of an 1800cc variant of the same engine. This produced 92bhp in all versions except the Sport where in had 100bhp, soon upped to 105bhp by changing from Solex to Weber carburettors. The saloon was offered with both 1500 (from 1963 actually a 1488cc unit with 80bhp) and 1800 engines whereas the other variants were only available with the 1800. Kugelfischer mechanical injection became on option in 1965 on all the 1800 engines, giving them an extra 10bhp.
In 1967 production of the Sport and Convertible stopped, and a new, redesigned berlina was introduced. This still used the same 1800 and a modified 1500, still 1488cc but with only 76bhp although with better driveability. An LX version also offered power assisted steering.
The Coupe was restyled in 1969, with new front and rear styling, and in that same year the engines were also revised. The 1488cc was increased to 1490cc, the 1800 up to 1816cc and a new 1991cc engine was introduced with 114bhp, or 126bhp with the optional fuel injection. The following year saw some revisions to the 2 litre cars with an improved braking system and power assisted steering as standard.
At the beginning of 1971 the berlina was restyled and relaunched as the 2000 at Venezia. Despite being an evolution of the preceding model, it was visually noticeably different with a completely new front end design where the vertical shield shaped grille was reintroduced. At the Geneva Motorshow of the following year the 2000 IE was introduced, which was fitted with electronic fuel injection (and 125bhp) and a five speed gearbox. The Coupe also became the 2000 Coupe in 1971 and later also gained a Bosch Jetronic fuel injection system to become the 2000 Coupe HF. Thus latter also had a five speed gearbox and alloy wheels as standard.
Production ceased in 1974 after 14,319 examples of the 2000 had been built. Very small numbers of a limousine variant of the Flavia were also built, as was a prototype estate, click here for pictures. In 1967 Zagato made a Flavia Coupe prototype.
Technical Details
Engines 1500cc (82x71mm) horizontally-opposed 4 cylinder with 78bhp @ 5200rpm
- other variant with 90bhp @ 5800rpm
1488cc (80x74mm) horizontally-opposed 4 cylinder with 80bhp @ 5600rpm
1490cc (77x80mm) horizontally-opposed 4 cylinder with 80bhp @ 5600rpm
1800cc (88x74mm) horizontally-opposed 4 cylinder with 92bhp @ 5200rpm
- other variant with 102bhp @ 5200rpm (injection)
- other variant with 100bhp @ 5800rpm
- other variant with 105bhp @ 5600rpm
1816cc (85x80mm) horizontally-opposed 4 cylinder with 92bhp @ 5200rpm
1991cc (89x80mm) horizontally-opposed 4 cylinder with 114bhp @ 5400rpm
- other variant with 115bhp @ 5800rpm
- other variant with 126bhp @ 5600rpm (injection)
- other variant with 125bhp @ 5800rpm (injection)Suspension front : double wishbone with transverse leaf spring and telescopic dampers plus anti-roll bar
rear : independent with semi-trailing links, coil springs and telescopic dampers (early cars)
rear : dead axle with leaf springs and telescopic dampers plus anti-roll bar
wheelbase : 2650mm (berlina); 2480mm (coupe)
front track : 1300mm (early cars up to 1971); 1332mm (late cars after 1971)
rear track : 1280mm (early cars); 1288mm (late cars)Brakes discs on all four wheels
vacuum assisted, split hydraulic circuit
handbrake operating on the rearGearbox 4 speed manual
5 speed manualSteering Worm and sector
ZF power assistance standard or optional on various later carsKerb weight 1190kg (early 1500 berlina); 1160kg (early 1500 coupe)
1235kg (2000 berlina); 1245kg (2000IE berlina); 1200kg (late 2000 coupe)Click here for a cutaway drawing of the Flavia 1800
Performance
model max speed 0-100kp/h standing km braking from 100km/h Flavia 1.8 (1964) 160 km/h 17.3 sec 37.85 sec 59 m Flavia 1.8 Coupé(1964) 173 km/h 14.7 sec 35.45 sec 66 m
Identification
model number details (all lhd) variants 815.00 Flavia Berlina, 1500cc, 1961-63 815.01 rhd, 815.103 rhd for South Africa 815.200 Flavia Berlina, 1488cc, 1963-66 815.201 rhd 815.300 Flavia Berlina, 1800cc, 1963-67 815.301 rhd, 815.305 rhd for South Africa 815.400 Flavia Berlina, 1800cc injection, 1965-66 815.401 rhd 815.130 Flavia Coupe, 1500cc, 1962-63 815.131 rhd 815.134 Flavia Convertible, 1500cc, 1962-63 815.135 rhd 815.332 Flavia Sport, 1500cc, 1963 815.330 Flavia Coupe, 1800cc, 1963-68 815.331 rhd 815.332 Flavia Convertible, 1800cc, 1963-68 815.333 rhd 815.532 Flavia Sport, 1800cc, 1963-67 815.533 rhd 815.430 Flavia Coupe, 1800cc injection 815.431 rhd 815.432 Flavia Convertible, 1800cc injection 815.433 rhd 815.434 Flavia Sport, 1800cc injection 815.435 rhd 819.200 Flavia Berlina, 1488cc then 1490cc, 1967-70 819.201 rhd 819.300 Flavia Berlina, 1800cc then 1816cc, column change, 1967-70 819.301 rhd 819.310 Flavia Berlina, 1800cc then 1816cc, floor change, 1967-70 819.311 rhd 819.610 Flavia Berlina, 1991cc, 1969-70 819.611 rhd 819.400 Flavia Berlina, 1800cc injection, column change, 1967-70 819.401 rhd 819.410 Flavia Berlina, 1800cc injection, floor change,1967-70 819.411 rhd 819.810 Flavia Berlina, 1991cc injection, 1969-70 819.811 rhd 820.010 Flavia Berlina, 1991cc, 1970-71 820.011 rhd 820.410 Flavia Berlina, 1991cc injection, 1970-71 820.411 rhd 820.210 2000 Berlina, 1991cc, 1971-74 820.211 rhd 820.416 2000 Berlina, 1991cc injection, 1971-73 820.417 rhd 820.030 Flavia Coupe, 1991cc, 1969-71 820.031 rhd 820.430 Flavia Coupe, 1991cc injection, 1969-71 820.431 rhd 820.230 2000 Coupe, 1991cc, 1971-73 820.231 rhd 820.436 2000 Coupe HF, 1991cc injection, 1971-73 820.437 rhd
See also our Giro Storico di Lombardia picture gallery, where a Flavia Coupé took part.
For books on Lancia's, see our Online Bookstore
There is also a list of all our picture galleries (including museums, motorshows and various events).
See also our Lancia advertisements gallery, where several Flavia adverts can be seen.
Flavia comment form
Your Comments
I'm afraid a lot of people are somewhat afraid of the Flavia. It's not a sportscar, it's not just a handsome coupé, some parts of the technique are not well understood, etc.
But you know: I own one and I love it! It drives me whenever I want to, whereever I want to (recently over the Alpes to Italy and back to The Netherlands by the Dolomites; 3.500 km in one week). As long as it is well- maintained by people who know what they are doing, the car gives you all the fun of a spacious sporty car, which is perfectly suited for fast, long drives! And then it grows. (Coen K)Definitely a tourer rather than a racer, I drive my 1969 Flavia 2000 coupe daily and it is the most comfortable and reliable car I have ever owned. The boot is huge, the 2+2 back seats surprisingly usable for a coupe and the engine and ancillaries are accessible and easy to work on. Highly recommended! (Chris, Australia)
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