A special look back at the year 2021 - Lancia Trevi
"Surely you've always wanted to drive a Lancia Trevi?" With this concentrated load of irony, I am greeted in the office one morning by my esteemed editor-in-chief. The look on his face shortly afterwards shows that he was probably expecting a slightly different answer when he suggests the next candidate for a driving report - one that either announces sheer horror or consists entirely of bitter sarcasm. Instead, he gets an enthusiastic and completely un-ironic "Yes, forever!", which inevitably exposes me to the risk of being mistaken for someone with poor automotive taste.
Which is certainly true in the eyes of many classic car enthusiasts, because I've always liked the Trevi somehow. To be honest, I even think it's pretty - inside and out. The fact that the whole world was always harping on about it only made me more curious. Can a car really be that bad? And how bad is "bad" in this case?
After a hot June day in Obfelden, I finally got some certainty: the Trevi is not bad. It's not even bad - but it's not good either. It's terrific! Rarely has a car inspired me as much as the handkerchief-maintained, almost as good as new golden metallic beige-brown limousine that we were allowed to drive and photograph for our article. Limited to 2021, it is the lone front-runner in my personal driving report hit list, although the year was really not short on automotive treasures (which, incidentally, also include my Opel Omega B - which probably raises my taste level once again).
But even a Ferrari F355 loses out to the Trevi. Because the Ferrari was exactly how you imagined it and how the whole world knows it: red, good-looking and with a screaming flat-plane V8. Splendor is boring when you expect splendor. The Lancia, on the other hand, has not only softened all preconceptions or disproved them with mediocrity, but has even surprised with unexpected qualities: the handling is sporty, the engine sound is throaty and the dashboard is clearly laid out.
However, triggering so much enthusiasm in the driver seemed somehow scary for the photo trevi. After the first few photos had been taken, the fuel pump gave up and the Lancia didn't make a sound. I guess that's what you call pressure of expectation...
If you want to read the rehabilitation of the stepped Beta again in full, you can do so here . But please don't complain if you want to have one yourself afterwards.
