Lot 116: 1979 Lancia Beta Coupe

The Lancia Beta was the first Lancia produced by the company after it had been taken over by Fiat in 1969 with the company choosing the name Beta for a new vehicle to be launched in 1972. The choice of name symbolised a new beginning as it reflected the fact that the company's founder, Vincenzo Lancia (1881-1937), utilized letters of the Greek alphabet for his early vehicles (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, etc). Beta had been used before for Lancia's 1908 car and again for a 1953 bus! Lancia had originally utilized the first letter of the Greek alphabet: Alpha. But this was not chosen for the new 1972 Lancia due to the obvious confusion it might cause with a certain Milanese competitor, Alfa Romeo. The Beta was well received by the motoring press and public when launched. The various models were praised for their lively performance as well as their good handling and roadholding. They were widely regarded as a "driver's car" with plenty of character. The Beta was competitively priced and became the highest ever selling Lancia model up to that point.Presented in very good condition all round, this popular classic comes complete with its original service book, warranty card and owners manual. With just 2 owners from new, the first being Fiat itself, the Lancia Beta represents ideal classic urban motoring and with only 40,000 kilometres recorded, has plenty of fun still to give its new owner.