The Lancia Thema 8.32
The ultimate Thema, the 8.32, used a 3.0 L Ferrari Dino V8. This engine was based on that of the Ferrari 308 qv with some being assembled by Ducati from castings made at Maranello and featured a traditional V8 split-plane crankshaft rather than the flat-plane used in Ferrari cars. It produced 215 bhp (160 kW) and was capable of 149 mph (240 km/h) in its Series 1 incarnation. The Series 2 engine was slightly detuned to 205 bhp (153 kW) and was slighty slower.
The car offered good performance (though the Turbo version was quicker than the Series 2 from 0 to 100 km/h) and excellent refinement, including a luxurious wood-and-leather interior by Poltrona Frau complete with the same luxury equipment as LX versions of the model. Unfortunately, a price tag of £40,000 (or more) in Britain, and the fact that only left hand drive versions were produced, limited its appeal, with only 9 being officially sold there. It was even a rare sight on Italian roads, with just 3,537 built between 1986 and 1991.
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