Unusual. What if the Lancia Beta Montecarlo became an SUV?

This SUV is imagined as a modern reinterpretation of the Lancia Beta Montecarlo.

An independent designer has envisioned the return of the Lancia Beta Montecarlo in the form of an SUV, a process that is attracting more and more manufacturers wishing to resurrect the names of popular models to sell their new crossovers.

After the Ford Puma, the Opel Manta coupe is also preparing to reincarnate in an SUV. And if Lancia, which is preparing its resurrection in the bosom of the Stellantis group, followed this path. Designer David Obendorfer imagined this what would the Beta Montecarlo of the 1970s look like if its name was used in our time for a crossover.

Mixture of genres

The Lancia Beta Montecarlo was a two-seater mid-rear engine; the SUV imagined here has a much more classic architecture with a front engine and a five-door body. Its face is nevertheless very close to that of the original model and is made, as on the latter, of black plastic contrasting with the color of the sides. The shape of the side windows also evokes the Beta Montecarlo, and a black band at the bottom of the sides recalls the side protections of the coupe. The steeply sloping rear pillars are also a nod to the Italian sports car. At the back, there is a bezel set back between these uprights, as on the inspirator.

Lancia Montecarlo SUV road illustration — The black front is taken from the coupe.

Lancia Montecarlo SUV illustration gray — At the rear, there is a bezel interlocked between the uprights.

What path for the renewal of Lancia?

Lancia Montecarlo SUV coupe illustration — The design of the windows and roof of the SUV evokes the profile of the coupe, but the look of the two vehicles is inevitably different.

Obendorfer specializes in neo-retro concepts. He worked in 2011 on a modern reinterpretation of the Renault 4. Lately, it is his ideas for vans that have been talked about since he oversaw the design of the Type H of Caselani and the new Morris JE. But its concept of Beta Montecarlo SUV is more of a contemporary vehicle.

The virtual SUV is 4.54 m long, 1.85 m wide, 1.56 m high and 2.68 m wheelbase, far from the dimensions of the coupe (3.81 m long, 1.19 m m high). Could the idea appeal to Lancia officials? Not sure, as they seem to already have their work cut out for them between the renewal of the Ypsilon in 2024 and the launch of a new electric Delta in 2026, year from which the manufacturer will only offer “zero emission” vehicles.

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