New Lancia Ypsilon HF hot hatch marks the return of hallowed performance badge

Lancia is bringing back its hallowed HF performance brand for hot versions of all its new cars going forward, starting with the new Lancia Ypsilon HF hot hatch.

Due to arrive sometime in 2025, the Ypsilon HF will be all-electric and produce 237bhp - a significant jump up from the 154bhp in the regular Ypsilon. Capable of 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds, the Ypsilon HF is two seconds quicker than the standard version of the Vauxhall Corsa’s sharply dressed sister car.

Lancia says it didn’t stop after bumping the power output, with the Ypsilon HF also receiving a lower ride height courtesy of tweaked suspension and a wider track that should help improve traction and stability.

Those are the only details Lancia is willing to share at this time, keeping plenty back to tease us with over the next year.

Although, when revealing the modern reinterpretation of the famous HF logo and red elephant, Lancia CEO Luca Napolitano stated the brand is working on a return to rallying. Unfortunately we’ve yet to hear of any plans for Lancia to come back to the UK car market.

Lancia is also reviving names from its glory days for the next two models it’s launching. Arriving in 2026 is the new Gamma flagship, a 4.7-metre-long fastback, followed by the new Delta in 2028 which Lancia is describing as “a sculpted and muscular car.” Both cars will be pure-electric and should use the new STLA platforms from parent company Stellantis.

History of Lancia HF

The history of the HF logo starts in 1960 when passionate Lancia owners founded the "Lancia Hi-Fi" club (Hi-Fi stands for High-Fidelity). The HF initials were then used for some of the company’s sports cars before being adopted by the HF Squadra Corse racing team when it was founded in 1963.

The HF name was worn by Lancia’s most famous and successful rally cars: the Fulvia Coupe, Stratos, Delta 4WD and Delta Integrale. The boxy Delta hatchback proved to be unbeatable and alone won six WRC championships - the most of any car in the history of the sport.

In case you’re wondering, the little galloping elephant has been used by Lancia since 1953 and in Eastern cultures symbolises good luck and victory. It’s also supposed to represent the unstoppable nature of Lancia’s performance cars.

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