Lancia at the 2000 Bologna Motor Show

The Lancia stand at the Bologna Motor Show features smooth, flowing lines that hint at water and sea. The big blue wave that sweeps through the exhibition area, the blue-and-sand-coloured carpet and the top-quality materials communicate brand values at a glance: wellbeing and quality of life on board, adaptability to the needs of driver and passengers, stress-free driving, elegant styling and sophisticated technology.

The focus of this original and appealing stand is the new Lancia Nea concept car, that is housed inside a bubble-like structure covered in a light white gauzy fabric known as the 'Nea Dome': 'the Nea house'.

The car stands on a rotating platform that moves around discontinuously to the accompaniment of background images projected onto monitors arranged in a spiral pattern. The film describes the philosophy and inspirations behind the car and also its features.

Visitors who wish to find out more about the concept car that heralds the future of compact cars as far as Lancia is concerned can consult one of the interactive stations arranged around the platform and watch a film that explains the car's innovative content in detail.

If you climb up onto a stand next to the platform, you can admire the Nea from different viewpoints and discern certain interesting details. You can admire the transparent roof supported by a frame with its front pillars sunk beneath the glass, or the original electrochromic windows that lighten or darken due to the effect of an electric potential difference applied across either side of the glass.

The 'Nea dome' is surrounded by all the most youthful and vivacious Lancia cars, as you would expect at a motor show that attracts an audience with an average age of 25.

First you can admire the sprightly Lancia Ys, with recently revised styling, engines and content. Six versions are on show: a brand new 'elefantino blu' with a 1.2 16v engine (due to go on sale in February), an 'elefantino rosso', a 1.2 16v LX and three multicoloured Lancia Ys that have been given an original paint job by the Lancia Style Centre using various shades from the Kaleidos range.

One of these quality Lancia Ys will be awarded as a prize in a draw among competitors in the 'Y pop art' competition. All you have to do to enter is register your details in the stand computer.

Visitors can try out these pocket Lancias in the test-drive area. This scheme offers motorists a chance to improve their driving skills and learn to recognise and evaluate difficult situations by discovering their own limits and those of their car in a specially equipped area with the aid of expert instructors.

The Lancia brand is also represented at the motor show by two Lancia Lybra Station Wagons with JTD engines: two 2.4 versions and a 1.9. Visitors can appreciate the extraordinarily realistic sound reproduction offered by the Bose® Sound System in a musical tunnel set up on the stand. Images, simulations and items are used to describe the model's attributes in detail: suspension with guided longitudinal arms, a Comfortronic self-adaptive sequential automatic transmission, a dual zone climate control system and an Integral Control System (ICS) that controls radio, trip computer, on-board system check, clock and - if fitted - a GSM phone and satellite navigation system.

The stand also features an area devoted to Targa Services for visitors who wish to find out the freephone number for phone assistance and obtain information on traffic, roadside rescue, hire, new car loans, insurance packages, approved bodyshops, MOTs, used car management and check-ups.

Some Internet stations are available for visitors who want to visit the buy@lancia site, the new service that allows you to pick a new Lancia model (complete with options and accessories) and make an appointment with your nearest dealer to finalise the purchase.

Last but not least, the Accessories range showcase contains many exclusively designed Lancia items.

The general air of the stand is enlivened by the GAP dance company (GAP stands for Giovani Artisti in Prova - young artists on trial). Their dances take everyday life as their inspiration and feature repetitive movements enhanced by a wealth of colour.

The eight supremely fit dancers have put together a highly original show that emphasises perfection of movement and bodily harmony to create a magic and unique sight. And you could say exactly the same of our Lancia cars.