Stellantis confirms Melfi for Lancia Gamma

The next vehicle in the renaissance of Stellantis’ luxury Italian marque Lancia, the Lancia Gamma fastback saloon, will be produced at the Stellantis plant in Melfi, confirming a decision first announced 12 months ago.

This means the vehicle will be designed, developed and made in Italy, in contrast to Stellantis’ strategy for fellow Italian brand Alfa Romeo, which has seen production of its first BEV migrate to Poland.

“The decision to produce the new Gamma in Melfi reflects Stellantis’ commitment to promoting Italian-made products,” the firm says. “This decision not only strengthens Lancia’s connection to its Italian roots but also underscores the importance of investing in local territories to create innovative, cutting-edge products.”

The Lancia Gamma will be built in 2026 on Stellantis’ STLA Medium platform. But, while the firm says it is “reaffirming Lancia’s commitment to driving the transformation towards sustainable, premium mobility”, there is no confirmation that the Gamma will be available as a BEV only, or whether there will also be hybrid or even ICE versions allowed by the STLA concept of an electric architecture on which Stellantis can also develop non-BEV versions.

This would represent a softening of Lancia's commitment to all-electric. While its first offering in the Lancia relaunch, the Ypsilon B-segment hatchback, comes initially as both BEV and hybrid both the Gamma and 2028’s launch of a new Lancia Delta hatchback had been slated to be BEV-only from the start.

Lancia had also outlined plans to sell only BEVs from 2028. But Stellantis' language is now much more vague and centred on electrified, rather than electric, vehicles.

"The new Lancia Gamma represents a milestone in our journey towards the future,” says the brand’s CEO Luca Napolitano. “It embodies our brand’s commitment to sustainability and high performance, while celebrating the unmistakable elegance that has defined Lancia for decades.

“By producing it at the historic Melfi plant, we are strengthening our connection to Italy’s rich automotive heritage and advancing our vision for an electrified future. Gamma will showcase the best of what Lancia stands for: innovation, style, and a relentless pursuit of excellence."

The Melfi plant, dating back to 1994, is currently responsible for producing the Jeep Compass and Renegade, which are available as an HEV or PHEV but not BEV. Stellantis says that adding the Gamma means “the plant will continue to play a pivotal role in Stellantis' electrification strategy”.

The Gamma is part of Lancia’s broader revival strategy, after the marque shrank to selling a single model solely in it home Italian market. It aims for a network of more than 70 dealerships in six countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Spain and Germany.