I'll try to post pictures of the 1976 Lancia Scorpion I saw this weekend. Many of the design features remind me of the Fiero, including the "sails" behind the rear window being similar to those on Fiero GTs. The owner told me the 1977 Scorpion's "sails" were modified to include triangular windows, even more similar to Fiero GT sails. He called them "flying buttresses", alluding to the medieval cathedral design feature.

Please note these features [some similar to stock Fieros, some common Fiero modifications, some just interesting] trunk up front, front-right battery location, ledge behind seats and in front of rear window, transverse four with dual overhead cams, air cleaner front/left of engine [owner said prototype Scorpion air intake was through side of bodywork but idea was dropped], full-sized 14" spare located next to engine and partially over transmission, independent rear suspension, rear deck/hood has air vents and hinges on the left side. You can't see the front radiator and the coolant lines going to the rear. The roof/top rolls out from behind the overhead opening and hooks over a strip just behind the windshield. [Owner said he seldom rolls out the top because the plastic strips on the left and right side of the opening break easily and are almost impossible to replace.]

Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancia_Montecarlo says this vehicle was to be the big, fancier brother to the Fiat X1/9. Same rust issues. Scorpion was underpowered at 1756 cc's loaded down with emission controls = 81 horsepower. It also had bump steer problems, and the front brakes locked up too easily. Only 1,801 total built for sale in US, including both 1976 and 1977 models. Probably not the car you'd want to buy for your kid to drive to school. Still, fun to look at. I hope the pictures work . . .


















If these "IMG code" deals from Photobucket, I'll try again with one of the other three codes.

I guess the "IMG code" works fine. I'll stick in another pic of the engine bay, this one showing the drum air cleaner location better. Look familiar?

is it me or his rear tires are not in the right direction?

Yeah, the owner pointed that out to me, too. He said he'd wanted some tires with a tread pattern similar to the original, like that on the spare, but could not find tires for 14 inch wheels with the tread pattern he wanted. So he bought those tires you see and had them mounted on - get this - Maserati wheels with the Maser Trident logo on the hubs. Once on, he did not want to hazard taking the tires off again. The owner referred to the stock wheels, such as the one with the spare, as the "original Lancia bow-tie wheel".

The seats are really cool.