Lancia Flavia "Red Carpet" debuts in Italy

Dubbed the Lancia Flavia "Red Carpet" by Poltrona Frau, the one-off model Flavia will be on display on both the red carpet catwalk for the Festival, as well as in the Lancia Café. Poltrona Frau's craftsmen trimmed the seats and armrests of the white Lancia Flavia in red 'Pelle Frau®' Pieno Fiore leather, continuing an association between the two companies that goes back almost a century.

The collaboration between Lancia and Poltrona Frau began in the 20s with Vincenzo Lancia looked to Renzo Frau, who founded Poltrona Frau in Turin in 1912, to "dress" his vehicles destined for VIP customers, and continued in 1984 when Poltrona Frau and the Lancia Style Centre worked together on the interior of the Thema 8.32 Ferrari-engined saloon. More recently, the collaboration was extended to other Lancia models: from the Dedra to the Y10, the Thesis to the new Musa, the Delta and the new Thema.

The front wheel drive Lancia Flavia convertible (which is actually a rebadged Chrysler 200) is equipped with a 170hp 2.4 litre petrol engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission. Lancia describe the Flavia as "the perfect expression of the Italian way of life, the beauty of Italian lifestyle based on taste, imagination, style and refinement."

In Italy, the new Flavia comes in one exclusive trim level which is "all inclusive", offering a wealth of equipment as standard: top quality leather upholstery; electronic stability control (ESC) and electronic traction control; latest-generation ABS and four airbags (front multi-stage and side) to the ISOFIX mountings for transporting children in complete safety; the innovative Uconnect® multimedia system complete with satellite navigation system; and the sophisticated "Boston Acoustic Sound System".

2012 marks the seventh consecutive year Lancia is participating as the Venice Film Festival's main sponsor. Along with the "Red Carpet" by Poltrona Frau, other Flavia models and Lancia's Thema re-badged Chrysler 300 will be made available to the organisation. This is the first time that a convertible will play this particular role at the Venice Lido, accompanying movie personalities and stars to the red carpet.

images: Lancia, via Image Net