Lancia Flavia JS

The Lancia Flavia built from 2012 to 2014 is a four-seat convertible and, like the Thema and Voyager, a rebadged Chrysler: behind the Lancia badge sits the Chrysler 200 convertible, American engineering with an Italian name. Lancia used it to fill the convertible gap in its range without developing anything itself. The result is a comfortable, relaxed open-top car with a retracting roof (in part a hardtop version), tuned for easy cruising rather than sportiness. As a rare model with a short production run, the Flavia is a niche proposition today.

There is only one engine choice: the 2.4-litre 16V petrol, a Chrysler world engine with chain drive. The basic engineering is robust, but the power delivery is rather sluggish — a drivetrain for relaxed wafting, not driving pleasure. And this is exactly where the main problem lies: in Tigershark form the excessive oil consumption is notorious and was the subject of a recall. Anyone buying a Flavia should check the oil level meticulously and have the recall history verified. Add possible faults in the MultiAir valve control in the cylinder head, plus a rattling, stretching timing chain tensioner. An example with a documented oil-consumption check and completed recall is considerably safer than one with an unclear history.

The car itself revolves mostly around the roof. The hardtop's electric motor tends to seize and fail — an expensive nuisance that must be cycled several times before buying. The roof drain channels clog and then cause water ingress, so they need regular cleaning. Typically American is the dashboard that warps in the heat, and on the coated leather the finish tends to peel off. The headlight levelling can also fail. None of this is mechanically dramatic, but it shows that material quality was skimped on.

Bottom line, the Flavia is an affordable, relaxed convertible for anyone who wants open-top motoring and can live with its American origins and modest build quality. It is not sporty, and the Tigershark engine's oil consumption is the biggest risk factor. A purchase only makes sense with an example that has a clean oil history, a completed recall and a flawlessly working roof. Then the Flavia is a charming, rare summer car — with clear limits that should be known before buying.