1971 Lancia Fulvia Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Performance for a 1971 1298cc was amazing, off the mark like a buillet and would fly in all five (yes 5) gears. With your right foot buried in the carpet it was possible to change directly from 1st to 5th and still out-accelerate a lot of cars on the road, even those with bigger engines! Must all be down to the all aluminium narrow angle V4 engine mounted at 45 degree. It had to be run in for 2000 miles (not the usual 1000) but if you did this the performance paid dividends. Braking, with 12" discs all round, was also amazing for 1971 cars. Build was very good, covering the frequently bumpy Cyprus roads with hardy any noticeable squeaks or rattles. Seats very comfortable, but I wouldn't want to ride in the back! Cost of ownership - in those days this didn't enter into the equation. You bought a car because you wanted it and just drove it. No looking for the cheapest garage to fill up at. Fun Factor this car had in spades I could drive all day and not get bored. You could throw it hard into tight bends and it just swallowed them up. I once ended up going sideways (swerved to avoid a rock thrown up by the car in front) at 90mph on a saltlake. A quick correction to the wheel and all was in line again. If only I could have bought it back to England - the best 3 years I spent with a car!Apr 03, 2010