Lancia Thema 8.32
The Lancia Thema 8.32 is perhaps the ultimate automotive sleeper — a sensible-looking Italian executive sedan powered by a Ferrari V8 engine. The '8.32' designation revealed its secret: 8 cylinders, 32 valves. The engine was derived from the Ferrari 308 QV's 3.0-liter flat-plane-crank V8, detuned slightly to 215 horsepower for reliability and drivability in a front-wheel-drive sedan. Yes, front-wheel-drive — making the Thema 8.32 one of the few FWD V8 cars ever produced. The result was a car that could embarrass sports cars at traffic lights while carrying four adults in Alcantara-trimmed comfort. The exterior gave few clues to its performance potential: subtle body-colored bumpers, BBS alloy wheels, and discreet '8.32' badges were the only tell-tales. A rear spoiler that deployed automatically above 120 km/h added to the stealth performance character. The interior featured premium Alcantara and leather, air conditioning, electric seats, and full luxury appointments. The Thema 8.32 shared its platform with the Saab 9000, Fiat Croma, and Alfa Romeo 164 (the Type Four project), but none of those could claim a Ferrari V8 under their hoods.
The Ferrari V8 is the star but also the maintenance concern — timing belt service is expensive and critical. Check for overheating (FWD V8 generates serious heat). Rust affects sills, wheel arches, and subframes. Alcantara interior wears and is expensive to retrim. The 5-speed manual must handle all that torque through the front wheels — check for CV joint and driveshaft wear.
3,370 Thema 8.32s were produced from 1986-1992. The Ferrari engine was built at Maranello and shipped to Lancia's Turin factory for installation. The Type Four platform was co-developed with Saab, Fiat, and Alfa Romeo.