The Lancia 2000 was announced in 1969 as the replacement for the aging Lancia Flavia. The 2000 was simply a renaming of the same platform and drivetrain that had been produced under the Flavia name, but several designs were dropped and only the handsome Pininfarina two-door notchback coupe and Lancia’s dignified four-door sedan were retained for the new model.

The new car received a 2.0-liter (1991 cc) four-cylinder flat opposed engine that was developed from the previous 1.8- and 1.5-liter engines used in the Flavia. The new engine was good for 115 hp and 125 lb-ft of torque with a carburetor, and up to 131 hp and 127 lb-ft when fitted with the optional fuel injection. It’s worth noting that the older Flavia sedans continued in production alongside the 2000 at least into 1971, in part because of corporate concerns about build cost of the 2000.

A four-speed fully synchronized manual transmission drove the front wheels of the carbureted Lancia 2000, just as it had for the previous Flavia models. Models fitted with fuel injection received a five-speed manual transmission, and the shifter had moved from the steering column on the Flavia to the console on the 2000. As with the Flavia, every Lancia 2000 received disc brakes at all four corners.

Both the coupe and the sedan received a facelift for the 1971, mostly in the front end and rear end, but the central core of the car remained the same as the second series of the Flavia. Based on a steel unibody chassis, the front suspension consisted of dual A-arms supported by a single transversely mounted leaf spring with anti-sway bar. In the rear, two semi-elliptic leaf springs held a beam axle, also fitted with an anti-sway bar.

The interior was given a big upgrade, however, as the 2000 took the place of the Lancia Flaminia at the top of the automaker’s line. The 2000 series offered full carpet, comfortable seats, wood dashboard trim, a full set of gauges, and some models came with a Nardi steering wheel. The Lancia 2000 interior had everything in common with an Alfa Romeo of the same vintage, and was comparable to the Ferrari road cars.

The carbureted 2000 and fuel-injected 2000 HF coupes and the 2000 sedans were built through the 1975 model year, when they were replaced by the Lancia Beta. In all, about 14,000 Lancia 2000 sedans and about 2,600 coupes were manufactured. The 2000 series is considered the last true Lancia. Fiat had taken control of Lancia in 1969, and its influence was growing. Rust problems were becoming apparent with Fiat’s steel, and Lancia went in new directions.