Lancia HPE

1600 HPE: Quarter View, Side/Top View, Nearside View. (Mark Grant)
HPE Volumex: Side View, Front View, Quarter View,

Depending on who you talk to, HPE stands for either 'High Performance Estate' or 'High Performance Executive'. In either case, the High Performance part was true in its day, and at least in IE or Volumex form the HPE will still keep up with or outperform some current 'performance' cars. Depending on your point of view, the HPE is either a small estate car (stationwagon) or a large hatchback, and with the rear seats folded there's enough space for two people to sleep in the back (three if they're friendly). It's also big enough to move most of my possessions in two or three trips, which I've done on three occasions in HPEs now...

The front of the car (to the rear of the doors) is identical to the Coupe (and mechanical and body parts are interchangeable). The wheelbase is longer, being based on the Berlina floorpan, and at the rear of the car the hatchback is quite steeply raked compared to the normal vertical rear doors on most stationwagons. Handling and performance are somewhat worse than the Coupe, Montecarlo or Spider, but still respectable.

The Volumex cars received the same treatment as the Coupes, except for the Recaro seats. As far as I'm aware there were no 'special' versions of the HPE.

Production (approx) : total 71,300, US 1,600

Series one,

1600 cc : 2,500
1800 cc : 350


Series two,

1600 cc : 29,100
1800 cc : 1,500
2000 cc : 34,200
2000 VX : 2,370


CKD (Spain)

2000 cc : 1,400

Measured Fuel Consumption :

1585 cc :

Best 28 mpg (85 mile run with average 45 mph, peak 80)
Worst 24 mpg (~20 miles, mostly urban)

Volumex :

Best 32 mpg (110 mile run, average approx 50 mph, peak 80)
Worst 16 mpg (85 mile run, average 90 mph, peak 115)

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