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Lancia Scorpion
So, you are looking for a limited production Italian sports car from the ’70s with two seats and a mid-engine layout, but you only have around $20,000. Does it sound impossible? It isn’t since there is a solution to your problem: the Lancia Scorpion. In 1976, Lancia presented the Scorpion, a U.S. spec version of its Beta Montecarlo model.
They couldn’t use the Montecarlo name for the American market since Chevrolet already had the Monte Carlo. So, Lancia decided to go with the aggressive Scorpion nameplate. Despite the car’s modern looks and technical layout, the Scorpion wasn’t a great performer. This is because its four-cylinder engine delivered only 81 HP in U.S. spec.
The Scorpion was on sale for two years, 1976 and 1977, and they sold around 1,800 examples in America. Today, these Lancias are rare, but not exactly expensive. In fact, they upgraded most of them with Fiat’s 2.0-liter engines. These engines produced more power and gave Scorpion the performance it deserves.