The Lancia Thesis (Type 841) is a full-size car produced by Italian automaker Lancia between 2001 and 2009. It was available with naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines ranging between 2.0 and 3.2 litres, in both straight-5 or V6 configurations. Its appearance was based on the 1998 Diàlogos concept car. The production car premiered at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2001 and its interior was displayed for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Sales started in June 2002 in Italy, with export markets following shortly after. History The earliest prototype of Thesis was used in the Great Jubilee, presented to Pope John Paul II, bearing very similar body although modified as a landaulet. Concerning the design, Lancia's chief designer said "People will be looking for excuses not to buy this car. So, we wanted to be damn sure we didn't give them anything to hook onto." To that end the car was intended to match the substance of the Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. It was fitted with more technology and "more style". To convince buyers it was also priced to be 15% cheaper than the competition. In the view of motoring writer Paul Horrell of the UK's CAR Magazine the shape was "controversial, but certainly regenerates an authentic Italian alternative to the po-faced approach" of the competition. "Look at that extravagant front end, like a row of chrome-decorated sand dunes. The whole form is plump and carries telling details of bi-xenon headlights and multi-LED blades of tail-lamp – a comfortably fed and well-jewelled car like the folk who'll drive it". Discussing the interior, Horrell went on to say: "The effect is redoubled within. The cabin is truly rich, and walks the right side of that line in Italian style dividing the perfectly proportioned minimalism from their bling-bling rap-star Versace vulgarity." A notable feature of the interior was the use of high quality, lightly varnished wood trim and cast magnesium for the centre console. "I can't tell you," wrote Horrell "how much more satisfying it is to use a cupholder or ashtray that glides out of solid metal than some clacky plastic lid." After describing the engraved glassware of the instruments which were notable for their needles "floating at depth" CAR concluded that "it felt expensive". Lancia invested heavily in the Thesis and, unlike the predecessor the Lancia Kappa which shared an automobile platform with the Alfa Romeo