A rare opportunity to examine a 1979 Lancia Beta HPE 2000 in what appears to be excellent, original condition. Based on the information provided by the seller, the car has just over 62,000 miles and retains all its factory components, including the paint, chrome trim, glass, interior, and drivetrain. The 2.0-liter inline-four engine is described as running smoothly, paired with an automatic transmission that shifts cleanly in all gears. The brakes are said to function properly, and the top speed is reported as 122 mph. The original Craig cassette player and factory instrumentation are present and operational, and the vehicle is equipped with both heating and air conditioning.

This example is particularly notable for being one of a very small number of HPE 2000s imported to the United States in 1979, and among the few delivered with an automatic gearbox—an unusual configuration for a car of this type and era. The Lancia Beta HPE (High Performance Estate) was introduced in 1975 as a shooting brake derivative of the Beta range. It shared the mechanical layout and platform of the Beta Berlina and Coupe but featured a distinctive fastback profile with a practical hatchback design. Developed under Fiat’s ownership, the Beta series was intended to reestablish Lancia’s technical reputation after the acquisition in 1969. The HPE combined the front-wheel-drive transaxle layout with MacPherson struts at all four corners, a transverse engine, and disc brakes on all wheels—solutions that were advanced at the time.

The Beta family covered a broad range, from the basic Berlina to the elegant Coupe, the rugged Trevi, the mid-engined Montecarlo, and the compact Spider. The HPE carved out a niche as a sporting lifestyle vehicle with long-distance touring capabilities and more luggage space than the Coupe, without sacrificing design or dynamics. Despite its technical merits, the Beta range suffered a tarnished reputation due to well-publicized corrosion issues in the late 1970s, especially in the UK market. However, many of those concerns were addressed in later production runs, and cars that have survived in good condition today are increasingly appreciated for their engineering, understated style, and rarity. Find it for sale here in Wilmington, NC, with bidding at $7,500 and reserve met.