Y Is For: 2002 Lancia Y vs 2006 Yamaha Rhino

Welcome to the second-to-last letter in our alphabet game! Not what you were expecting, is it? Well, I don’t like to be predictable. So we’ve got a heavily-modified toy that may or may not be street-legal depending on where you live, and a cute little Italian hatchback that isn’t quite legal in the US at all yet.

We looked at two supercharged cars yesterday, and there was plenty of love for both in the comments, but only one can win. The Nissan Xterra took home a narrow but decisive victory, despite being what is apparently a love-it-or-hate-it color.

The Xterra would be my choice as well. I do admire the Jag, but I think I’d rather have an older one. If I’m putting up with British luxury car foibles, I’m going all-in and looking for a V12. Besides, I have a long and pleasant history with Nissan trucks. Yeah, the fuel economy is crap, but they’re built like an anvil.

All right, let’s move on to Y. Yes, there was that one Yugo for sale in Kentucky, with three crappy photos and no description. I didn’t want to deal with it. And there was absolutely no way I was going to waste a spot in the alphabet on a freaking Toyota Yaris. So let’s take a look at two less-obvious choices.

2002 Lancia Y – €800

Engine/drivetrain: 1.2-liter overhead cam inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD

Location: Roreto, Cuneo, Italy

Odometer reading: 155,000 kilometers

Operational status: Runs and drives well, registration just expired

If you’re a fan of classic rally cars, you might utter the name Lancia in hushed tones. Cars like the diminutive Stratos, the delicate Fulvia, and the fire-breathing Delta S4 are unforgettable. But in Italy, you’re much more likely to see the Lancia shield on a more ordinary car, like this Lancia Y, later known as the Ypsilon.

Mechanically, it’s a fairly standard small European hatchback, with a 1.2 liter four-cylinder engine and a manual transmission driving the front wheels. Nothing wrong with that; I’ve rented quite a few cars like this, from various manufacturers, and they’ve all been pleasant and fun in that “slow car fast” way. It sounds like it runs and drives just fine, and its registration just ran out in February, so it hasn’t been sitting around too long.

The Y’s interior is pretty dramatic for a small car, but where is it written that a small, inexpensive car needs to be boring? Whether or not you like the center-mounted instrument cluster (I don’t, personally) you have to admit it looks very stylish. The dash and door inserts are Alcantara, and the seats should match, but I see that the cheap seat cover fad has crossed the Atlantic.

It has seen some action on the outside, but from what I’ve heard about Italian drivers, that’s to be expected. You’d be upset about its condition if it weren’t for the price. It didn’t occur to me until I started writing that this car is actually two years too new to import yet – unless you could convince the feds that it’s worthy of a show-and-display exemption. Probably not.

2006 Yamaha Rhino 660 – $5,500

Engine/drivetrain: 686 cc overhead cam single, dual-range CVT automatic, 4WD

Location: Santee, CA

Odometer reading: Doesn’t have one

Operational status: Runs and drives great

I can hear the howls of protest already: “You cheated! That’s not a car; you can’t drive it on the road!” Well, not in California, where it currently resides, but in some states, all you need to do is add lights, mirrors, and license plates, and you’re good to go. But even if you can’t drive it on the road, you can still find places to have fun with a machine like this almost anywhere.

The Yamaha Rhino, in its stock form, is a lot more truck-like than this. It has a single-cylinder, four-stroke engine, driving a CVT through a centrifugal clutch. The transmission has a high and a low range, and all four wheels are driven. This one has a little extra displacement for a little extra power, along with long-travel suspension and Fox shock absorbers. It runs great, and the seller says it’s a lot of fun to drive. I believe it.

To go with the added power and suspension travel, it has racing seats with four-point harnesses, quite an upgrade from the stock molded-vinyl seats with grab bars. Of course, you can’t have something like this without an obnoxious stereo, and here it doesn’t disappoint either. The seller has also added a quick-release steering wheel, calling it an anti-theft measure. That’s true, I suppose, if you don’t mind carrying the wheel around.

There’s not much stock Rhino left in the exterior; the little truck bed is gone, replaced by an elaborate roll cage. The whole thing has been widened, it looks like, to match the widened long-travel suspension. That’s probably a good thing; the Rhino had a reputation for rolling over in stock form. The fire extinguisher bolted to the cage seems like a good idea, and I love the bespoke cooler carrier.

So that’s the letter Y, and we’ll finish up with Z on Monday. I’ve already got that figured out, but the rest of the week is still up in the air. If anybody has any suggestions, either for a theme or specific cars they’d like to see, please mention it in the comments. In the meantine, make your choice between these two, and have a great weekend!