Advertising
For help, call:
This special Lancia is the last of a rally race.
With a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, it’s Italy’s answer to the Subaru WRX.
This one has been reworked by none other than Stellantis design chief Ralph Gilles, whose passions obviously run deeper than the V-8 muscle cars he’s most associated with.
It’s no secret that Stellantis’ lead designer, Ralph Gilles, is a fan of Detroit’s muscle. He designed the Chrysler 300C, head of the SRT motorsports and functionality division, and is also known for following a Viper ACR and hitting the streets in a 1968. The Dodge Charger powered by a 1,000-horsepower Hellephant. But Gilles’ penchant for speed extends far beyond the big, daring Dodges.
This 1990 Lancia Delta Integrale, auctioned at Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos), is a dose of turbocharged rally madness from a Stellantis sub-brand that’s still forgotten. It is the all-wheel-drive vehicle, flared Italian counterpart of the Subaru STI or Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. This vulgar little shoebox is fierce, grippy and designed to wreck any back road, and its previous owner, via Gilles, proves that he is a true car enthusiast.
The Delta started out as a fairly compact family sedan, with boxy styling by Giorgetto Giugiaro. As Subaru and Mitsubishi later did, Lancia transformed the Delta into a device with rally functionality by adding style and all-wheel drive to the Integral model. The result was incredibly successful and included six consecutive WRC wins, picking up where the tough Stratos and 037 left off.
This 1992 example is a Delta Integrale Evoluzione, and is technically the last year of rally car homologation, as Lancia halted the rally’s progression following its WRC victory in 1992. Under the hood is a turbocharged 2. 0-liter four-cylinder engine. which made just 210 horsepower in the factory version, but has been improved with a rebuild that includes new camshafts, a reprogrammed ECU, and a high-flow exhaust.
Arguably, flares can make any car look cooler, and here they improve on Giugiaro’s original design. 15-inch rally-style Speedline wheels shod with Kumho 225 Series ultra-high-performance summer tires complete the look. With adjustable springs, the position in this car is simply perfect.
The odometer shows the metric of 63,000 miles and the car comes with maintenance records and a slew of spare parts. The recent rebuild and new pouch mean that this little Italian terrier is just waiting to be released from his leash.
In great overlap with Gilles’ Hellephant-powered Charger, this Delta Integrale has a small elephant badge on its grille, like all the sportiest Lancias since the 1960s. This is the brand’s functional mascot, symbolizing Gianni Lancia’s famous quote: “Once an elephant starts running, no one can stop it. “
But you can catch one. Head over to Bring a Trailer to bid on a device that belongs to the history of rallying and has also been sympathetically maintained by a wonderful designer who is also a real gearbox.
Ends March 13.
You Like It Too
The 10 Best Cars for Cars and Drivers Over the Decades
How to rent or lease a new car
Blitz Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising
Advertising