26 Oct 06
Lancia Fulvia HF and Stratos HF
Lancia and rallying for most people means the 70s Stratos or Martini-liveried Deltas in the late 80s and early 90s, but the company got the bug much earlier than that.
Those gorgeous front-wheel-drive coupes, the Flavia and Fulvia, were toughened up in the 60s and subsequently scrabbled to victories in the Tour of Corsica, San Remo Rally and even the British RAC Rally.
Lancia sensibly capitalised on that success with performance versions badged HF for high fidelity (to the racing ideals). Today, a Fulvia HF with 132bhp from the 1.6-litre engine is as close to classic heaven as you'll get.
Lancia Delta Integrale
In 1974, Lancia rally cars stopped being pretty and became downright fearsome.
Arguably the most famous of the lot was the rear-wheel-drive, wedge-shaped Stratos HF coupe, with a mid-mounted 2.4-litre V6 as used in the Ferrari Dino. This was no promotion for some mild mid-range runabout: the 190bhp Stratos was designed solely for rallying and the 500 built to satisfy homologation rules were every bit as focused. Championship titles in 1974, 75 and 76 cemented the legend.
The mid-engined Beta Montecarlo was a return to prettier, production-based models, but it still won the constructors' title in 1980 and 81.
The last two-wheel-drive rally car to win a championship was the 2.0-litre, supercharged 205bhp car, known simply as the Rally 037 or Stradale. It won in 1983 and marked the end of an era.
But Lancia eventually mastered four-wheel-drive as well. The Delta-based Integrales went on to take six constructors' championships in the WRC, five drivers' titles and 46 individual rally victories at WRC level.
