Lancia Delta Integrale Evoluzione: Long Live The Group A King
Introduction

If I asked you who the most successful manufacturer in the World Rally Championship was, what would your guess be?

Toyota? Wrong. Audi? Not even close. By the time Lancia had withdrawn from the World Rally Championship, the Italian automaker had amassed 11 manufacturer titles and four drivers titles from 46 WRC event wins.

Rally Replay Lancia SH 026

While the 037 and Delta S4 which predate the Delta Integrale were more outrageous, this creative freedom came about thanks to the relaxed ruleset at the time. Group A came into effect to try and quell the ever-increasing speeds and half-hearted approaches to safety, while trying to keep the cars more akin to their road-going counterparts. Group B dictated that 200 road-going cars needed to be created, whereas for Group A it was 5,000 in 1993, meaning manufacturers had to forgo exotic materials and time-consuming construction methods.

Rally Replay Lancia SH 001

The pair of Delta Integrales on display at Rally Replay need Goodwood in the UK represent the ultimate incarnations of Lancia’s WRC effort. Referred to as the Deltonas – which translates as ‘big Delta’ – these two cars were built for consecutive years. But while they may appear largely the same, there are a myriad of differences between the two, highlighting the constant development and relentless pursuit of performance that the Abarth workshop where they were built employed.

Rally Replay Lancia SH 030

But these weren’t the only big changes. Jolly Club (think Prodrive in Subaru terms) took over Lancia’s WRC effort and development program from the start of 1992, albeit still working out of the Abarth workshop with all the existing staff. Lancia still wrote the cheques.

In 1993, some staff were moved over to the Alfa Romeo Touring Car programme, but Lancia still funded the WRC effort, as evidenced by the cars carrying ‘TO’ prefixed licence plate for Turin – where they were based – as opposed to ‘MI’ plates for Milan, Jolly Club’s base.

1991 Repsol Lancia Delta HF Integrale Group A – TO 35378S
Rally Replay Lancia SH 009

Built towards the end of 1991, this car was assigned the registration TO 35378S and served as a test mule for the works team to develop Lancia’s 1992 WRC entry. Some of the changes included new Brembo callipers allowing the use of 332mm discs on tarmac (313mm for gravel) and revised magnesium-cased Abarth gearbox and differentials.

The car also received a more advanced ECU and digital dashboard supplied by Magneti Marelli.

Rally Replay Lancia SH 008

The 1991 development cars were the first to receive the wider body panels, which allowed for updated Bilstein suspension and top mounts, and a wider track. This is what gave them the Deltona nickname.

TO 35378S was pivotal in the 1992 season, with the developments carried out directly supporting the team in achieving victory on eight rounds and winning that year’s WRC Manufacturers’ Championship.

Rally Replay Lancia SH 047
Rally Replay Lancia SH 003

In December 1992, Carlos Sainz came onboard, bringing his title sponsor Repsol with him.

Rally Replay Lancia SH 031

Sadly, Sainz’ season was plagued with numerous issues, and although he came close to winning rounds in the Lancia on multiple occasions, it never happened. After one year, Sainz moved to Subaru, last driving a Delta in the 1993 Race Of Champions (where he finished second behind Didier Auriol, who had left Lancia at the end of the ’92 season for Toyota) before testing in an Impreza just two days later.

1992 Martini Lancia Delta HF Integrale – TO 13721T

TO 13721T debuted in gravel specification for the 1000 Lakes Rally in August 1992, to continue the success Lancia was having that year.

Rally Replay Lancia SH 018

Despite only having a small budget to work with, the cars were continually improved. A rule change mandated the use of 8-inch-wide (rather than 9-inch) wheels, which greatly upset the Delta’s handling characteristics.

Rally Replay Lancia SH 020

TO 13721T was exclusively driven by Auriol in 1992, who had an incredibly eventful season, with victories in Monte Carlo, France, Greece, Argentina, Finland and Australia. The French driver narrowly missed out on the WRC Drivers’ Championship title at the final round held in the UK by a mere two points, owing to terminal engine damage.

Rally Replay Lancia SH 007
Rally Replay Lancia SH 016

See that little adjustable pot tucked down out of view? That allowed the co-driver to lower boost levels for more tricky conditions, ultimately making the car more drivable.

The Fiat 242 van parked alongside is a faithful recreation of the service vehicle used in the 1983 season during the Group B era. By the time Group A came around, the team began using bigger Iveco vans.

Rally Replay Lancia SH 010

There’s no debating the success that Lancia had in the World Rally Championship, but the company today is sadly a shadow of its former self, selling very few models with limited success outside of Italy. ‘The brightest stars burn the fastest’ would be an apt description of the success Lancia had in the WRC. With Toyota being the next closest OEM currently competing with seven WRC Manufacturers’ Championship titles to its name, the Lancia record will remain for at least a little while longer.

A special thanks to Adam Midghall, Manager at Rally Replay for sharing his vast Lancia knowledge for this story.

Chaydon Ford
Instagram: chaycore

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1

As a Portuguese fan i was lucky to have followed WRC from the group B to the Group N and A era and to me the group A era was the best, it was great to watch the group B space rockets but there is nothing like the reality of seeing those rally heroes drive around stages in cars that we could touch in dealerships on Monday. You didn't have to be a millionaire to compete in local or national group N championships, the cars were never cheap but they were really attainable and that made the dream so much more possible. I hate silhouette racing, bring back homologation specials!

Author2

I agree - while I do enjoy the current WRC stuff, Group N style rally is something I like because it appears far more attainable!

3

A minor correction in the story. Lancia only has 10 manufacture titles. To add an interesting note to the 10 titles is only 4 of those 10 titles also had a drivers title along with them.


Other than that, awesome stuff. Love the Delta! Great photos and story.

4

11 is correct, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992

5

Ooops, I saw the 4 drivers titles listed. Ignore that part of my post.

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