The history of the Lancia Delta: still at the peak of success

This is a very special car. Not only in its design, but also in its technical characteristics and solutions, it is ahead of its time. The Lancia Delta undoubtedly belongs to the cohort of rally stars that achieved phenomenal success on the market. It was the only Lancia to win the title of Car of the Year.

The Lancia that made it

In 1979 Lancia introduced a new model to the public. The Lancia Delta was the result of the Y5 project, launched in 1974 by Sergio Camuffo, head of the company’s development department. Giorgetto Giugiaro took care of the design. In fact, the model with its characteristic angular body panels was the first autonomous premium car on the market, which is now considered the C segment.

Delta was the only Lancia in history to win the title of Car of the Year. This was in 1980. However, the Lancia compact hatchback won many more prizes.

For example, from 1987 to 1992, Lancia won the World Rally Championship (WRC) constructors’ title six times in a row with Delta, winning the championship title four times during that period. Gold in ten World Championships in six years is a great fortune.

No one dared predict that when the Lancia Delta was launched in 1979, it was primarily a luxury compact hatchback with a distinctive Italian design. The technology originated from the parent Fiat.

Technically, the Delta used the 1978 Fiat Ritmo as its base model. Both cars had front-wheel drive, but the family members differed from each other in the running gear. The RItmo had a transverse leaf spring at the rear. Instead, the Lancia Delta had an improved version of the Camuffo rear suspension.

In short: it was a combination of longitudinal rods, stabilizer and independently sprung wheels, a solution that had also been used on other types of Lancia since 1972.

The Swedish Delta and the Conquest of Europe

Initially, the model was equipped only with SOHC Lampredi 1301cc and 1498cc engines. These were available in most markets. In those early years, the SAAB-Lancia 600 also entered the Northern European markets. This symbiosis was to fill the gap for SAAB since 1980 due to the demise of the SAAB 96.

Simply put, it was a Delta with a heating system equipped for the Scandinavian market. The car was only available with a 1,498 cc (85 hp) engine and by no means looked sensational. Today, the Swedish Delta is an absolute rarity, but SAAB-Lancia sales did not affect anything either.

From November 1982, the Delta was also sold with the 1,585cc Lancia GT engine. In fact, this Lampredi DOHC engine laid the foundation for later successes in rally racing.

It all started with the HF Turbo (with two Weber carburetors, Garrett T3 turbocharger, and intercooler), which produced a solid 131 horsepower. From 1986 (the year that Delta, among other things, received a new grille and interior changes), the 1.6 engines were already injected.

Later, Lancia also used catalytic converter technology in the Delta family. During this period, Lancia also produced the Delta with the 1116cc engine (known from the Fiat 128 in particular), and this was a special offering for several countries in Southern Europe.

The market breakthrough and rally success of the Lancia Delta

Delta, meanwhile, embodied a definite sporting breakthrough for the company. At the end of 1986, the HF 4WD all-wheel drive package with the Lampredi Turbo 2-liter engine from the Thema model debuted. At that time, it was already clear that the dangerous Group B rally had been cancelled by the FIA.

It was a group in which Lancia led the way with the all-wheel-drive Delta S4, specially designed for sporting purposes.

The fatal S4 accident in Corsica (where Henri Toivonen and navigator Sergio Cresto were killed) was one of the reasons why the FIA removed Group B from the WRC races.

For some markets, the S4 was also available in a civilian version, the Stradale. The car was introduced in 1985 for homologation and was built for three years.

Lancia, which had already established itself in rallies with the Stratos and 037, for example, developed a new shell for Group A – the HF Integrale. The model appeared in the showrooms of Lancia dealers and immediately won the 1987 Group A Rally World Champion constructor and driver’s cup.

Lancia became world champion five more times in Group A, competing in the Constructors’ Cup with Delta. However, in 1992 the parent company Fiat suddenly stopped the rally adventures of the Italian noble brand.

The HF Integrale has also been improved and became more and more powerful as a civilian version since 1987. For example, double headlights appeared, the wheel arches were enlarged, and the power increased to more than 200 hp.

In addition, Lancia produced special versions such as the Delta Martini 5 and 6, Blu Lagos and Bianca Perla, the Spider intended for Gianni Agnelli was also drawn from the Integrale.

However, the pinnacle of the Lancia Delta a series was the HF Integrale Evoluzione II. Thanks to the necessary technical refinements (including revised engine electronics), this version became the fastest and most powerful version with 210 hp, if you do not count the Delta S4.

From a practical point of view, the first Delta was also further developed because an excellent 1.9 Turbo Diesel engine was added to the engine lineup. This continued for the first half of the 1990s.

Zagato Atelier developed the Hyena concept based on the HF Integrale. This coupe was created thanks to the idea of the Dutch classic car restorer and collector Paul W.J. Coote. He liked the HF Integrale version of the multi-time world rally champion coupe. The car was built in limited edition for several years.

Delta is leaving the stage

In 1995, the first generation Delta was officially retired, in fact, when the last copy of the car was sold. It was the HF Integral Dealer’s Collection, a series painted a beautiful burgundy red, with such interior elements as brushed aluminum, a start button, and Recaro leather seats.

Lancia built two more generations of the Delta. Nuova Delta (1993-1999) and the graceful third generation Delta (2008-2014), but neither of them replicated the resounding success of the first generation Delta.

The Lancia Delta was built for more than fourteen years, and the company produced more than half a million of these cars. The Italians have had success with the Delta on several fronts, including two WRC groups, winning 10 Gold Cups in six years.