- Stratos, Rally 037 and Delta, three “beasts” racing, created to win and with a perfect relationship between primary geometric shapes, at the service of maximum performance.
- The round taillights, the aerodynamic spoiler and the eclectic combination of primary colors in the cabin made the Lancia Stratos in a model with a futuristic design, which is still contemporary today.
- The “functional” and marked shapes, at the front and rear, and a “crown” with tapered lines made the Lancia Rally 037 the quintessence of rally racing.
- The iconic Delta C-pillar, a legacy of the street versions, balances the radical brutality of the flared wheel arches on the side.
“Taking inspiration from cars of the caliber of the Delta, Rally 037 and Stratos is everyone’s dream: they are brutal and efficient race cars that have made Lancia the most winning brand in rally history, says Luca Napolitano, CEO of Lancia. Lancia brand. Primal shapes, radical geometries, round taillights, aerodynamic spoilers, they are all elements belonging to the history of our design and which have inspired us to “create” future Lancia models”.
The Lancia Stratos “dresses like an athlete’s overalls, highlighting all its muscles”
This is the essence of the Lancia Stratos: a “brutal and efficient” racing car, created to win, that breaks the mold, being so different from the models of the time.. Inspired by the 1970 “Strato’s Zero” prototype – made by Bertone with Gandini’s design – the final version was presented the following year, with its futuristic wedge shape and the V-six engine from the Dino 246 Ferrari. The front it was sharp and harmonized with the wheel arches, while the sloping windshield encompassed the front pillar and extended through the side windows. The roof dropped vertically over the small rear window wrapped in the large engine hood. The round headlights and an aggressive spoiler stood out at the rear. Nuccio Bertone, the “father” of the prototype, upon seeing the final version of the Lancia Stratos said that he “dressed the driver and co-driver as an athlete’s suit, highlighting the musculature.”
Everything was designed for rallying in this car, starting with the hood and trunk consisting of two lightweight shells, which included the respective fenders, with a wide opening to carry out quick assistance interventions in the races. Although the Lancia Stratos also revolutionized the interiors, totally focused on the driver and designed to offer results and emotions: two seats without more and only two compartments for racing helmets, a distinctive element also in the street version. The so-called “color blocking” of the interiors, he created incessant games of contrasts, achieving a purely Lancia eclecticism, through the use of the primary colours, blue, red and yellow.
The Lancia Stratos HF Group 4 won the Monte Carlo Rally three consecutive times, won two titles in the Constructors’ World Championship (1975 and 1976) and others in the European Drivers’ Championship, to which must be added the victory of Sandro Munari in 1977 of the FIA World Cup for rally drivers.
Beginning with the 1975 sports season, the Lancia Stratos wore the white and green colors of its sponsor Alitalia with the airline’s tricolor logo, duplicated and harmonized in a wedge shape, to create one of the most beautiful uniforms in history. of motoring.
Lancia Rally 037, the aggressive and minimalist style of the world rally champion car in 1983
The Lancia Rally 037, characterized by its “functional” and angular shapes, front and rear, and better known by the project acronym “037”, was a sports car that embodied the famous victory of David against Goliath. In fact, the Lancia Rally 037 was the last two-wheel drive car to win the 1983 World Rally Championship, beating the most powerful opponents equipped, above all, with all-wheel drive.
Its original mixed structure, monocoque and tubular, was “dressed” by the atelier Pininfarina, in charge of developing aggressive and elegant bodywork at the same time, which gave a significant aerodynamic load to the ground. To achieve maximum efficiency, it was made of polyester with fiberglass reinforcements, and the two hoods, the engine and the trunk, extremely light, were completely disassembled.
The minimalist and streamlined interiors were quintessentially racing, as were some aerodynamic “extensions” on the pillar and tail, including a striking rear spoiler, further enhancing the performance of this car.
Created from the Beta Montecarlo, the Lancia Rally 037 was not intended to be built in large numbers; the manufacture of the street car only paved the way for its entry into the world of rallying.
The official debut took place at the Turin Salon in 1982 with the street version and, the following year, Rally 037 won the World Producers’ title, achieved second place in the Drivers’ World Championship and the European and Italian Championships with Miki Biasion, who was soon to run with the colors of the team Lancia Martini official.
Lancia Delta, the evolution of the design for the winningest rally car of all time
Car enthusiasts and rally fans the world over are startled by just pronouncing the name Delta. Thinking immediately goes back to 1988, when the Delta HF 4WD, which marked Lancia’s entry into the 4-wheel drive touring saloon sector, became the iconic Delta HF Integrale, remembered by all for its front aggressive, where they stand out enlarged front air vents and widened wheel arches, to accommodate wider tires.
In subsequent years, the model was enriched with a series of technical and stylistic improvements.
Thus, we went from the Delta HF Integrale 16V, characterized by a conspicuous “hump” on the engine hood to accommodate the new cylinder head, to the Delta HF Integrale 16V Evoluzione, where the fenders were widened further and a striking spoiler stood out at the end of the roof. From this extraordinary compact street car, the Italian marque created the greatest rally car of all time. The all-wheel drive Lancia Delta HF with the four evolutions won: six times the Constructors’ World Rally Championship (1987-1992); four times the World Rally Drivers Championship (1987-1989 and 1991); once the Production World Rally Championship (Group N) in 1987; six times the European Rally Championship (1987-1991 and 1993) and twice the European Production Rally Championship (Group N) 1988 and 1989. The Lancia Delta HF Integrale, a dream for motorsport enthusiasts and, at the same time, a true nightmare for the adversaries, who surrendered to their supremacy.
The journey towards Lancia Design Day: the “brutal” design of Stratos, Eally 037 and Delta