The Lancia Delta S4 Stradale

The Group B era of World Rallying is still looked upon as the pinnacle, it was intense, dramatic, and even deadly. It will always be considered the golden age of rallying, producing some of the biggest heroes, fastest cars and largest jumps, with many of the worlds most famous marques competing, such as Peugeot, Audi, Ford, and even Ferrari!

For Lancia, the worlds most successful World Rally Manufacturer, who were experiencing huge success with their supercharged, rear-wheel drive Rally, or 037 as it is better known, the plan was clear and precise, to continue winning. The Lancia 037 claimed both the World Driver’s and World Constructors Championships, along with many other international and national championships, but its days were numbered as four-wheel drive cars proved to be the future. In 1985 Lancia turned its focus to four-wheel drive and developed this, the Delta S4 for the 1986 World Rally Championship.

Everything was new for the Delta S4, including its mid-mounted, 1,759 cc double-overhead camshaft, sixteen-valve, four-cylinder, twin-charged engine, the first production car to ever incorporate such technology. The five-speed gearbox and three-differential four-wheel drive ensured that all 250 bhp were transmitted to the tarmac, or gravel! Despite the incredible acceleration, both driver and passenger were comfortably seated in one of the most impressive, air-conditioned and Alcantara-upholstered, interiors of all time.

This Lancia Delta S4 Stradale

Throughout 1985 and 1986, Lancia were supposed to build 200 of these S4 Stradales to meet strict competition regulations. Although, with time and detailed research, it seems that far fewer were actually constructed, with some suggesting as few as 70 road-going Stradales having ever left the factory.

First registered in Florence, Italy, with the license ‘FI H77686’, this Delta S4 Stradale was registered to its first owner, Piero Nerini Filatura, a resident in Prato, Italy, in June 1992. Despite being the ultimate Lancia, the S4 Stradale was tremendously expensive, with an asking price of 100 million Lire, five times the price of the most expensive Delta HF Turbo of the time!

The first owner clearly enjoyed his time with this car, keeping it for more than eight years before selling it to Marella Stefania Risi, in Asti, Italy who later sold it to classic car dealer Auto Classic, owned by renowned classic car specialist, Luciano Bertolero.

In 2003 chassis 018 was declared as having been exported from Italy, and next appeared in the United Kingdom, where it was assigned the license ‘F334 SYH’, before returning to its homeland for a brief spell in 2009 and 2010.

The car was prominently displayed within the Brussels Autoworld National Motor Museum in 2015 and 2016. Shortly after this, 018 attracted the attention of photographer Dirk De Jager who brought together three further Group B road cars, the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, Audi Sport Quattro and a Renault 5 Turbo for a photoshoot in Belgium. After being photographed in its famed Martini livery, this car was featured in several magazines including Auto Week Classics in Belgium, Le Moniteur Automobile in France, Grassroots Motorsports Magazine in the USA, and Auto Scout 24 online.

In 2017, the then owner undertook a detailed cosmetic restoration, ensuring this car is presented exactly as it was by Lancia in the late 1980’s. Later in the year, this car was displayed at the Antwerp Concours d’Elegance in the Group B class. Most recently, chassis 0018 has been professionally detailed and photographed before being presented at our showrooms in London.

In late 2018 #018’s latest custodian decided to upgrade the car to the famed “Potenziato” spec back at the Baldi Brothers. The new specs are the result of sympathetic and mostly non-visible modifications, aimed at using the full potential of a car structured to be turned into fully-fledged racer. After the upgrade #018 gained in the excess of 130 bhp and extra reliability, with the only visible difference being the double exhaust pipes, one of which being the breather for the Turbo waste gate, and Corsa-spec wheels.

Seeking to make the most of his car’s newfound dynamic capabilities, #018’s owner entered the car in three fantastic hill-climb events: the Trofeo Tollegno and the Cesana-Sestriere in Italy and the legendary Bernina Gran Turismo in Switzerland. The car performed faultlessly in each event.

The Delta S4 Stradale is without doubt the most technologically advanced homologation car from the Group B era, whilst also being one of the rarest. This was an opportunity to obtain such a well-presented example, fresh from a visit to the Baldi Twins in Turin, which couldn’t be ignored.

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