Lancia Delta
Encyclopedia
The Lancia Delta is a small family car produced by Italian automaker Lancia
with the first generation being produced between 1979 and 1994, the second generation running from 1993 until 1999, and the third generation Delta entering production in 2008. It was first shown in
Frankfurt Motor Show
in 1979. The Delta is best known for its World Rally Championship
career in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when it dominated rallying. As they were obliged to by the regulations, Lancia offered road-going versions of these competition cars — the Lancia Delta HF4WD and Integrale - 5000 of each variant having to be produced before the car could enter competition. In fact, Lancia sold 44,296 Integrales.
designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro
and released in 1979. For a period of time, it was also sold in Sweden
by Saab Automobile
, badged
as the Saab 600
. For a few years after its launch, the Delta was one of the most contemporarily styled cars of its class in Europe and was voted 1980 European Car of the Year
.
The Delta range was first introduced to the United Kingdom
in 1980 and remained virtually unchanged until 1986, when small changes were made to the cars' body shape, the engines updated and the four-wheel drive model introduced.
While the majority of Delta models were ordinary small family cars, the most famous model was the Delta HF Integrale, a four-wheel drive
hot hatch
with a powerful turbocharged
petrol engine
. A tweaked version of the HF dominated the World Rally Championship, scoring 46 WRC victories overall and winning the Constructors Championship a record six times in a row from 1987
to 1992, in addition to Drivers' Championship titles for Juha Kankkunen
(1987 and 1991
) and Miki Biasion (1988
and 1989
).
The Lancia Delta S4
, which the works team ran immediately prior to the HF 4WD and Integrale models' world championship careers from the season-ending 1985
RAC Rally until the end of the 1986 season
, while sharing the same name and appearance, was a Group B
race car designed specifically for rallying
, and was entirely different from the commercial Delta in terms of construction and performance.
The abolition of Group B
in rallying at the end of the 1986 season left Group A
as the top-line formula. As related below, the Delta HF 4WD was not ideally suited to Group A rallying, but it was developed into a highly successful competitor.
As a road car, superseding the Delta HF Turbo as the flagship of the Delta range — S4 excepted — the HF 4WD had a lot to live up to. The HF Turbo was no slouch and its handling was praiseworthy for a front-wheel drive car.
One of the features of the Delta HF 4WD is the under-statement of the body styling. There is very little to distinguish the car from the earlier 'Turbo i.e.' apart from the four-headlight system, fog lamps mounted in the front spoiler, discreet 4WD badging on the rear hatch, small side skirts and two raised air intakes on the bonnet (hood). The later car is therefore virtually indistinguishable from the 1600 cc HF Turbo i.e.
In the Delta HF 4X4, Lancia opted for a four-wheel drive system with an in-built torque-splitting action to ensure that the available power was going to the wheels with the most traction at any given time, thus ensuring the most efficient use of the available power and torque.
Three differentials are at the heart of the system. Drive to the front wheels is linked through a free-floating differential; drive to the rear wheels is transmitted via a 56/44 front/rear torque-splitting Ferguson viscous-coupling-controlled epicyclic central differential. At the rear wheels is a Torsen
(torque sensing) rear differential.
The Torsen differential is a true 'intelligent' differential in the way it distributes torque. It divides the torque between the wheels according to the available grip, and does so without ever locking fully: maximum lockup is 70%.
Standard differentials are either free-floating or self-locking. Free-floating systems are good at differentiating between wheel speeds on bends, but always supply the same amount of torque to both wheels. In this situation, however, there is a risk that the wheel with the lighter load (on an incline, for example) or less grip, will lose traction. To counteract this possibility, totally self-locking differentials ensure that both wheels rotate at the same speed but in doing this, prevent free differentiation in cornering, to the detriment of handling and stability.
The basic suspension layout of the Delta 4WD remains the same as in the rest of the two-wheel drive Delta range: MacPherson strut
–type independent suspension with dual-rate dampers and helicoidal springs, with the struts and springs set slightly off-centre.
There are a few more subtle changes, though, with the suspension mounting points to the body shell, now better insulated by incorporating flexible rubber links to provide improved isolation. Progressive rebound bumpers have also been adopted, while the damper rates, front and rear toe-in and the relative angle between springs and dampers have all been altered. The steering retains the rack and pinion mechanism of the rest of the Delta range, but in this application it is power-assisted. Steering effort has been reduced further by fitting thrust bearings of the ball, rather than roller type. Additional steering sensitivity has also been obtained by adjusting the angle of incidence of the steering rack.
Lancia designed the HF Integrale to incorporate the advanced technical features of the Delta HF 4WD, and to address its shortcomings as a rally car. The result is a stylish, luxurious yet utterly practical five door hatchback with impeccable road manners, but capable of a blistering 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) acceleration in just 6.6 seconds and a maximum speed of 133 mph (214 km/h).
At the heart of the 8-valve HF Integrale is a 2-litre 4-cylinder fuel injected twin cam engine, fitted with contra-rotating balancing shafts. This version incorporated the following improvements over the HF 4WD: New valves, valve seats and water pump, larger water and oil radiators, more powerful cooling fan and bigger air cleaner. A larger capacity Garrett T3
turbocharger
with improved air flow and bigger inter-cooler to aid volumetric efficiency, together with revised settings for the electronic injection/ignition control unit and a knock sensor, boost power output to 185 bhp (DIN) (136 kW) at 5300 rpm and maximum torque of 31 m·kgf
(304 N·m
, 224 lbf·ft
) at 3500 rpm.
The HF Integrale transmission
systems incorporates permanent 4-wheel drive, a front transversely mounted engine and five-speed gearbox. An epicyclic centre differential normally splits the torque 56 per cent to the front axle, 44 per cent to the rear. However a noiseless, fully automatic Ferguson viscous coupling balances the torque split to give the optimal division between front and rear axles depending on road conditions and tyre grip. The Torsen rear differential further divides the torque delivered to each rear wheel according to grip available. By using the interaction between a worm screw and helical gear (movement is transmitted from screw to gear only) the Torsen system ensures that the wheel with less weight or grip receives less torque and therefore maintains traction. A free floating front differential completes the system to ensure maximum traction even at speed on adverse road surfaces. A shorter final drive ratio (3.111 instead of 2.944 on the HF 4WD) is used to match the larger 6.5x15 wheels to give 24 mph/1000 rpm (39 km/h per 1000 rpm) in fifth gear.
Both braking and suspension were uprated to match the HF Integrale's increased performance. The ventilated front discs were increased in diameter to 284 mm (11.2 in), improved friction coefficient pads were fitted to the rear brakes. A larger brake master cylinder and servo lessened pedal effort for quicker response and reduced the risk of overheating in even the most demanding situations. The all round independent suspension features new front springs, dampers and front struts.
To match the mechanical improvements and higher performance, Lancia gave the HF Integrale a new, more purposeful look while retaining all the practical advantages of the five door body shell. Immediately noticeable are the rounded, bulged wheel arches housing the wider section 195/55 VR tyres on 15-inch 6J alloy wheels. A new bonnet incorporated air louvres while the restyled bumpers wrapped around to meet the wheel arches at front and rear. The front bumper, now wider, incorporates air intakes to assist engine cooling, and houses rectangular auxiliary driving lights, that complement the twin circular headlights. The side skirts are faired into the wheel arches at front and rear and carry "Delta HF Integrale" badges to complement those on grille and rear hatch. The twin rear view mirrors are finished in body colour.
The new car was identifiable from its predecessor by the raised centre of the bonnet to accommodate the new 16 valve engine. The other exterior changes visible were; wider wheels and tyres and new identity badges front and rear. The torque split was changed to 47% front and 53% rear, to give the car better handling characteristics.
The 16 valve integrale was published in 1989 Geneva Motorshow.
The turbocharged 2-litre Lancia 16v engine is already a powerful, refined performer, but was further developed for the Integrale 16v. Generating 200 bhp (149 kW) at 5500 rpm, it can take the car to a maximum speed of 137 mph (220 km/h) and get it from 0–100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 5.5 seconds. Larger injectors provide higher power output and efficient exploitation of the fuel feed at high engine speeds. The response of a Garrett T3 turbocharger
is immediate, thanks to the reduced inertia of the turbine. A highly efficient intercooler provides the driver with more power and greater reliability. The new over-boost system uses a proportional electrovalve, to give a lift to engine torque: 220 lbf·ft (298 N·m) at 3000 rpm. All these improvements make the road-going version of the Integrale 16v a spirited, reliable and inherently safe car. The engine can also run on unleaded fuel without modification.
The first Evoluzione cars were built at the end of 1991 and through 1992. These were to be the final homologation
cars for the Lancia Rally Team; the Catalytic Evoluzione II (below) was never rallied by the factory.
In order to improve the handling, the Evoluzione I had a wider track front and rear than earlier Deltas. In order to enclose this track in the bodywork, the wide arches were extended even further and in the process also became more rounded. The wings were now made in a single pressing, whereas previously they had been fabricated. The front strut top mounts were also raised in height in the quest for more grip: this then necessitated a front strut brace to control the forces thus generated.
External changes included: new grilles in the front bumper to improve the air intake for engine compartment cooling; a redesigned bonnet (hood) with new lateral air slats to further assist underbonnet ventilation; an adjustable roof spoiler above the tailgate to assist in competition and to emphasise the cars sporty lines; new five-bolt (stud) wheels derived from the rally cars (stronger than the previous design); and finally, the rear of the car was changed with only one exhaust pipe now showing.
The new Integrale retained the four wheel drive layout: an epicyclic centre diff with torque splitter (47% to front, 53% to rear), Ferguson viscous coupling and Torsen rear differential.
The engine, although technically the same as the earlier 16V cars, was remapped to give 210 bhp (157 kW) at 5750 rpm in order to compensate for the slight increase in weight and increased frontal area. This kept the performance figures virtually unchanged.
The above improvements were aimed at, and did change, the cars' handling potential, with the new car being able to travel 5–6% faster over rally sections both tarmac and gravel. The result was even greater driver confidence when driving in normal road conditions.
Interior trim was now Grey Alcantara
as standard, covering the same Recaro
seats as fitted to the earlier 16V cars; leather and air conditioning
were offered as options. The interior was finished with a new anotomic grip gear lever and leather-covered Momo steering wheel.
A number of Evoluzione I cars and 16V Integrale were built to meet Swiss regulations and were consequently equipped with an 8-valve engine complete with catalytic converter, producing 177 PS (185PS with overboost). The Swiss Lancia dealer network offered an upgrade of 200Ps with full warranty for the 8-valve engine, up to 260PS with a reduced warranty.
Presented in June 1993, the second Evolution version of the Delta HF Integrale featured an updated version of the 2-litre 16-valve turbo engine to produce more power, as well as a three-way catalyst and Lambda probe. The addition of the catalyst did not penalise performance. Indeed, the Evoluzione II produced more power and torque than its predecessor, the Evoluzione I. That's because Lancia added a series of technical improvements which may be summed up as follows:
A Marelli integrated engine control system with an 8 MHz clock frequency which incorporates:
The basic engine structure remained unchanged:
The engine developed a maximum power output of 215 PS DIN (against 210 PS on the earlier uncatalysed version) and maximum torque of 32 kgf·m (314 N·m) (formerly 31 kgf·m or 300 N·m).
In order to underline the even more advanced engineering and performance of the 1993 version, the new Integrale was also given a cosmetic and functional facelift.
Briefly:
Inside:
The sporty look of the new Delta was highlighted by an aluminium fuel cap and air-intake grilles on the front mudguards designed to increase airflow.
During the early 1980s the top level of rallying was dominated by the Group B
formula, for which Lancia produced the rear-drive 037
and then, when that became obsolete, the Delta S4. The entire formula was abolished at the end of the 1986 season, however, after a string of fatal accidents, leaving Group A
as the top formula for the 1987 and subsequent seasons.
The sudden change in the rules left many manufacturers without a suitable car, with the exception of Lancia. The Delta HF 4WD, with its two-litre turbocharged engine and four-wheel-drive, was clearly a more suitable Group A rally car than its rivals, the underpowered Mazda 323 and Ford Sierra
XR4x4, the powerful but rear-drive Sierra Cosworth and BMW M3
, and the front-drive Opel Kadett
GSi and Renault 11 Turbo. However, it was not without flaws. The wheel arches were restrictive, the wheels and therefore the brakes were too small, and the suspension travel was limited. Access to key components for servicing was also restricted by the car's compact size and transverse-engined layout, the one defect that subsequent evolutions could not fully rectify. Even so, little doubt was expressed before the 1987 season began that Lancia, and one of its drivers, would win the World Championship.
In 1987 the Lancias were driven by Massimo Biasion
, Juha Kankkunen
and Markku Alén
. Biasion opened with victory in the Monte Carlo Rally
and later in the season won the Argentina and Sanremo rallies. However, Juha Kankkunen’s four podium places, coupled with victories on the Olympus Rally
and the final round, the RAC Rally, saw him clinch the title ahead of Markku Alén, whose title hopes ended on the RAC with a series of accidents, including overturning the car in front of the television cameras on one of the opening day's short spectator stages. Lancia won seven of the eleven rounds which counted towards the manufacturers’ championship, and with them the world title. However Kankkunen, reputedly disillusioned with team politics and the apparent favouritism shown towards Biasion, left the team at the end of the season and rejoined Toyota.
The Delta 4WD also won the first two events of the 1988 season, Bruno Saby
taking the win at Monte Carlo and Markku Alén in Sweden, before the Integrale appeared at the third round in Portugal. Team boss Cesare Fiorio
remarked in an interview before that event that the Integrale’s larger wheels, bigger brakes, improved suspension and greater power would make it more competitive on asphalt, although on gravel it represented a relatively small improvement over the 4WD. Markku Alen went out with transmission failure early in the event, giving rise to some concern about the strength of the transmission and causing the team to undertake a great deal of precautionary maintenance to Biasion's car. However, the Italian driver suffered no serious mechanical problems and continued to take victory. A new and stronger six-speed gearbox was already under development and was introduced for the next event. Lancia then dominated the rest of the season. Only once were they beaten in a straight fight, on the dry asphalt of Corsica by Didier Auriol
in a Sierra Cosworth. By the season’s end Lancia had won ten of the eleven rounds which counted for the manufacturers’ series, and Biasion was drivers’ World Champion, having clinched the title on the penultimate round. Markku Alén rounded off the season with victory on the RAC Rally, a personal first for the Finn.
By this time more serious competitors were beginning to emerge, including the Toyota Celica GT4, which in the hands of Juha Kankkunen had run Markku Alén close on the previous year’s 1000 Lakes Rally before retiring with mechanical failure. The Toyota remained unreliable for the first part of the 1989 season, however, and Lancia, with Biasion and Auriol (whom the team had recruited after his performances in the Ford the previous year) the lead drivers, were able to pull out a substantial championship lead. By the time guest driver Mikael Ericsson
took it to victory on the Rally Argentina, the 8v Integrale had won all of its previous twelve World Championship events. Later in the season, however, developmental difficulties with the Mitsubishi Galant
were overcome and Mikael Ericsson, now driving for Mitsubishi, won the 1000 Lakes Rally, where no Lancias finished in the top three. Kankkunen then took the Toyota to a maiden victory in Australia, with his team mate Kenneth Eriksson
second and Alén third. The Integrale was beginning to slip behind its key competitors, but by then Lancia was already working on the next evolution.
The 16v Integrale made its début on the 1989 Rallye Sanremo
where, for the first and only time, it ran in Italian racing red. Didier Auriol went out early in the event after a high-speed crash, but Biasion went on to win. Having won the both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ titles for the third year running, Lancia declined to contest the final round of the season, the RAC Rally. Lancia continued to use the 16v Integrale throughout the 1990 season. Juha Kankkunen rejoined the team, joining Biasion and Auriol. Lancia won the manufacturers’ title, with six wins, but these were shared between the team's three drivers, and in the drivers’ title race Sainz, driving a Toyota Celica
, took the lead. The issue was eventually settled on the RAC Rally, when Kankkunen crashed whilst leading, leaving the Spanish driver to take the title, the first time since 1986 that Lancia had not won both drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships.
The 1991 season saw another close battle between Toyota and Lancia. There was some pre-season speculation that the Delta was now outclassed by the Celica, an impression reinforced by Carlos Sainz's win on the opening round, the Monte Carlo. However, in the hands of Juha Kankkunen the Delta took wins in Kenya, Argentina, Finland and Australia, and Didier Auriol also won at Sanremo, giving Lancia the manufacturers’ title for a record fifth time. Meanwhile, Sainz crashed out in Australia and retired with electrical failure in Catalunya, putting Kankkunen in contention for the driver’s title. By this time Toyota and Lancia were reputedly working with blank cheques and win-at-all-costs budgets from their parent companies, and rumours abounded of creative interpretations of the rules, especially on the part of Lancia. However, nothing was ever proven, although it was common knowledge that all of the major Group A cars had far more power than the notional 300bhp limit, probably closer to 400 in most cases. The Lancia was among the most powerful, which, along with its reliability, accounts partly for its continued success in the face of handicaps such as poor weight distribution (the Delta was always nose-heavy) and a transmission system less sophisticated than that of the Toyota. The 1991 RAC Rally saw a close battle in the British forests between Kankkunen and Sainz, which was settled late in the event when the head gasket blew on Sainz's Toyota, giving Kankkunen his third driver's championship.
During the latter part of the season, Lancia developed the Evoluzione version of the Delta, sometimes nicknamed the 'Deltona' or 'Super Delta,' which would début on the 1992 Monte Carlo. This final evolution, with its stiffer body, wider wheel arches, bigger wheels and brakes, improved suspension and aerodynamics and more powerful engine, was 5-6% faster under most circumstances than the 16v car. However, it represented the most that could be extracted from a design that was fundamentally outdated and, with no successor planned, Lancia officially withdrew from rallying at the end of 1991. For the next two seasons the cars would be run by the semi-private Jolly Club team, albeit initially with continuing support from the factory.
For 1992 Toyota had an all-new Celica, in contrast to Lancia’s updated Delta, leading to renewed speculation that Lancia would be outclassed. In fact the Celica initially proved problematic and Auriol dominated the early part of the season for Lancia, taking a record six wins and pulling out a large championship lead. Kankkunen also scored consistent podium finishes and a win in Portugal, whilst guest driver Andrea Aghini
won the Rallye Sanremo. Lancia therefore took the manufacturers’ title for a sixth consecutive year. Meanwhile, Sainz initially struggled with the new car and slipped behind, even struggling at times to beat a resurgent Ford team with its rather unwieldy Sierra, but a late-season fight-back by the Spaniard, coupled with retirement in Sanremo and only tenth place in Catalunya for Auriol, saw Kankkunen, Auriol, and Sainz enter the RAC rally within three points of each other. The three-way title race was decided when Auriol’s engine failed and Kankkunen went off the road, leaving Sainz to take an unexpected second driver’s title.
There was a major shake-up in driver line-ups for 1993. Auriol and Kankkunen both left Lancia and joined the Toyota team, whilst Sainz moved to the Jolly Club, where he was supported by Aghini and Gustavo Trelles
. Lancia's sponsorship from Martini also ended, and the Jolly Club Deltas ran in the colours of Sainz’s sponsor, oil firm Repsol. With the end of the factory’s involvement technical developments were minor, and the previously robust Delta also proved increasingly unreliable. Sainz took second on the Acropolis rally, but that was the car’s best placing. He finished second again at Sanremo, but the team was subsequently disqualified and docked points for fuel irregularities, and Sainz had by then retired from the Catalunya Rally with electrical failure. With the car now clearly uncompetitive against the Toyota, and also outpaced by new arrivals such as the Ford Escort Cosworth, Subaru Impreza
and Mitsubishi Lancer
, Jolly Club decided not to contest the final round of the series and withdrew, signalling the end of both the Delta's career as a top-line rally car and Lancia's involvement in the World Rally Championship.
In total, the four evolutions of the Lancia Delta won 46 World Championship rallies, and Lancia’s run of six consecutive manufacturers’ titles remains a record.
Outside the World Championship the Delta was used by several private teams, with varying degrees of backing from the works team. Jolly Club ran as a second-string team throughout the Group A era, before taking over from the official works team for 1992-3. Other teams using the car included Astra Motorsport and HF Grifone. Drivers using Deltas run by teams such as these won the European title in every year between 1987 and 1991, and also in 1993, the car’s last major success. Astra continued to run Deltas on European and some World Championship events in 1994, the best result being fourth place for Alessandro Fiorio on the Acropolis Rally. Deltas also took many national titles in continental Europe.
The car was less popular with amateur rally drivers than, for instance, the Ford Sierra and Escort Cosworth, since it was more expensive and difficult to maintain. Nevertheless, to this day Deltas are occasionally seen on amateur events.
The Integrale based Hyena was an initiative of the Dutch classic car restorer and collector Paul Koot in collaboration with Zagato
. The Hyena was designed in 1990 by Marco Pedracini (Zagato), and introduced at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1992. The Hyena was based on the Delta Integrale floorpan structure, but with a 2-door coupe body. Integrales were stripped down in Holland and then sent to Zagato in Italy to have the new composite/alloy body fitted and for final assembly. All of this made the Hyena very expensive to build and they were sold for around $75,000. The Hyena weighed around 200 kilograms (440.9 lb) less than original Integrale, had 250 PS, and could accelerate from 0–100 km in 5.4 seconds.
There were only 24 Hyenas made between 1992 and 1996. Of those produced, the number of exports breaks down like this:
platform. The Nuova Delta was targeted at customers more interested in comfort and convenience than overall performance and power.
The Nuova Delta was offered with engine versions up to 193 PS, but without four-wheel drive. Until 1995 only five-door hatchback body styles was offered, when the three-door was introduced under the name HPE. In 1996 two 1.8-litre engines were introduced (one with variable valve timing) and the naturally aspirated 2.0 was discontinued.
The Delta was dropped from Lancia's lineup in 1999. The Dedra
did get a replacement, the Lybra
, which was not offered with a hatchback body style.
.
The world première of the new HPE concept was held at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival.
The new Lancia Delta was unveiled at the 2008 Geneva motor show. The Lancia brand was reintroduced to the Scandinavian, Russian and Turkish markets in 2007. Commercial ambitions for the car appear more cautious than for earlier Deltas: British press reports nevertheless highlighted plans for the new Delta to spearhead a return by Lancia to the UK market during 2009, in part to celebrate Lancia's centenary.
Delta as well as being an historical name from Lancia’s past is also being interpreted this time around by Lancia as a mathematical symbol that stands for change, difference and evolution. Designed by the Lancia Style Centre, this car is aimed at the luxury end of the small family car segment. The Delta is 4.52 metres (178 in) long, 1.797 metres (70.7 in) wide and 1.499 metres (59 in) high, and has a wheelbase of 2.7 metres (106.3 in), 10 centimetres (3.9 in) more than the Fiat Bravo. It has five doors and can be considered a hatchback or an estate (see Hatchback vs. Station wagon).
At the 2010 North American International Auto Show
, a badge-engineered
version of the Delta under the Chrysler
brand (a manufacturer now partially owned by Fiat) was unveiled as a concept car for a potential North American release. The Delta, along with the Ypsilon
, is marketed as a Chrysler in the UK and Ireland.
file reader with steering-wheel mounted controls, the Blue&Me
system developed with Microsoft
, and brand new satellite navigation system developed with Magneti Marelli.
Further technical equipment included to effect the ride and handling will include an advanced ESC (Electronic Stability Control) system and SDC suspension (with electronic damping control, also by Magneti Marelli).
The new Delta also has a driving assistant that gives more safety, an electric eye monitors the road and gives feedback to steering wheel to suggest corrections to the driver. The car is available also with semi-automatic parking assistant.
The new version of Delta will be presented in Geneva Motor Show 2011.
Lancia
Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Some modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more...
with the first generation being produced between 1979 and 1994, the second generation running from 1993 until 1999, and the third generation Delta entering production in 2008. It was first shown in
Frankfurt Motor Show
Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung
The Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung , also known as the Frankfurt Motor Show or Frankfurt Auto Show, is one of the world's largest motor shows. It is held biennially in Frankfurt, Germany. The show occupies 12 buildings.The IAA is organized by the Association of the German Automotive Industry...
in 1979. The Delta is best known for its World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
career in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when it dominated rallying. As they were obliged to by the regulations, Lancia offered road-going versions of these competition cars — the Lancia Delta HF4WD and Integrale - 5000 of each variant having to be produced before the car could enter competition. In fact, Lancia sold 44,296 Integrales.
First generation
The first Delta was a five-door hatchbackHatchback
A Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box...
designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro
Giorgetto Giugiaro
Giorgetto Giugiaro is an Italian automobile designer responsible equally for a stable of supercars and several of the most popular everyday vehicles driven today...
and released in 1979. For a period of time, it was also sold in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
by Saab Automobile
Saab Automobile
Saab Automobile AB, better known as Saab , is a Swedish car manufacturer owned by Dutch automobile manufacturer Swedish Automobile NV, formerly Spyker Cars NV. It is the exclusive automobile Royal Warrant holder as appointed by the King of Sweden...
, badged
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
as the Saab 600
Saab 600
The Saab-Lancia 600 is a rebadged Lancia Delta, sold by Saab after a deal with Lancia.The deal was a part of the 1980s co-operation between the Swedish car manufacturer Saab and the Italian Fiat Group, which includes Lancia and Alfa Romeo in addition to Fiat...
. For a few years after its launch, the Delta was one of the most contemporarily styled cars of its class in Europe and was voted 1980 European Car of the Year
European Car of the Year
The European Car of the Year award was established in 1964 by a collective of automobile magazines from different countries in Europe. The current organisers of the award are Auto , Autocar , Autopista , Autovisie , L'Automobile Magazine , Stern and Vi Bilägare .The voting jury consists of motoring...
.
The Delta range was first introduced to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1980 and remained virtually unchanged until 1986, when small changes were made to the cars' body shape, the engines updated and the four-wheel drive model introduced.
While the majority of Delta models were ordinary small family cars, the most famous model was the Delta HF Integrale, a four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
hot hatch
Hot hatch
Hot hatch was originally an informal automotive industry term, shortened from hot hatchback, initially coined by the British motoring press in 1984, for a high-performance derivative of a car body style consisting of a three- or five-door hatchback automobile.Vehicles of this class are based on...
with a powerful turbocharged
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
petrol engine
Petrol engine
A petrol engine is an internal combustion engine with spark-ignition, designed to run on petrol and similar volatile fuels....
. A tweaked version of the HF dominated the World Rally Championship, scoring 46 WRC victories overall and winning the Constructors Championship a record six times in a row from 1987
1987 World Rally Championship season
The 1987 World Rally Championship season was the 15th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 13 rallies in the same venues of the previous season...
to 1992, in addition to Drivers' Championship titles for Juha Kankkunen
Juha Kankkunen
Juha Matti Pellervo Kankkunen is a Finnish former rally driver. His factory team career in the World Rally Championship lasted from 1983 to 2002. He won 23 world rallies and four drivers' world championship titles, which were both once records in the series...
(1987 and 1991
1991 World Rally Championship season
The 1991 World Rally Championship season was the 19th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 14 rallies. The drivers' world championship was won by Juha Kankkunen in a Lancia Delta Integrale 16V, ahead of Carlos Sainz and Didier...
) and Miki Biasion (1988
1988 World Rally Championship season
The 1988 World Rally Championship season was the 16th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship...
and 1989
1989 World Rally Championship season
The 1989 World Rally Championship season was the 17th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 13 rallies, with some adjustments to the schedule versus the previous season...
).
The Lancia Delta S4
Lancia Delta S4
The Lancia Delta S4 is a Group B rally car that competed in the World Rally Championship in 1985 and 1986, until Group B cars were banned from competition by the FIA. The car replaced and was an evolution of the Lancia 037 Monte Carlo. The S4 took full advantage of the Group B regulations, and...
, which the works team ran immediately prior to the HF 4WD and Integrale models' world championship careers from the season-ending 1985
1985 World Rally Championship season
The 1985 World Rally Championship season was the 13th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Peugeot Sport's Timo Salonen beat Audi Sport's Stig Blomqvist and Walter...
RAC Rally until the end of the 1986 season
1986 World Rally Championship season
The 1986 World Rally Championship season was the 14th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 13 rallies, including all twelve venues of the previous season as well as the addition of the Olympus Rally...
, while sharing the same name and appearance, was a Group B
Group B
Group B was a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rallying regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents, some fatal, were...
race car designed specifically for rallying
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
, and was entirely different from the commercial Delta in terms of construction and performance.
HF 4WD
Group B
Group B was a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rallying regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents, some fatal, were...
in rallying at the end of the 1986 season left Group A
Group A
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition. In contrast to the short-lived Group B and Group C, the Group A referred to production-derived vehicles limited in terms of power, weight, allowed...
as the top-line formula. As related below, the Delta HF 4WD was not ideally suited to Group A rallying, but it was developed into a highly successful competitor.
As a road car, superseding the Delta HF Turbo as the flagship of the Delta range — S4 excepted — the HF 4WD had a lot to live up to. The HF Turbo was no slouch and its handling was praiseworthy for a front-wheel drive car.
One of the features of the Delta HF 4WD is the under-statement of the body styling. There is very little to distinguish the car from the earlier 'Turbo i.e.' apart from the four-headlight system, fog lamps mounted in the front spoiler, discreet 4WD badging on the rear hatch, small side skirts and two raised air intakes on the bonnet (hood). The later car is therefore virtually indistinguishable from the 1600 cc HF Turbo i.e.
In the Delta HF 4X4, Lancia opted for a four-wheel drive system with an in-built torque-splitting action to ensure that the available power was going to the wheels with the most traction at any given time, thus ensuring the most efficient use of the available power and torque.
Three differentials are at the heart of the system. Drive to the front wheels is linked through a free-floating differential; drive to the rear wheels is transmitted via a 56/44 front/rear torque-splitting Ferguson viscous-coupling-controlled epicyclic central differential. At the rear wheels is a Torsen
Torsen
Torsen is a type of differential used in automobiles. It was invented by American Vernon Gleasman and manufactured by the Gleason Corporation. Torsen is a contraction of Torque-Sensing...
(torque sensing) rear differential.
The Torsen differential is a true 'intelligent' differential in the way it distributes torque. It divides the torque between the wheels according to the available grip, and does so without ever locking fully: maximum lockup is 70%.
Standard differentials are either free-floating or self-locking. Free-floating systems are good at differentiating between wheel speeds on bends, but always supply the same amount of torque to both wheels. In this situation, however, there is a risk that the wheel with the lighter load (on an incline, for example) or less grip, will lose traction. To counteract this possibility, totally self-locking differentials ensure that both wheels rotate at the same speed but in doing this, prevent free differentiation in cornering, to the detriment of handling and stability.
The basic suspension layout of the Delta 4WD remains the same as in the rest of the two-wheel drive Delta range: MacPherson strut
MacPherson strut
The MacPherson strut is a type of car suspension system which uses the axis of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in modern vehicles and named after Earle S. MacPherson, who developed the design.-History:...
–type independent suspension with dual-rate dampers and helicoidal springs, with the struts and springs set slightly off-centre.
There are a few more subtle changes, though, with the suspension mounting points to the body shell, now better insulated by incorporating flexible rubber links to provide improved isolation. Progressive rebound bumpers have also been adopted, while the damper rates, front and rear toe-in and the relative angle between springs and dampers have all been altered. The steering retains the rack and pinion mechanism of the rest of the Delta range, but in this application it is power-assisted. Steering effort has been reduced further by fitting thrust bearings of the ball, rather than roller type. Additional steering sensitivity has also been obtained by adjusting the angle of incidence of the steering rack.
Integrale 8v
At the heart of the 8-valve HF Integrale is a 2-litre 4-cylinder fuel injected twin cam engine, fitted with contra-rotating balancing shafts. This version incorporated the following improvements over the HF 4WD: New valves, valve seats and water pump, larger water and oil radiators, more powerful cooling fan and bigger air cleaner. A larger capacity Garrett T3
Garrett AiResearch
Garrett AiResearch was a manufacturer of turboprop engines and turbochargers, and a pioneer in numerous aerospace technologies. It was previously known as Aircraft Tool and Supply Company, Garrett Supply Company, AiResearch Manufacturing Company, or simply AiResearch...
turbocharger
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
with improved air flow and bigger inter-cooler to aid volumetric efficiency, together with revised settings for the electronic injection/ignition control unit and a knock sensor, boost power output to 185 bhp (DIN) (136 kW) at 5300 rpm and maximum torque of 31 m·kgf
Kilogram-force
A kilogram-force , or kilopond , is a gravitational metric unit of force. It is equal to the magnitude of the force exerted by one kilogram of mass in a gravitational field...
(304 N·m
Newton metre
A newton metre is a unit of torque in the SI system. The symbolic form is N m or N·m, and sometimes hyphenated newton-metre...
, 224 lbf·ft
Foot-pound force
The foot-pound force, or simply foot-pound is a unit of work or energy in the Engineering and Gravitational Systems in United States customary and Imperial units of measure. It is the energy transferred on applying a force of 1 pound-force through a displacement of 1 foot...
) at 3500 rpm.
The HF Integrale transmission
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
systems incorporates permanent 4-wheel drive, a front transversely mounted engine and five-speed gearbox. An epicyclic centre differential normally splits the torque 56 per cent to the front axle, 44 per cent to the rear. However a noiseless, fully automatic Ferguson viscous coupling balances the torque split to give the optimal division between front and rear axles depending on road conditions and tyre grip. The Torsen rear differential further divides the torque delivered to each rear wheel according to grip available. By using the interaction between a worm screw and helical gear (movement is transmitted from screw to gear only) the Torsen system ensures that the wheel with less weight or grip receives less torque and therefore maintains traction. A free floating front differential completes the system to ensure maximum traction even at speed on adverse road surfaces. A shorter final drive ratio (3.111 instead of 2.944 on the HF 4WD) is used to match the larger 6.5x15 wheels to give 24 mph/1000 rpm (39 km/h per 1000 rpm) in fifth gear.
Both braking and suspension were uprated to match the HF Integrale's increased performance. The ventilated front discs were increased in diameter to 284 mm (11.2 in), improved friction coefficient pads were fitted to the rear brakes. A larger brake master cylinder and servo lessened pedal effort for quicker response and reduced the risk of overheating in even the most demanding situations. The all round independent suspension features new front springs, dampers and front struts.
Integrale 16v
Despite the fact that the 8v Integrale had dominated the 1988 World Rally Championship, Lancia knew that further development, and particularly more power, was needed to keep the car competitive with newer rivals. Accordingly, the 16v Integrale was developed, and made a winning debut on the 1989 San Remo Rally.The new car was identifiable from its predecessor by the raised centre of the bonnet to accommodate the new 16 valve engine. The other exterior changes visible were; wider wheels and tyres and new identity badges front and rear. The torque split was changed to 47% front and 53% rear, to give the car better handling characteristics.
The 16 valve integrale was published in 1989 Geneva Motorshow.
The turbocharged 2-litre Lancia 16v engine is already a powerful, refined performer, but was further developed for the Integrale 16v. Generating 200 bhp (149 kW) at 5500 rpm, it can take the car to a maximum speed of 137 mph (220 km/h) and get it from 0–100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 5.5 seconds. Larger injectors provide higher power output and efficient exploitation of the fuel feed at high engine speeds. The response of a Garrett T3 turbocharger
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
is immediate, thanks to the reduced inertia of the turbine. A highly efficient intercooler provides the driver with more power and greater reliability. The new over-boost system uses a proportional electrovalve, to give a lift to engine torque: 220 lbf·ft (298 N·m) at 3000 rpm. All these improvements make the road-going version of the Integrale 16v a spirited, reliable and inherently safe car. The engine can also run on unleaded fuel without modification.
Integrale Evoluzione
Homologation
Homologation is a technical term, derived from the Greek homologeo for "to agree", which is generally used in English to signify the granting of approval by an official authority...
cars for the Lancia Rally Team; the Catalytic Evoluzione II (below) was never rallied by the factory.
In order to improve the handling, the Evoluzione I had a wider track front and rear than earlier Deltas. In order to enclose this track in the bodywork, the wide arches were extended even further and in the process also became more rounded. The wings were now made in a single pressing, whereas previously they had been fabricated. The front strut top mounts were also raised in height in the quest for more grip: this then necessitated a front strut brace to control the forces thus generated.
External changes included: new grilles in the front bumper to improve the air intake for engine compartment cooling; a redesigned bonnet (hood) with new lateral air slats to further assist underbonnet ventilation; an adjustable roof spoiler above the tailgate to assist in competition and to emphasise the cars sporty lines; new five-bolt (stud) wheels derived from the rally cars (stronger than the previous design); and finally, the rear of the car was changed with only one exhaust pipe now showing.
- No changes to the tried and trusted chassis configuration: MacPherson-type independent suspension at front with lower wishbones;
- anti-roll bar;
- segmented dampers with a brace between the strut tops;
- MacPherson-type independent suspension at rear with transverse rods;
- longitudinal transversal reaction struts;
- disc brakes on all wheels, with double piston calipers at the front;
- floating calipers at the rear;
- split crossover hydraulic circuit with power brake and brake power modulator on rear wheels;
- BoschRobert Bosch GmbHRobert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components...
ABS as standard; - rack and pinion steering with servo assistance;
The new Integrale retained the four wheel drive layout: an epicyclic centre diff with torque splitter (47% to front, 53% to rear), Ferguson viscous coupling and Torsen rear differential.
The engine, although technically the same as the earlier 16V cars, was remapped to give 210 bhp (157 kW) at 5750 rpm in order to compensate for the slight increase in weight and increased frontal area. This kept the performance figures virtually unchanged.
The above improvements were aimed at, and did change, the cars' handling potential, with the new car being able to travel 5–6% faster over rally sections both tarmac and gravel. The result was even greater driver confidence when driving in normal road conditions.
Interior trim was now Grey Alcantara
Alcantara (material)
Alcantara is a tradename given to a composite material used to cover surfaces and forms in a variety of applications. The material was developed in the early 1970s by Miyoshi Okamoto, a scientist working for the Japanese chemical company Toray Industries, as a variation of their other product...
as standard, covering the same Recaro
Recaro
RECARO GmbH & Co. KG, commonly known as Recaro, is a German company based in Kirchheim unter Teck in the vicinity of Stuttgart, known for their automobile bucket seats...
seats as fitted to the earlier 16V cars; leather and air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
were offered as options. The interior was finished with a new anotomic grip gear lever and leather-covered Momo steering wheel.
A number of Evoluzione I cars and 16V Integrale were built to meet Swiss regulations and were consequently equipped with an 8-valve engine complete with catalytic converter, producing 177 PS (185PS with overboost). The Swiss Lancia dealer network offered an upgrade of 200Ps with full warranty for the 8-valve engine, up to 260PS with a reduced warranty.
Integrale Evoluzione II
A Marelli integrated engine control system with an 8 MHz clock frequency which incorporates:
- timed sequential multipoint injection;
- self-adapting injection times;
- automatic idling control;
- engine protection strategies depending on the temperature of intaken air;
- Mapped ignition with two double outlet coils;
- Three-way catalyst and pre-catalyst with lambda probe (oxygen sensorOxygen sensorAn oxygen sensor, or lambda sensor, is an electronic device that measures the proportion of oxygen in the gas or liquid being analyzed. It was developed by the Robert Bosch GmbH company during the late 1960s under the supervision of Dr. Günter Bauman...
) on the turbine outlet link; - Anti-evaporation system with air line for canister flushing optimised for the turboengine;
- New GarrettGarrett AiResearchGarrett AiResearch was a manufacturer of turboprop engines and turbochargers, and a pioneer in numerous aerospace technologies. It was previously known as Aircraft Tool and Supply Company, Garrett Supply Company, AiResearch Manufacturing Company, or simply AiResearch...
turbocharger: water-cooled with boost-drive management i.e. boost controlled by feedback from the central control unit on the basis of revs/throttle angle, mapping designed for ultra-progressive response to acceleration; - Knock control by engine block sensor and new signal handling software that acted simultaneously on spark advance, fuel quantity injected and turbocharging;
The basic engine structure remained unchanged:
- twin counter-rotating balancer shafts;
- light alloy cylinder heads;
- twin overhead camshafts driven by toothed belt;
- four valves per cylinder;
The engine developed a maximum power output of 215 PS DIN (against 210 PS on the earlier uncatalysed version) and maximum torque of 32 kgf·m (314 N·m) (formerly 31 kgf·m or 300 N·m).
In order to underline the even more advanced engineering and performance of the 1993 version, the new Integrale was also given a cosmetic and functional facelift.
Briefly:
- new 16" light alloy rims with 205/45 ZR 16 tyres for better brake cooling and enhanced dynamic vehicle behaviour especially in lateral roadholding terms;
- body colour roof moulding to underline the connection between the roof and the Solar control windows;
- red-painted cylinder head;
Inside:
- new leather-covered three-spoke MOMO steering wheel;
- standard RecaroRecaroRECARO GmbH & Co. KG, commonly known as Recaro, is a German company based in Kirchheim unter Teck in the vicinity of Stuttgart, known for their automobile bucket seats...
seats upholstered in beige AlcantaraAlcantara (material)Alcantara is a tradename given to a composite material used to cover surfaces and forms in a variety of applications. The material was developed in the early 1970s by Miyoshi Okamoto, a scientist working for the Japanese chemical company Toray Industries, as a variation of their other product...
with diagonal stitching;
The sporty look of the new Delta was highlighted by an aluminium fuel cap and air-intake grilles on the front mudguards designed to increase airflow.
Performance
Performance of the first generation models:,| Model | Year | Displacement | Power | Torque | Accel. 0–100 km/h,s |
Top speed | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cc | cu in | PS | kW | hp | @ rpm | N·m | ft·lbf | @ r/min | km/h | mph | |||
| 1.1 (Greece only) | 1116 cc | 64 PS | 5800 | 85 N.m | 3500 | — | — | — | |||||
| 1.3 | 1301 cc | 75 PS | 5800 | 105 N.m | 3500 | 15.0 | 160 | 99 | |||||
| 1.5 | 1498 | 91.3 | 85 PS | 5800 | 123 N.m | 3500 | 12.5 | 161 | 100 | ||||
| 1.6 GT | 1585 | 96.6 | 105 PS | 5800 | 136 N.m | 3300 | 10.0 | 180 | 112 | ||||
| 1.6 GT.i.e | 1585 | 96.6 | 108 PS | 5900 | 137 N.m | 3500 | 9.8 | 185 | 115 | ||||
| 1.6 HF Turbo | 1984 | 1585 | 96.6 | 130 PS | 5600 | 191 N.m | 3700 | 195 | 121.2 | ||||
| 1.6 HF Turbo | 1985 | 1585 | 96.6 | 140 PS | 5500 | 191 N.m | 3500 | 8.7 | 203 | 126 | |||
| HF4WD | 1986 | 1995 | 121.6 | 165 PS | 5500 | 285 N.m | 2750 | 7.8 | 208 | 129 | |||
| HF Integrale 8v | 1987 | 1995 | 121.6 | 185 PS | 5300 | 304 N.m | 2500 | 6.6 | 215 | 134 | |||
| HF integrale 16V | 1989 | 1995 | 121.6 | 200 PS | 5500 | 298 N.m | 3000 | 5.7 | 220 | 137 | |||
| HF integrale "Evo1" | 1991 | 1995 | 121.6 | 210 PS | 300 N.m | 5.7 | 220 | 137 | |||||
| HF integrale "Evo2" | 1993 | 1995 | 121.6 | 215 PS | 5750 | 314 N.m | 2500 | 5.7 | 220 | 137 | |||
| 1.9 TD | 1929 | 117.6 | 80 PS | 4200 | 172 N.m | 2400 | 13.8 | 170 | 106 | ||||
Rallying
See: Lancia Delta Group ALancia Delta Group A
The Lancia Delta Group A is a Group A rally car built for the Martini Lancia by Lancia to compete in the World Rally Championship. It is based upon the Lancia Delta road car and replaced the Lancia Delta S4...
Group B
Group B was a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rallying regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents, some fatal, were...
formula, for which Lancia produced the rear-drive 037
Lancia 037
The Lancia Rally 037 was a mid-engine rally car built by Lancia in the early 1980s purely for the FIA Group B World Rally Championship. Driven by Markku Alén, Attilio Bettega, and Walter Röhrl, the car won Lancia the manufacturers' world championship in the 1983 season...
and then, when that became obsolete, the Delta S4. The entire formula was abolished at the end of the 1986 season, however, after a string of fatal accidents, leaving Group A
Group A
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition. In contrast to the short-lived Group B and Group C, the Group A referred to production-derived vehicles limited in terms of power, weight, allowed...
as the top formula for the 1987 and subsequent seasons.
The sudden change in the rules left many manufacturers without a suitable car, with the exception of Lancia. The Delta HF 4WD, with its two-litre turbocharged engine and four-wheel-drive, was clearly a more suitable Group A rally car than its rivals, the underpowered Mazda 323 and Ford Sierra
Ford Sierra
The Ford Sierra is a large family car that was built by Ford Europe from 1982 until 1993. It was designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément. The code used during development was "Project Toni"....
XR4x4, the powerful but rear-drive Sierra Cosworth and BMW M3
BMW M3
The BMW M3 is a high-performance version of the BMW 3 Series, developed by BMW's in-house motorsport division, BMW M. M3 models have been derived from the E30, E36, E46 and E90/E92/E93 3-series, and sold with coupé, sedan and convertible body styles...
, and the front-drive Opel Kadett
Opel Kadett
The Opel Kadett is a small family car produced by the German automobile manufacturer Opel between 1937 and 1940, and then again from 1962 until 1991 , when it was replaced by the Opel Astra.-Original model :...
GSi and Renault 11 Turbo. However, it was not without flaws. The wheel arches were restrictive, the wheels and therefore the brakes were too small, and the suspension travel was limited. Access to key components for servicing was also restricted by the car's compact size and transverse-engined layout, the one defect that subsequent evolutions could not fully rectify. Even so, little doubt was expressed before the 1987 season began that Lancia, and one of its drivers, would win the World Championship.
In 1987 the Lancias were driven by Massimo Biasion
Massimo Biasion
Massimo 'Miki' Biasion is an Italian rally driver, two times world rally champion.-Career:Born at Bassano del Grappa, Biasion came to prominence in the early 1980s, winning both the Italian and European Rally Championships in 1983, driving a Lancia 037...
, Juha Kankkunen
Juha Kankkunen
Juha Matti Pellervo Kankkunen is a Finnish former rally driver. His factory team career in the World Rally Championship lasted from 1983 to 2002. He won 23 world rallies and four drivers' world championship titles, which were both once records in the series...
and Markku Alén
Markku Alén
Markku Allan Alén is a Finnish former rally and race car driver. He drove for Fiat, Lancia, Subaru and Toyota in the World Rally Championship, and held the record for most stage wins in the series until 2011...
. Biasion opened with victory in the Monte Carlo Rally
Monte Carlo Rally
The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
and later in the season won the Argentina and Sanremo rallies. However, Juha Kankkunen’s four podium places, coupled with victories on the Olympus Rally
Olympus Rally
The Olympus Rally is an event in the motorsport of rallying. While it has usually been run as a national rally, in 1986-1988, it was a round in the FIA World Rally Championship, the most recent time a WRC rally has been run in the United States....
and the final round, the RAC Rally, saw him clinch the title ahead of Markku Alén, whose title hopes ended on the RAC with a series of accidents, including overturning the car in front of the television cameras on one of the opening day's short spectator stages. Lancia won seven of the eleven rounds which counted towards the manufacturers’ championship, and with them the world title. However Kankkunen, reputedly disillusioned with team politics and the apparent favouritism shown towards Biasion, left the team at the end of the season and rejoined Toyota.
The Delta 4WD also won the first two events of the 1988 season, Bruno Saby
Bruno Saby
Bruno Saby is a rally driver from France.In 1981, Saby became French Rally Champion in a Renault 5 Turbo. He drove for the works teams of Renault, Peugeot, Volkswagen and Lancia during his career in the World Rally Championship...
taking the win at Monte Carlo and Markku Alén in Sweden, before the Integrale appeared at the third round in Portugal. Team boss Cesare Fiorio
Cesare Fiorio
Cesare Fiorio is a former Formula One sporting director for Ferrari, Ligier and Minardi, and former team manager of Lancia's factory World Rally Championship team. He is currently employed as a TV commentator...
remarked in an interview before that event that the Integrale’s larger wheels, bigger brakes, improved suspension and greater power would make it more competitive on asphalt, although on gravel it represented a relatively small improvement over the 4WD. Markku Alen went out with transmission failure early in the event, giving rise to some concern about the strength of the transmission and causing the team to undertake a great deal of precautionary maintenance to Biasion's car. However, the Italian driver suffered no serious mechanical problems and continued to take victory. A new and stronger six-speed gearbox was already under development and was introduced for the next event. Lancia then dominated the rest of the season. Only once were they beaten in a straight fight, on the dry asphalt of Corsica by Didier Auriol
Didier Auriol
Didier Auriol is a French rally driver.Born in Montpellier, and initially an ambulance driver, Auriol made his name as a French rally driver in the World Rally Championship throughout the 1990s. He became World Rally Champion in 1994, the first from his country to do so...
in a Sierra Cosworth. By the season’s end Lancia had won ten of the eleven rounds which counted for the manufacturers’ series, and Biasion was drivers’ World Champion, having clinched the title on the penultimate round. Markku Alén rounded off the season with victory on the RAC Rally, a personal first for the Finn.
By this time more serious competitors were beginning to emerge, including the Toyota Celica GT4, which in the hands of Juha Kankkunen had run Markku Alén close on the previous year’s 1000 Lakes Rally before retiring with mechanical failure. The Toyota remained unreliable for the first part of the 1989 season, however, and Lancia, with Biasion and Auriol (whom the team had recruited after his performances in the Ford the previous year) the lead drivers, were able to pull out a substantial championship lead. By the time guest driver Mikael Ericsson
Mikael Ericsson
Mikael Ericsson is a Swedish former rally driver. During his career he competed in 40 events in the World Rally Championship, including two victories consecutively in 1989, his best year, when he finished fourth overall....
took it to victory on the Rally Argentina, the 8v Integrale had won all of its previous twelve World Championship events. Later in the season, however, developmental difficulties with the Mitsubishi Galant
Mitsubishi Galant
The first generation of the car, initially known as the Colt Galant, was released in December 1969. The design was dubbed "Dynawedge" by Mitsubishi, referring to the influence of aerodynamics on the silhouette. Three models were available, powered by the new 'Saturn' engine in 1.3 or 1.5 L ...
were overcome and Mikael Ericsson, now driving for Mitsubishi, won the 1000 Lakes Rally, where no Lancias finished in the top three. Kankkunen then took the Toyota to a maiden victory in Australia, with his team mate Kenneth Eriksson
Kenneth Eriksson
Kenneth Eriksson is a now retired World Rally Championship rally driver. He drove for several manufacturer teams, including the Subaru World Rally Team, Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Škoda...
second and Alén third. The Integrale was beginning to slip behind its key competitors, but by then Lancia was already working on the next evolution.
The 16v Integrale made its début on the 1989 Rallye Sanremo
Rallye Sanremo
Rallye Sanremo is a rally competition held in Sanremo, Italy. Except for the 1995 event, the event was part of the FIA World Rally Championship schedule from the 1973 season to the 2003 season. Currently, it is a round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and the Italian national rally...
where, for the first and only time, it ran in Italian racing red. Didier Auriol went out early in the event after a high-speed crash, but Biasion went on to win. Having won the both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ titles for the third year running, Lancia declined to contest the final round of the season, the RAC Rally. Lancia continued to use the 16v Integrale throughout the 1990 season. Juha Kankkunen rejoined the team, joining Biasion and Auriol. Lancia won the manufacturers’ title, with six wins, but these were shared between the team's three drivers, and in the drivers’ title race Sainz, driving a Toyota Celica
Toyota Celica
The Toyota Celica name has been applied to a series of coupes made by the Japanese company Toyota. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin word coelica meaning "heavenly" or "celestial"....
, took the lead. The issue was eventually settled on the RAC Rally, when Kankkunen crashed whilst leading, leaving the Spanish driver to take the title, the first time since 1986 that Lancia had not won both drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships.
The 1991 season saw another close battle between Toyota and Lancia. There was some pre-season speculation that the Delta was now outclassed by the Celica, an impression reinforced by Carlos Sainz's win on the opening round, the Monte Carlo. However, in the hands of Juha Kankkunen the Delta took wins in Kenya, Argentina, Finland and Australia, and Didier Auriol also won at Sanremo, giving Lancia the manufacturers’ title for a record fifth time. Meanwhile, Sainz crashed out in Australia and retired with electrical failure in Catalunya, putting Kankkunen in contention for the driver’s title. By this time Toyota and Lancia were reputedly working with blank cheques and win-at-all-costs budgets from their parent companies, and rumours abounded of creative interpretations of the rules, especially on the part of Lancia. However, nothing was ever proven, although it was common knowledge that all of the major Group A cars had far more power than the notional 300bhp limit, probably closer to 400 in most cases. The Lancia was among the most powerful, which, along with its reliability, accounts partly for its continued success in the face of handicaps such as poor weight distribution (the Delta was always nose-heavy) and a transmission system less sophisticated than that of the Toyota. The 1991 RAC Rally saw a close battle in the British forests between Kankkunen and Sainz, which was settled late in the event when the head gasket blew on Sainz's Toyota, giving Kankkunen his third driver's championship.
During the latter part of the season, Lancia developed the Evoluzione version of the Delta, sometimes nicknamed the 'Deltona' or 'Super Delta,' which would début on the 1992 Monte Carlo. This final evolution, with its stiffer body, wider wheel arches, bigger wheels and brakes, improved suspension and aerodynamics and more powerful engine, was 5-6% faster under most circumstances than the 16v car. However, it represented the most that could be extracted from a design that was fundamentally outdated and, with no successor planned, Lancia officially withdrew from rallying at the end of 1991. For the next two seasons the cars would be run by the semi-private Jolly Club team, albeit initially with continuing support from the factory.
For 1992 Toyota had an all-new Celica, in contrast to Lancia’s updated Delta, leading to renewed speculation that Lancia would be outclassed. In fact the Celica initially proved problematic and Auriol dominated the early part of the season for Lancia, taking a record six wins and pulling out a large championship lead. Kankkunen also scored consistent podium finishes and a win in Portugal, whilst guest driver Andrea Aghini
Andrea Aghini
Andrea Aghini Lombardi is an Italian rally driver. He won the 1992 Rallye Sanremo and took four other podium finishes in the World Rally Championship from 1992 to 1995...
won the Rallye Sanremo. Lancia therefore took the manufacturers’ title for a sixth consecutive year. Meanwhile, Sainz initially struggled with the new car and slipped behind, even struggling at times to beat a resurgent Ford team with its rather unwieldy Sierra, but a late-season fight-back by the Spaniard, coupled with retirement in Sanremo and only tenth place in Catalunya for Auriol, saw Kankkunen, Auriol, and Sainz enter the RAC rally within three points of each other. The three-way title race was decided when Auriol’s engine failed and Kankkunen went off the road, leaving Sainz to take an unexpected second driver’s title.
There was a major shake-up in driver line-ups for 1993. Auriol and Kankkunen both left Lancia and joined the Toyota team, whilst Sainz moved to the Jolly Club, where he was supported by Aghini and Gustavo Trelles
Gustavo Trelles
Gustavo Trelles is a Uruguayan former rally driver. He competed actively in the World Rally Championship from 1988 to 1993, mainly with a Lancia Delta Integrale, and from 1996 to 2002, mainly with a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution....
. Lancia's sponsorship from Martini also ended, and the Jolly Club Deltas ran in the colours of Sainz’s sponsor, oil firm Repsol. With the end of the factory’s involvement technical developments were minor, and the previously robust Delta also proved increasingly unreliable. Sainz took second on the Acropolis rally, but that was the car’s best placing. He finished second again at Sanremo, but the team was subsequently disqualified and docked points for fuel irregularities, and Sainz had by then retired from the Catalunya Rally with electrical failure. With the car now clearly uncompetitive against the Toyota, and also outpaced by new arrivals such as the Ford Escort Cosworth, Subaru Impreza
Subaru Impreza
Introduced in November 1993, the Impreza was offered in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive versions and as a four-door sedan/saloon or five-door station wagon/estate. According to a Motor Trend article written March 1992 on page 26, the name of Subaru's new compact was, initially, to be...
and Mitsubishi Lancer
Mitsubishi Lancer
The Mitsubishi Lancer is a family car built by Mitsubishi Motors. It has been known as the Colt Lancer, Dodge/Plymouth Colt, Chrysler Valiant Lancer, Chrysler Lancer, Eagle Summit, Hindustan Lancer, Soueast Lioncel, Mitsubishi Carisma, and Mitsubishi Mirage in various countries at different times,...
, Jolly Club decided not to contest the final round of the series and withdrew, signalling the end of both the Delta's career as a top-line rally car and Lancia's involvement in the World Rally Championship.
In total, the four evolutions of the Lancia Delta won 46 World Championship rallies, and Lancia’s run of six consecutive manufacturers’ titles remains a record.
Outside the World Championship the Delta was used by several private teams, with varying degrees of backing from the works team. Jolly Club ran as a second-string team throughout the Group A era, before taking over from the official works team for 1992-3. Other teams using the car included Astra Motorsport and HF Grifone. Drivers using Deltas run by teams such as these won the European title in every year between 1987 and 1991, and also in 1993, the car’s last major success. Astra continued to run Deltas on European and some World Championship events in 1994, the best result being fourth place for Alessandro Fiorio on the Acropolis Rally. Deltas also took many national titles in continental Europe.
The car was less popular with amateur rally drivers than, for instance, the Ford Sierra and Escort Cosworth, since it was more expensive and difficult to maintain. Nevertheless, to this day Deltas are occasionally seen on amateur events.
Lancia Hyena
Zagato
Zagato is a design consultancy and engineering services company situated just outside Milan, Italy.The company's premises occupy an area of , of which are covered....
. The Hyena was designed in 1990 by Marco Pedracini (Zagato), and introduced at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1992. The Hyena was based on the Delta Integrale floorpan structure, but with a 2-door coupe body. Integrales were stripped down in Holland and then sent to Zagato in Italy to have the new composite/alloy body fitted and for final assembly. All of this made the Hyena very expensive to build and they were sold for around $75,000. The Hyena weighed around 200 kilograms (440.9 lb) less than original Integrale, had 250 PS, and could accelerate from 0–100 km in 5.4 seconds.
There were only 24 Hyenas made between 1992 and 1996. Of those produced, the number of exports breaks down like this:
- Belgium: 1
- France: 1
- Germany: 4
- Holland: 2
- Italy: 2
- Japan: 10
- Switzerland: 1
- United Kingdom: 3
Second generation
The successor to the original Delta, the 'Nuova Delta', was introduced in 1993 based on the Fiat TipoFiat Tipo
The Fiat Tipo is a small family car designed by the IDEA design house and produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1988 and 1995.The Tipo was initially available only as a five-door hatchback. The car was made entirely out of galvanized body panels to avoid rust, and was built on a...
platform. The Nuova Delta was targeted at customers more interested in comfort and convenience than overall performance and power.
The Nuova Delta was offered with engine versions up to 193 PS, but without four-wheel drive. Until 1995 only five-door hatchback body styles was offered, when the three-door was introduced under the name HPE. In 1996 two 1.8-litre engines were introduced (one with variable valve timing) and the naturally aspirated 2.0 was discontinued.
The Delta was dropped from Lancia's lineup in 1999. The Dedra
Lancia Dedra
The Lancia Dedra is a compact executive car produced by the Italian automaker Lancia from 1989 to 2000. It was initially designed to support, and later to replace, the Prisma that, six years after its launch, was having difficulties to keep in pace with its latest opponents...
did get a replacement, the Lybra
Lancia Lybra
The Lancia Lybra is a compact executive car produced by Italian Fiat Auto's upscale marque Lancia between 1999 and 2006. Based on heavily modified Alfa Romeo 156 floorpan, it replaced the Dedra within Lancia's lineup, and was similarly low-profile to its predecessor, rather than as popular as its...
, which was not offered with a hatchback body style.
Engines
| Displacement | Type | Power | Years | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cc | cu in | PS | kW | hp | @ rpm | ||
| 1581 cc | SOHC 8V I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... petrol |
75 PS | 6000 | 93-99 | |||
| 1581 cc | DOHC 16V I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... petrol |
103 PS | 6000 | 96-99 | |||
| 1756 cc | DOHC 8V I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... petrol |
105 PS | 6000 | 93-96 | |||
| 1995 cc | 16V DOHC I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... petrol |
139 PS | 6000 | 93-96 | |||
| 1747 cc | SOHC I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... petrol |
113 PS | 6000 | 96-99 | |||
| 1747 cc | VVT Variable valve timing In internal combustion engines, variable valve timing , also known as Variable valve actuation , is a generalized term used to describe any mechanism or method that can alter the shape or timing of a valve lift event within an internal combustion engine... I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... petrol |
130 PS | 6300 | 96-99 | |||
| 1995 cc | 16V DOHC I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... petrol turbo |
186 PS | 5500 | 93-96 | |||
| 1995 cc | 16V DOHC I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... petrol turbo |
193 PS | 5500 | 96-99 | |||
| 1929 cc | I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... sohc turbodiesel |
90 PS | 4100 | 93-99 | |||
Third generation
In September 2006 Lancia officially announced the revival of the Delta name, with new cars to be built on the Fiat C platform, as reported in CAR MagazineCar Magazine
Car Magazine is a British automotive enthusiast magazine published monthly by Bauer Automotive. International editions are published by Bauer Automotive in Brazil, China, Greece, India, Mexico, the Middle East, Poland , Romania, Russia, South Africa , Spain, Thailand and Turkey...
.
The world première of the new HPE concept was held at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival.
The new Lancia Delta was unveiled at the 2008 Geneva motor show. The Lancia brand was reintroduced to the Scandinavian, Russian and Turkish markets in 2007. Commercial ambitions for the car appear more cautious than for earlier Deltas: British press reports nevertheless highlighted plans for the new Delta to spearhead a return by Lancia to the UK market during 2009, in part to celebrate Lancia's centenary.
Delta as well as being an historical name from Lancia’s past is also being interpreted this time around by Lancia as a mathematical symbol that stands for change, difference and evolution. Designed by the Lancia Style Centre, this car is aimed at the luxury end of the small family car segment. The Delta is 4.52 metres (178 in) long, 1.797 metres (70.7 in) wide and 1.499 metres (59 in) high, and has a wheelbase of 2.7 metres (106.3 in), 10 centimetres (3.9 in) more than the Fiat Bravo. It has five doors and can be considered a hatchback or an estate (see Hatchback vs. Station wagon).
At the 2010 North American International Auto Show
North American International Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center, usually in January. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
, a badge-engineered
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
version of the Delta under the Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
brand (a manufacturer now partially owned by Fiat) was unveiled as a concept car for a potential North American release. The Delta, along with the Ypsilon
Lancia Ypsilon
The Lancia Ypsilon is a supermini produced by Italian automaker Lancia since 1996. It is the replacement of the Y10, although larger and more expensive...
, is marketed as a Chrysler in the UK and Ireland.
Features
The new Delta offers a number of options and equipment including a Bose Hi-Fi radio incorporating a CD player and MP3MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
file reader with steering-wheel mounted controls, the Blue&Me
Blue&Me
Blue&Me is an infotainment system for Fiat Group cars based on Microsoft Auto and developed in a partnership between Magneti Marelli and Microsoft Corporation. The system is based on modular structure which allows installation and use of arbitrary services. The system offers Bluetooth and USB...
system developed with Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
, and brand new satellite navigation system developed with Magneti Marelli.
Further technical equipment included to effect the ride and handling will include an advanced ESC (Electronic Stability Control) system and SDC suspension (with electronic damping control, also by Magneti Marelli).
The new Delta also has a driving assistant that gives more safety, an electric eye monitors the road and gives feedback to steering wheel to suggest corrections to the driver. The car is available also with semi-automatic parking assistant.
2011 changes
For 2011 the Delta got some changes like new Chrysler derived 'family' grille, trim level changes and 105 PS 1.6 Multijet diesel engine for lower consumption and CO2 figures.The new version of Delta will be presented in Geneva Motor Show 2011.
Engines
Engines available at launch were 120 PS and 150 PS 1.4 litre Turbojet petrol engines and 1.6 litre 120 PS MultiJet diesel, 2.0 Multijet with 165 PS and 1.9 Twinturbo Multijet with 190 PS. A new petrol unit was launched later: 1.8 Di Turbojet with 200 PS.| Model | Type | Displacement | Power | Torque | Acceleration 0–100 km/h,s |
Max Speed | Years | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cc | cu in | PS | kW | hp | @ rpm | N·m | ft·lbf | @ rpm | km/h | mph | |||||
| 1.4 T-Jet 16V | I4 | 1368 cc | 120 PS | 5000 | 206 | 151.9 | 2000 | 9.8 | 195 | 121.2 | 2008- | ||||
| 1.4 T-Jet 16V | I4 | 1368 cc | 150 PS | 5500 | 206 | 151.9 | 2250 | 8.7 | 210 | 130.5 | 2008-2010 | ||||
| 1.4 T-Jet MultiAir | I4 | 1368 cc | 140 PS | n/a | 230 | 169.6 | 1750 | 9.2 | 202 | 125.5 | 2010- | ||||
| 1.8 Di T-Jet 16V | I4 | 1742 cc | 200 PS | 5000 | 320 | 236 | 2000 | 7.4 | 230 | 143 | 2010- | ||||
| 1.6 Multijet 16V | I4 | 1598 cc | 105 PS | 4000 | 300 | 221.3 | 1500 | 10.7 | 186 | 115.6 | 2011- | ||||
| 1.6 Multijet 16V | I4 | 1598 cc | 120 PS | 4000 | 300 | 221.3 | 1500 | 10.7 | 194 | 120.5 | |||||
| 2.0 Multijet 16V | I4 | 1956 cc | 165 PS | 4000 | 360 | 265.5 | 1750 | 8.5 | 214 | 133 | |||||
| 1.9 Twinturbo Multijet 16V | I4 | 1910 cc | 190 PS | 4000 | 400 | 295 | 2000 | 7.9 | 222 | 137.9 | 2008- | ||||
Safety
The 2008 Lancia Delta passed the Euro NCAP car safety tests with following ratings:External links
- Lancia Motor Club UK The UK Lancia Motor Club since 1947.
- AutoBelle - Lancia Delta Owner manual, brochures, repair manuals, magazines about Lancia Delta
- Lancia Delta Club Lancia Delta Club