Lancia SE038-001 Delta S4 Prototype 1984

Lancia SE038-001 Delta S4 Prototype 1984 by Autocult

The Magic of the Letter ‘B’  

The group B, which was introduced in the World Rally Championship from 1982 onwards, led to the participating manufacturers developing extremely powerful cars.   At Lancia, the development of a car specifically intended for the World Rally Championship matured as early as the mid of 1980.   This collaboration between Lancia, the tuner Abarth and the Pininfarina design studio conducted under the abbreviation “037”. Its use in competition quickly led to the knowledge that four-wheel drive was unavoidable.   At Abarth, the engineers devoted great attention to the engine, creating a power source that could hardly be tamed in terms of power. With the help of Formula 1 technology, Abarth designed a high-reviving 1759 four cylinder engine – officially recorded with 450 hp – rumors mentioned a output of 550 hp.   The newly built rally car was based on the production model ‘Delta’, even if in the end only the appearance was reminiscent of the commercially available offshoot in some respects. The new base car made the project name change to 038, and with the four driven wheels, the extensive engine power could now be brought to the road under experienced hands. The acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h on loose ground in an unbelievable 2.5 seconds showed how powerful the car was! In 1985, the year of the World Championship, the car was ready for the tough competition. With the end of the 1986 season, the use of the Delta S4 came to an end.