Lancia Delta Integrale
You’ll get a taste of what hard-core rallying is about – if you find a good one. Here’s how
The Lancia Integrale evolved from the Delta HF 4WD of 1986, the year when Lancia won ten of the 11 World Rally Championship events. Appreciation for its abilities and historical significance have soared in recent years, so values have shot up and these cars have increasingly become mothballed collectors’ pieces – a shame because the Integrale is still one of the best driver’s cars ever created. Today, later Integrales are big money but the earlier models are still relatively accessible. A non-evo Integrale makes a lot of sense – these are also likely to become significantly more valuable as the Evos are elevated ever further beyond reach. And it’s not as though an early Integrale is a poor relation because all variations on the theme offer a compelling package – this is a car that you can buy with your heart as well as your head, even if it’s invariably the former that shouts the loudest. The experts who have helped us put this guide together are Auto Sportivo’s Antonio Damiano and Keith Turner from Auto Integrale, both of whom specialise in Integrales. Which one to choose?
Delta HF Turbo 4WD Launched in 1986 with a 165bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre twin-cam four-pot. 5298 built.
Delta Integrale 8v Built from 1988 with blistered wheelarches housing bigger wheels and brakes. The turbo and intercooler are bigger and bonnet louvres keep it all cool. Power and torque are 185bhp and 224lb ft to give 135mph and 0-60mph in 6.2sec. 9841 built.
Integrale 16v Launched in 1989, the 16v is lowered, with optional ABS. Power is 200bhp to give 137mph. 12,860 non-cat cars are built and 2700 with cats.
Integrale Evoluzione (Evo 1) On sale from 1991. Even bigger wheelarches, wider track, stronger brakes with standard ABS, and the rear wing is adjustable. It’s got 210bhp but performance matches the Integrale 16v. Including special editions, 6451 non-cat Evo Is are made plus 4650 with cats.
Martini 5/6 Special editions to celebrate Lancia’s fifth and sixth consecutive Championship wins in 1991/92; all are white with Martini side-stripes and white wheels. The 5 has black bonnet vents and rear spoiler; the 6 has a turquoise Alcantara interior. Numbered dash plaques; 400 Martini 5s made, 310 Martini 6s.
Evoluzione 2 Final model from 1993 has 16in wheels, wider tyres and standard air-conditioning. Smaller turbo reduces lag, power rises to 215bhp. Special editions include Giallo, Blue Lagos, Pearl White, Dealer Edition and Final Edition. 2481 built, all with a cat. Total Integrale production numbers 44,296 including other special editions not sold in the UK.
Bodywork and structure Plenty of Integrales have been crashed then repaired – sometimes badly. Getting an HPI check (01722 422422) is worthwhile but there’s no substitute for closely inspecting panel gaps and looking for tell-tale ripples in the structure, although even when new the shut lines could be uneven. Key areas to check for kinks and cracks are the tops of the A-, B- and D-posts and around the sunroof, if fitted.
Be particularly careful about the history of Integrales imported from Europe, where they tend not to be cherished so much. After being crashed they’re often bodged to get them back on the road, with bodyshells rarely put on a jig to get them straight.
Rust can be an issue, although it’s often the result of poor-quality accident repairs. Be sure to check the sills, inner rear wings and windscreen and sunroof surrounds. While you’re at it, take a close look at the back of the roof, the rear crossmember and the rear suspension turrets, all of which can corrode. Also inspect the front nearside chassis leg along with the jacking points, which get bombarded by salt.
New panels are unavailable but you can get most things on a used basis – at a price. Integrales aren’t being broken any more because of high values, so stock of spares is only going to dwindle even further.
Engines will take hard use in their stride, but not neglect. The most important preventative maintenance is keeping the oil topped up. If the engine is used hard, oil consumption can go up to as much as a litre every 1000 miles. Letting the level drop doesn’t just risk the engine getting hot or seizing – the oil pick-up point for the turbocharger is higher than for the sump’s, so the blower is in danger of seizing well before the engine suffers problems. Also, if the car is cornered hard and the oil level has been allowed to drop, the big end bearings will be starved of lubrication, leading to premature wear. Bearing this in