Lancia 037 prototype number one up for auction

A legend in rallying, the Lancia 037 marked the conclusion of an era. It was simultaneously the initial auto to earn the famous Group B constructors’ championship, but also the past non-AWD auto to earn an all round WRC title. And, it did so by defeating the juggernaut of Audi’s VW-backed, all-wheel-drive Quattro, a feat few believed achievable. Now, the originator of that historic victory, the initial Lancia 037 prototype, is up for auction.

Chassis 037-001 may possibly not seem like the two hundred or so homologated 037 Stradales, but beneath the cobbled-together styling, uncomfortable panel gaps, and kit auto-like regulate panel, it has the fundamentals that made its successors planet champions. Electricity comes via a mid-mounted, supercharged 16-valve two.-liter 4 driving the authentic wheels by way of a 5-speed transmission. Based mostly (really) loosely on a Lancia Montecarlo (AKA Scorpion in the U.S.), the the entrance and rear sub-sections are tube-framed, and the engine rotated ninety levels for a longitudinal orientation.

This individual auto was designed by race auto constructor Dallara, but you’ll discover an Abarth badge on the rear deck. At the time, the Fiat tuning division was was in cost of Lancia’s rally system, so it acquired some branding featured on the prototype that failed to make the ultimate slice. Other stylistic dissimilarities on this prototype that failed to make it to the race auto contain its squared-off wheel arches, staggered headlight placement, and spherical taillights.

The prototype was initially pink but finally Lancia painted it in the white and blue Martini livery of the race vehicles, working with it on reconnaissance runs. The existing owner, Sergio Limone, restored it again to its initial color and spec.

The 1983 WRC fight among the 037 and the Audi Quattro is the things of legend. Lancia stretched the rulebook to its limit to get the earn, focusing its endeavours on the rounds it knew it could realize success in, flooding them with 037s to box Audi out of the podium (and factors), although entirely skipping rounds where it knew its RWD would be at a drawback. Ironically, it was a further German, Walter Rohrl, together with Finland’s Markku Alén (Finland was 1 of the skipped rounds) who sent Lancia their WRC title.

In 2019 a Lancia 037 highway auto marketed for about $867,000 at auction. Though not as driveable, this prototype is arguably a lot more considerable, historically speaking. We’ll know its accurate benefit when it crosses the block at an RM Sotheby’s auction in Milan on June fifteen.

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