Lancia had a lot to build on in rallying in the 1980s. The Stratos HF has revolutionized motor racing by building purebred specials. The result was essentially the creation of Group B. After the Stratos, it was decided that mainly Fiat cars would be presented. But when the B's invaded the track, it was clear that another radical machine had to be built. And it was born again under the Lancia brand. It was given the unflattering name 037 and became the last single-axle drive car to win the Constructors' Cup World Championship.
The Beta Monte Carlo coupé became the basis for the car. But basically, the type 037 matches it only in the middle part of the body. The first prototype was already built in 1981. The bodywork, fully designed for the easiest possible access to the parts, was made in the Abarth workshops, and the assembly of the cars was then taken over by Pininfarina , which is also behind the functional design of the car. In addition to racing specials, a road version was also created due to homologation.
In the spirit of the Stratos , the engine was placed in front of the rear axle. Initially, a unit from a Ferrari 308 was considered, but in the end the type 037 was satisfied with the proven sixteen-valve two-liter from the Fiat 131 Abarth . Since it was not possible to increase its volume, since the parameters of the unit were already at their maximum, Lancia decided to proceed with turbocharging. Both the turbocharger and the compressor were tried, and in the end the second variant was preferred. The supercharger worked better on unpaved tracks and didn't lag, like the turbochargers of the time. Total power was 310 hp.
Homologation took place already on April 1, 1982, and it is quite possible that Audi still considered it April Fool's Day back then. The first starts still proved them right, as Lancia was plagued by a number of problems. A quarter of a year later, the second evolution appeared, which switched from carburetors to Bosch injection, the laminate body parts were replaced by lighter and stronger Kevlar, and the protective frame was also lightened. Power rose to 325 horsepower. Even so, Markka Alena was troubled by engine overheating problems at the RAC rally . In 1983, Walter Röhrl joined the team and immediately won the Rallye Monte Carlo . He added other trumps to the Acropolis and New Zealand . So did Markku Alen , who won at San Remo and Corsica , giving Lancia the Makes' Cup. Because both drivers were over 180 cm, the roof of the Lancias had to be raised and even the tops of the helmets were flattened.
The successful year 84 ended with Miki Biasion winning the title of European Champion. A year later, it was won by Carlo Capone with the same car, and the following year Italian Dario Cerrato completed the Lancia hat-trick. However, her fame faded on the tracks of the World Championship. At the Corsica Rally in 1984, although Markka Alen defended his victory, it was also the last triumph of this car. A year later, Attilio Bettega crashed fatally at the same competition. After this accident, Lancia withdrew and prepared to launch the new Delta S4 with all-wheel drive. The 037 cars still appeared at several competitions, but it was more about maintaining the team's form. A year later, the Lancia team proceeded to use the 037 cars at the Safari rally , because they were more durable than the new Delta S4 . Czechoslovak spectators also had the opportunity to see the special 037 at Rally Bohemia 1986 , where drivers Snijers and Pregliasco shone with it. Today it is a popular car at vintage car competitions. Beppe Volta , an Italian with connections to the Czech Republic, has several pieces, including a prototype with all-wheel drive, in his garage.
Type 037 was not as revolutionary and beautiful as the previous Stratos , but it still made its mark in the rally statistics. He was the last one who was able to compete with the booming four-wheelers with a single-axle drive. He probably would have built up much more respect and fanfare if… If the Lancia Delta Integrale hadn't come after him.
Photo: autowp
