The Delta was conceived as an upmarket front-wheel drive small family car to fill a gap in Lancia’s lineup, replacing the discontinued Fulvia Berlina. The platform was derived from the Fiat Ritmo, but with different suspension and more welding points for a stiffer chassis. Design was undertaken by Giorgetto Giugiaro's Italdesign. The initial Delta models used Fiat engines revised by Lancia engineers with Weber twin-choke carburettors, new inlet manifolds, exhaust systems, and electronic ignitions, increasing horsepower over the Ritmo versions. The HF Integrale was developed in response to the homologation requirements of Group A regulations, necessitating road-going versions of the competition cars.
The Delta HF Integrale featured a turbocharged 1,995 cc, twin-cam, eight-valve engine with two counter-rotating balancing shafts. Initial output was 165 PS (121 kW; 163 hp) at 5,250 rpm, and 26.5 kg⋅m (260 N⋅m; 192 lb⋅ft) of torque at 2,750 rpm, with a temporary boost to 29 kg⋅m (284 N⋅m; 210 lb⋅ft). The car used a permanent four-wheel-drive system based on the Lancia Delta S4 Group B rally car, but adapted for a transverse front-engine layout. This system employed three differentials: a central epicyclic differential controlled by a Ferguson viscous coupling, and a Torsen differential at the rear. The front differential was open. Later iterations of the Integrale saw a shift in the torque split ratio, becoming increasingly rear-biased. Suspension utilized MacPherson struts all around, with dual-rate dampers and an anti-roll bar. The 16v Integrale featured a raised centre of the bonnet to accommodate the new 16-valve engine, wider wheel arches, and new identity badges.
The Delta HF 4WD was pressed into service for the 1987 World Rally Championship season, achieving immediate success. It won 9 out of 13 championship races, securing both the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ Championships for Lancia and Juha Kankkunen respectively. The Delta's dominance continued with the introduction of the Integrale in 1988, and the 16v Integrale in 1989, netting the team four more world championships. The Evoluzione Delta won a record sixth consecutive Manufacturers’ Championship in 1992, before Lancia withdrew from the sport after an unsuccessful 1993 season. In total, Delta HF Integrales won 46 World Rally Championship events.
Following the abolition of Group B rallying after the 1986 season, Group A regulations required manufacturers to produce at least 5,000 examples of a car in 12 months to homologate it for competition. The Delta HF 4WD was developed to meet these new requirements.
The Delta HF Integrale’s four-wheel-drive system, featuring a central epicyclic differential and Torsen rear differential, became a benchmark for rally car technology. The system was further refined and developed in subsequent Delta Integrale models, and influenced the design of four-wheel-drive systems in other rally cars. The Hyena, a two-door coupé based on the Delta HF Integrale "Evoluzione", was produced in small numbers by Zagato, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the Integrale’s platform and performance. Later, Automobili Amos created a modern interpretation of the Delta Integrale, the Delta Futurista, further acknowledging the car's lasting influence.
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