Lancia Delta HF Integrale 16V | Spotted

Affordable Evos are a thing of the past. Now collectors have a new target in sight

For years, box-arched Lancia Delta Evos have only been within the reach of rally fans with bottomless pockets. A first or second gen Evolution could easily make a near-£100k dent in your cash savings, while the really rare stuff - the Martini 5s, Final Editions and Club Italias - command the sort of money that could have bought you a genuine rally car not so long ago. Little wonder, given how much they resemble the rally machines and their relative scarcity (nobody mention the ‘r’ word), but there’s fortunately a world of hot Deltas outside the run of Evos that are a more attainable - if only by a smidgen.

Before a real Delta set foot on a rally stage (not counting the S4, which was a Delta in name only), the hottest versions were front-wheel drive. Lancia launched the warmed-up HF, for High Fidelity, in 1983 with a peppy 130hp 1.6-litre turbo engine to shift it along, before the introduction of a hotter HF Turbo two years later which dialled the power up to a Mk2 Golf GTI-beating 140hp. However, the Delta came into its own with the arrival of the HF Integrale 8v, which bore a much stronger resemblance to the Group A rally cars with permanent all-wheel drive, a rear Torsen limited-slip differential and a punchy 185hp turbocharged 2.0-litre motor.

Then came the HF Integrale 16v, much like the one you see here. This is arguably the starting point of the ‘normal’ Delta rally specials, with the 16v serving as a homologation special so that Lancia could introduce its newest engine on its WRC cars. Doubling the valves, as well as larger injectors and an upgraded Garrett turbocharged contributed to a 15hp bump, bringing the total output up to a nice round 200hp. The torque distribution was changed, too, switching from a more front-biased setup on the 8v to a more rearward tune on the 16v. That all had a drastic effect on acceleration, slashing the 0-62mph from 6.6 seconds on the 8v to an Evo-matching 5.7 seconds. No wonder Lancia bagged three WRC constructors’ championships with the 16v.

Granted, the 16v isn’t as muscular as the Evos that’d follow, but it’s still a mean-looking thing with its stretch arches, twin exhausts and those achingly cool dark grey split alloys. Much of the design was carried over from the 8v, though the bonnet had the distinct Delta bulge to accommodate the larger 16v head. The interior was left untouched for launch models like this one, so you still get the Martini-style diagonal striping on the Recaro cloth seats. Admittedly, you often find them torn and faded on cars that have been well-used (they’re 35 years old now), but they’re pristine on this example.

The same goes for the rest of the car, with the alloy wheels, Rosso Monza paint and most importantly bodywork all in what appears to be immaculate condition. Which is to be expected from a car that’s only covered 23,696 miles since 1989, and has supposedly been ‘carefully stored’ when not being ragged down a country lane like Miki Biasion on an RAC Rally special stage. That checks out from the pictures, because a Delta left outside in the wind and rain isn't a Delta for very long.

You know where this is going, don’t you? A collector-grade, UK-spec (though the wheel’s still on the left) homologation special, in red, and with no visible signs of corrosion. All yours for £52,495. Oof. On the upside, that’s still £30k below the cheapest Evo listed at the time of writing, and the only Delta going for less than that is this ‘award-winning’ HF Turbo for £33k. So the 16v is still a more affordable alternative to the Evo specials, it’s just not nearly as attainable as it once was. A story that’s getting all too familiar these days.

SPECIFICATION | LANCIA DELTA HF INTEGRALE 16V

Engine: 1,995cc four-cylinder, turbocharged
Transmission: five-speed manual, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 200@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 228@3,000rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
Year registered: 1989
Recorded mileage: 23,696
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £52,495