RE: Lancia 037: Time For Tea?
Discussion
Is there a bigger tragedy in motoring history than Lancia? A company that excelled in it's engineering, has a heritage to die for and yet has been reduced to badge enhancing depressing GM s
te. For me the 037 is the most desirable car they've made, not necessarily the most effective, but so pretty with a real pedigree.
te. For me the 037 is the most desirable car they've made, not necessarily the most effective, but so pretty with a real pedigree. It is a shame, but Lancia did not excel at engineering. They made some wonderful cars, but also blew loads on horrific failures, and failed to realise that it didn't matter how well the car handles if it brakes down or rusts through. So unfortunate, but Alfa could have gone the same way, but seem to be slowly returning to form. The 4C is such a perfect Italian car, pretty, good in so many ways, but fundamental floored in others. Unfortunately the market only has so much space for such games.
RGambo said:
lostkiwi said:
I spent many a pleasant hour waiting in some of those very forests in those clips just for a glimpse of a Stratos, 037, Quattro, ot 205T16....
Good times. Good memories.
+1Good times. Good memories.
"Lancia.." Well people tend to forget it was a conglomerate even then. 037 was based on Beta MonteCarlo, which was supposed to be called Fiat X1/20 from start.. All we can know for sure is Fiat always had something to do with it. But there you go.
The 037 was a winner with its agility and grunt, that supercharged engine (based on the Fiat 131 Abarth Rally).
However a pretty tame rallycar compared to the Delta S4.
The 037 was a winner with its agility and grunt, that supercharged engine (based on the Fiat 131 Abarth Rally).
However a pretty tame rallycar compared to the Delta S4.
I remember spectating on the 1982 Lombard RAC Rally (the only time a works Lancia Rally 037 officially competed in Britain) and we were deep in some forest at night when Markku Alen came storming through the stage on one of his (many) 'Maximum Attack' charges - making up time after distributor problems earlier on with the 037 which was on its World Championship debut on this event.
It had been raining and wet forests always add a kind of 'metallic ringing' note to the sound of any rally car but it was especially noticeable on the 037 due to that supercharger whine. Alen was absolutely flying and came screaming down a long straight which led to a fast, open 70 degree (or thereabouts) uphill R/H bend and I distinctly remember that at no point did he lift off the throttle. He was just on it throughout, somehow tweaking that beautifully-balanced chassis (by wiggling his hips probably!) into oversteer in his urgent pursuit of the Quattros.
It was simply breathtaking to watch and about three seconds after he passed us (spectating waist-high down in the ditch about three feet away) I was hit squarely in the back by a huge clod of earth (glad it wasn't a rock!) which burst all over me while still knocking the breath out of my lungs.
So I was hit by a piece of British forest thrown up by the only Lancia Rally 037 ever to compete on a World Championship round in the UK. That must qualify as some sort of claim to fame surely?!
It had been raining and wet forests always add a kind of 'metallic ringing' note to the sound of any rally car but it was especially noticeable on the 037 due to that supercharger whine. Alen was absolutely flying and came screaming down a long straight which led to a fast, open 70 degree (or thereabouts) uphill R/H bend and I distinctly remember that at no point did he lift off the throttle. He was just on it throughout, somehow tweaking that beautifully-balanced chassis (by wiggling his hips probably!) into oversteer in his urgent pursuit of the Quattros.
It was simply breathtaking to watch and about three seconds after he passed us (spectating waist-high down in the ditch about three feet away) I was hit squarely in the back by a huge clod of earth (glad it wasn't a rock!) which burst all over me while still knocking the breath out of my lungs.
So I was hit by a piece of British forest thrown up by the only Lancia Rally 037 ever to compete on a World Championship round in the UK. That must qualify as some sort of claim to fame surely?!
SteveSteveson said:
It is a shame, but Lancia did not excel at engineering. They made some wonderful cars, but also blew loads on horrific failures, and failed to realise that it didn't matter how well the car handles if it brakes down or rusts through. So unfortunate, but Alfa could have gone the same way, but seem to be slowly returning to form. The 4C is such a perfect Italian car, pretty, good in so many ways, but fundamental floored in others. Unfortunately the market only has so much space for such games.
You've made me see red. Lancia-first to introduce monobloc chassis,first v4,first v6 ,first to introduce independant suspension,I could go on.Check out the d50,d24.The "lancias " you are thinking about were built after fiat took over in 1969,and began the downfall. Even so, Lancia still had the stratos,delta s4 and integrale,037, dont tell me successive world rally championships-more than any other manufacturer-is bad engineering.Yes I'm biased.The truth is it was over engineering that led to their downfall.A friend of mine used to own one of these (full ex-competition spec) and for all it was spectacular to look at and listen to it was quite horrible to start (long warm up sequence that had to adhered to) and the co-driver seating position was a nightmare - anyone over 4ft wouldn't get their legs into the space available or be sat with knees warming their ears.
For all the heavily compromised interior and diva-ish engine it was a complete gem once warmed up and on track. A long, long way removed from the Montecarlo/Scorpion it was based on (about as close as the S4 was to the Delta/Integrale).
For all the heavily compromised interior and diva-ish engine it was a complete gem once warmed up and on track. A long, long way removed from the Montecarlo/Scorpion it was based on (about as close as the S4 was to the Delta/Integrale).
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