www.QV500.com - Lancia 037 Part 1: 037 Rally Stradale
 
By the early 1980's, Fiat knew that for their domination of World and European rallying to continue, an all-new challenger conforming to FISA's Group B regulations would have to be produced. Although the Italian multinational's most recent participation had been with the boxy but effective Fiat 131 sedan, its replacement would come from Lancia whom Fiat had decided should make an official return to rallying. This meant the new car would be replacing the seminal special stage challenger, Lancia's mid-engined Stratos, a car that indelibly changed the face of world rallying.
   

With no less than 62 World and European Championship victories to its name, the Stratos had an enviable reputation almost impossible to improve upon. Nevertheless, Lancia were determined to claw their way back to the forefront of world rallying and the task of designing this new car fell to Abarth. Abarth had been aquired by Fiat back in 1971, but it wasn't until ten years later that the operation officially became responsible for Lancia's rally cars. However, although starting with a clean sheet of paper, the new 037 was clearly conceived from a hot Monte Carlo built for 1979's Giro d'Italia. Like that car, the 037 was based around a central cockpit section with spaceframes front and back, the tubular framework at the front accommodating the radiator and suspension while the subframe at the rear was used to support the engine, gearbox, suspension and fuel tanks. Suspension was via double wishbones all-round with two gas-filled Bilstein shocks at the front and one at the back There was an Abarth-modified ZF-type self locking differential, two 35-litre fuel tanks and Brembo self-ventilating disc brakes.

16-inch diameter ten-hole Speedline light alloy wheels featured Abarth-crested centres and came shod with Pirelli P7 Corsa tyres, these having been of eight and nine inches wide at the front / rear. Even though Audi were continuing to illustrate that four-wheel drive was the future for rally cars, Lancia decided that a lighter, less complicated, rear-wheel drive machine could be more than just competitive. And lightweight the 037 most certainly was, weighing in at just 1170kg in road-going Stradale trim. Its two-litre water-cooled in-line four cylinder engine was dry sumped and mounted longitudinally in the chassis, exact displacement having been 1995cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 84 x 90mm respectively. There were innovative four-valve cylinder heads, twin overhead camshafts, Marelli ignition and an Abarth supercharger, compression being set at 7.5:1 for 205bhp at 7000rpm. A single Weber 40 DCN VH 15/250 twin choke carburettor was standard along with a ZF five-speed gearbox and single plate Valeo clutch, all of which enabled the 037 with a top speed approaching 140mph.

 
With 0-60 requiring just 5.8 seconds, Abarth's little Lancia had enough poke to frighten even the most exotic of supercars. Meanwhile, the 037's gorgous bodywork was created by Pininfarina, the famed Turinese coachbuilder crafting a stunning berlinetta shell fabricated from glassfibre reinforced Kevlar. As pretty as it was aggressive, the 037 had clearly been influenced by Abarth's unique Lancia Monte Carlo-based 030 from a few years earlier (also styled by Pininfarina), but no doubt thanks to production requirements, the 037 looked a markedly more cohesive piece of work.
   

Problems painting composite body panels in the eighties meant these cars were only ever available from the factory in red and because FISA's homologation requirements for the 200 road cars dictated each example had to be identical, the only aesthetic variance was a prominent rear spoiler. While some were completed without the huge rear aerofoil, others were finished with matt-black wings whilst yet more came with body-colour coded items. But while the spoiler undoubtedly made the 037 an even more purposeful looking machine, it greatly restricted rearward visibility. Inside, the cabin provided few luxuries for its occupants, just the essential ingredients for high speed motoring. Things like air conditioning and electric windows were never part of the 037 experience, but that's not to say these Group B Lancia's were hostile places to be. With their hip-hugging cloth-covered bucket seats, Abarth-centred three-spoke leather-rimmed steering wheels and just enough soundproofing to get by, 037's had everything the serious driver could wish for.

The first prototype was completed in secret towards the end of 1980 and after several encouraging outings with Giorgia Pianta at the wheel, official approval was given for the programme to commence during the spring of 1981. As FISA's Group B regulations stipulated that 200 identical road cars had to be produced prior to homologation being granted, Lancia were planning for an April 1st deadline in 1982. Amazingly, 207 examples had been completed by late March and although it was apparently a close vote from the inspectors, the 037 was announced Group B-legal and made its debut on April 1st in the Costa Smerelda Rally. Road versions sold for 40m Lira (£18,000) compared to 53m Lira (£24,000) for the competition car (both prices excluding taxes). Despite costing substantially more than a Ferrari 308 or Porsche 911, the 037's advanced specification and considerable rarity made it an intoxicating proposition for many European buyers. Of the 207 completed for homologation, a good number were later converted by the works to competition spec, which probably means less than 170 Stradale's were ever sold.