The winner
Well, all Lancia Delta S4s are great, whether they are Corsa or Stradale. But some examples are even more great, more special, chassis number #202 would have to be mentioned, first appearance of a Delta S4 at a WRC rally (RAC 1985), immediately first victory with Henri Toivonen at the wheel. #205 is certainly important too, first ever international rally (Rali Lois Algarve 1985), at the wheel Markku Alén, who had done much of the development work, retired after technical problems after Alén had won 22 special stages. And here we now have #215.
The Rally Monte Carlo was also traditionally the first round of the World Championship in 1986. And everyone was there, the full Group B programme with Audi, Austin/MG, Citroën, Lancia, Peugeot. And of course the best drivers, Salonen, Kankkunen, Saby for Peugeot, Röhrl and Mikkola on Audi, Pond and Wilson on the MG Metro, Andruet on Citroën. And of course Martini Racing, the Lancia works team, with Alén, Toivonen and Miki Biasion. Who took the lead on the first stages. Then Toivonen turned up the heat with his new co-driver Sergio Cresto, beating the competition by almost two minutes at one point – until a careless driver crashed into him in SS12.
Lancia needed several stages until the car was driving straight again and Toivonen was able to attack again. From SS27 onwards (Turini!) he made everything clear, worked out a lead of more than 4 minutes over Salonen until the end of the race, Mikkola came in third, already more than 7 minutes behind. And Walter Röhrl in the Audi Quattro S1 was almost 10 minutes behind Toivonen. Salonen, no warmist either, said after the rally that trying to keep up with Toivonen’s rhythm would be suicide.
After the big victory in Monte Carlo, #215 was still back-up in Portugal, on Corsica and at the Acropolis. The car was later sold and used by Illide Romagna in autocross – a fate suffered by many Delta S4s. Romagna was a worthy pilot, however, and he became European Autocross Champion in 1989 with #215. After that, the Lancia went into a Japanese collection for many years. Whether it was rebuilt to Monte Carlo specifications already there or only after its return to Europe in 2013 is not entirely clear. As of 2019, #215 was in any case in the “Gran Turismo Collection” and will now be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s in London on 5/11.
yes, this is the ultimate copy of the ultimate Group B monster. Because: Toivonen, Monte Carlo winner. We have the history of the Lancia Delta S4 here, the whole “Gran Turismo Collection” here – and much more in the archives.
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