Guide: Group A Deliverance - a Historical & Technical Appraisal of the Lancia Delta HF 4WD
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BACKGROUND
When the Lancia Delta was launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1979, no-one could have predicted this boxy five-door hatchback would go on to become the most successful rally car of the 20th century.
However, an unforeseen set of events during the mid 1980s meant Lancia’s ageing and hitherto largely uninteresting mid-range model got thrust into the limelight.
The circumstances surrounding the Delta’s journey to greatness lay in the unprecedented arms race that transformed rallying between 1982 and 1986.
New rules introduced for the 1982 season had allowed manufacturers to homologate cars in much smaller numbers than before. Whereas prior to 1982 a minimum production run of 400 identical base cars had to be completed within a two year period before the model could compete in the premier Group 4 category, the new Group B class required only 200 such vehicles in twelve months.
On top of this, manufacturers were permitted to compete with even more radical Evolution variants of the base car.
Evolution models could be campaigned as soon as the base car had been homologated so long as 20 such units were completed. Thereafter, further uprated Evolutions were permitted every twelve months if another 20 examples were built each time.
With a certain inevitably, the Group B era spawned an onslaught of highly focused and ever more extreme vehicles, the speed of which rose exponentially between 1982 and 1986.
Lancia had been the first out of the traps with a pure Group B creation and, despite its dated rear-wheel drive configuration, the resultant mid-engined 037 Rally delivered the 1983 World Manufacturers’ Championship after a troubled debut season in 1982.
Before long, other manufacturers had joined the fray with their own Group B specials, the most notable of which was Peugeot whose 205 T16 became the pre-eminent rally car of the era following its mid 1984 introduction.
After a series of delays, Lancia’s second generation Group B car, the state-of-art turbocharged and supercharged Delta S4, finally came on stream in late 1985.
However, cars with massive power outputs and little in the way of safety gear combined with lax crowd control at many events proved a recipe for disaster.
After a series of competitor and spectator fatalities, the carnage reached an unacceptable level mid-way through the 1986 season at which point the FIA decided to abandon Group B at the end of the year.
To reduce speeds, the 1987 World Rally Championship would be decided by Group A cars instead.
To qualify for Group A, a production run of 5000 vehicles over the course of a twelve month period was required which instantly killed off the low volume supercars that had reigned supreme during the Group B era.
From this point, the World Rally Championship would be decided by vehicles with much humbler origins.
The FIA’s announcement left a lot of manufacturers high and dry, but fortuitously, Lancia had launched a revamped version of their top-of-the-range Delta HF Turbo in May 1986.
In addition to an engine enlarged from 1.6 to two-litres, the new Delta HF 4WD most significantly featured all-wheel drive making it an ideal platform for the Group A era...
CHASSIS
The HF 4WD was based on a modified version of the existing Delta’s steel unibody platform and employed the same 2475mm wheelbase.
Suspension was fully independent with MacPherson struts at the front and double transverse arms at the rear. Dual rate dampers and helicoidal springs were installed along with an anti-roll bar at either end.
Damper rates, front and rear toe-in and the relative angle between the springs and dampers were were tailored to this latest variant.
Disc brakes were fitted all-round: 257mm front and 227mm rear.
New 14 x 5.5-inch Cromodora alloy wheels were shod with 185/60 HR14 Pirelli tyres.
Steering was power assisted and a 57-litre fuel tank was mounted under the rear seat.
ENGINE / TRANSMISSION
Originally designed by Aurelio Lampredi, Lancia’s dual overhead camshaft inline ‘four’ featured an eight-valve light alloy cylinder head, cast iron block and counter-rotating balancing shafts.
Whereas earlier Deltas had only used engines of up to 1.6-litres, the HF 4WD got an upgrade to the two-litre long stroke engine from the Thema Turbo IE. This Tipo 831.85.000 unit displaced 1995cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 84mm and 90mm respectively. The additional 410cc compared to the previously range-topping 1.6-litre Delta HF Turbo was achieved by simply extending the stroke from 71.5mm. Bore diameter remained unchanged.
With an 8.0:1 compression ratio, Weber IAW engine management and a Garrett T2 turbocharger set at 0.9 bar, the Tipo 831.85.000 engine developed 165bhp at 5500rpm.
Overboost acted on the wastegate valve when hard on the gas which temporarily increased the turbo pressure and helped to generate a peak torque rating of 210lb-ft at just 2750rpm.
For comparison, the front-wheel drive 1.6-litre Delta HF Turbo developed figures of 140bhp at 550rrpm and 141lb-ft at 5500rpm.
Transmission was via a five-speed gearbox and permanent four-wheel drive system that sent 56% of the torque to the front axle and 44% to the rear. A complex arrangement of three separate differentials was used to maximise traction.
BODYWORK
Some of the cosmetic features debuted on the HF 4WD previewed the mid-life facelift that would be applied to the entire Delta range. Most obvious was the re-profiled front bumper with integrated fog lights. Additionally, the aluminium front grille surround had its side sections angled inwards which meant the headlights also had to be re-shaped.
For the HF 4WD, the familiar single-piece headlights were switched to a pair of circular lenses per side that mimicked the Delta S4. This distinctive look was applied to all subsequent Delta homologation specials.
While later iterations also benefited from handsome flared arches to cover their wider wheels, the HF 4WD used the standard Delta’s comparatively narrow fenders.
In addition to its modified front end and different wheels, Lancia’s new top-of-the-range Delta could be identified by a twin outlet exhaust, discrete HF 4WD badges and pin striping down each flank and across the tailgate.
Body panels were fashioned exclusively from steel with the exception of the bumpers and exterior mirror casings which were manufactured in thermoplastic.
INTERIOR
Internally, the cockpit received an updated dash, instrumentation, switchgear and centre console.
The seats were now trimmed in grey fabric with multi-coloured velour centres to match the door panels.
The soft-touch black plastic dash featured an integrated binnacle directly behind the three-spoke steering wheel. It housed a large speedometer and rev counter, in between which were a series of warning lights and smaller read outs for turbo boost, battery amps, fuel and water temperature.
An additional pair of smaller gauges (for oil pressure and oil temperature) were housed at the top of the central control panel along with a schematic warning light display. The rest of the switchgear, along with the audio system, was located just below.
Electric windows were standard at the front but not the rear.
WEIGHT / PERFORMANCE
As a consequence of its bigger two-litre engine and all-wheel drive system, the Delta HF 4WD weighed in 188kg heavier than the 1.6-litre front-drive HF Turbo (1188kg as opposed to 1000kg).
Despite the weight gain, performance figures were much-improved.
The 0-62mph time dropped from 8.5 to 6.6 seconds while top speed went from 121mph to 130mph.
Meanwhile, a weight distribution of 63% front and 37% rear belied this latest Delta’s handling prowess which was something for which subsequent ‘Integrale’ variants would also become legendary.
PRODUCTION
Following its launch in May 1986, production continued until early 1987 by which time 5298 examples had been completed, all of which were left-hand drive.
Group A Homologation was granted on January 2nd 1987.
Unlike Group A circuit racing where runs of 500 Evolution variants were permitted to homologate new parts, rally regulations had no such concession.
Instead, the rules stipulated that 5000 new cars had to be produced every time upgrades were made to the homologated specification.
To that end, Lancia replaced the HF 4WD with a new range-topping HF Integrale early in 1988.
COMPETITION HISTORY
1987 got off to a great start for Lancia with Miki Biasion and Juha Kankkunen bagging a one-two finish in the season opening Monte Carlo Rally.
Round two, Rally Sweden, saw the Lancias finish second (Mikael Ericsson) and third (Kankkunen) as Timo Salonen’s works Mazda 323 emerged victorious. However, aside from the Tour de Corse in early May (where Bernard Begiun’s BMW M3 took the win from the Deltas of Yves Loubet and Biasion), the Lancias won every other event they contested on the WRC calendar.
Biasion followed his Monte Carlo victory with wins in Argentina and Sanremo while Markku Alen also took a hat-trick of first place finishes (on the Portuguese, Acropolis and 1000 Lakes rallies). Team-mate Juha Kankkunen won the Olympus and RAC rallies.
Although the Martini-backed works Lancias did not attend Rally New Zealand, privateer Franz Wittmann took a famous win in his Funkberaterring Rally Team Delta HF 4WD.
In addition to the New Zealand event, Lancia decided against trips to Africa for the Safari and Ivory Coast rallies which were won by Audi and Volkswagen respectively.
As expected, Lancia easily outscored its rivals to secure the 1987 World Manufacturers’ Championship; the Italian team ended up with 140 points compared to 82 for Audi, 71 for Renault, 64 for Volkswagen, 62 for Ford and 52 for Mazda.
Despite only taking a brace of victories compared to three apiece for his team-mates, greater consistency saw Juha Kankkunen retain the Drivers’ title he had won for Peugeot the previous year. The Finn ended the season with 100 points to Biasion’s 94 and Alen’s 88. Best of the rest was Volkswagen’s Kenneth Eriksson on 70.
After just one season with the Italian team, Kankkunen departed for Toyota.
Lancia then used the Delta HF 4WD for the first two events of 1988 (delivering another two victories), following which the further uprated Integrale version came on stream.
New signing Bruno Saby led a Lancia one-two in the season opening Monte Carlo Rally where Alessandro Fiorio was second in his Jolly Club entry. Markku Alen then won the Swedish Rally.
Lancia went on to scoop the Group A Delta’s second World Manufacturers’ title while Miki Biasion emerged with the 1988 Drivers’ crown.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Lancia - https://www.lancia.com
