VIN: the Jolly Club Lancia Delta S4 'Corsa' chassis 208
/ Ben Tyer
HISTORY OF CHASSIS 208
Chassis 208 was one of five S4s used by the Totip-backed Jolly Club during 1986. That season, Jolly Club’s programme focused on Dario Cerrato’s attempt to retain the European and Italian Rally Championship crowns he had won driving a Lancia 037 Evo 2 in ‘85.
Number 208 saw competitive action twice during a 1986 campaign in which Cerrato bagged four wins and the best World Championship result of his career (second on the Sanremo).
It was the chassis in which Cerrato and navigator Giuseppe Cerri won the 323km all-tarmac Rally 1000 Miglia which took place between March 20th and 23rd. A comfortable win in what was the opening Italian Rally Championship contest of the year saw Cerrato finish three minutes clear of his closest challenger (Giacomo Bossini’s Scuderia Italia 037 Evo 2).
A little over three weeks later, Cerrato and Cerri were back in chassis 208 for the Rally Costa Smerelda which counted as a round of both the European and Italian championships.
Held on 546km of gravel stages between April 16th and 18th, at one stage it looked as though Cerrato was set to overhaul the leading but faltering works S4 of Henri Toivonen. However, a lost wheel and turbo problems subsequently forced Cerrato to slow. He eventually finished third, a minute behind Toivonen and 28 seconds behind Andrea Zanussi’s Peugeot Italia-backed 205 T16 Evolution 1.
Chassis 208 did not see any further front-line rally action in ‘86.
Notable History
Registered TO 77892E
Jolly Club Totip
20/03/1986 ITA Rally 1000 Miglia (D. Cerrato / G. Cerri) 1st oa (#1)
16/04/1986 ERC Rally Costa Smerelda (D. Cerrato / G. Cerri) 3rd oa, 3rd ERC class (#2)
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
