One to Buy: ex-works Martini Racing 1992 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione 1 Gr.N Muletto
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There’s little better than having a great car with a special history to make it stand out from the crowd.
Collector-grade examples of Integrale Evoluziones are already pretty expensive, but this is something a little different for the price of a really decent Martini edition: an ex-works Muletto equipped by Abarth with a host of trick parts so it could serve as Didier Auriol’s test car for the ‘92 Tour de Corse and 1000 Lakes rallies – both of which he went on to win.
Stripped to the bone then built up by Abarth to WRC Group N trim, chassis ‘556292’ received a full roll cage, front strut brace, coilover suspension with adjustable dampers, lightweight wheels, a competition-grade fuel tank and filler system, quick-release panels, faired-in exterior mirrors, a fire system, Kevlar footwell protection plates, competition seats and harnesses, a two-spoke steering wheel, a digital trip computer, spot lights and kill switches.
All told, it probably comes in around the 1150kg mark as per the Group N Integrale Evoluzione’s homologated weight.
Engine output? At least 250bhp and probably a wee bit more.
Abarth built around 20 of these cars of which just three are currently known to survive and ‘556292’, with its provenance and low 30,000km from new, may well be the best.
On October 12th it will be going under the hammer at Bonhams’ Zoute Concours d’ Elegance sale in Belgium.
Importantly, the car retains both its original chassis and engine, Evoluzione 1 gearbox and drivetrain. The Lancia Classicher-certified car also comes with its original Italian registration plates (TO 40747S), German registration papers, FIA Passport, PRA documentation (Automobile Club d'Italia) and there’s even a period photograph as the icing on the cake.
