The Group B rally automotive rivalry, spanning from 1982 to 1986, witnessed intense battles amongst main automakers like Audi, Citröen, Fiat, Ford, Lancia, Opel, Peugeot, and Rover. Regardless of its temporary existence, this class inspired groundbreaking innovation, introducing applied sciences like all-wheel drive, ‘twin-charging,’ and Kevlar supplies. One standout was the Lancia Delta S4 Stradale, conceived because the successor to the Rally 037.

Constructed to adjust to the two,500cc class laws, the Delta S4 prioritized a light-weight, all-wheel-drive platform, competing in opposition to the Peugeot 205 T16. Breaking from custom, this Lancia mannequin, coming into the 890kg weight class, grew to become essentially the most potent Group B Rally automotive for the model, successful its debut on the 1985 RAC Rally.

Constructed with a CroMoly metal tubular area body bolstered with aluminum alloy, the Delta S4’s chassis allowed straightforward upkeep in demanding rally circumstances. Its rear-mounted 1,759cc engine featured aluminum cylinder bores and a hardened ceramic floor, using a twin-charged pressured induction system—mixing a responsive supercharger and a turbocharger—to ship 247bhp at 6,750rpm and 215 lb-ft torque at 4,500rpm.

Whereas the Delta S4 Stradale is a rare piece of automotive historical past as revealed by Henry Catchpole in his video shared on Hagerty YouTube channel, the automotive noticed restricted success out there because of its excessive value and the speedy evolution of rallying.