<< Prev Page 3 of 3 While the Lancia 037 Evo was an obvious improvement over its predecessor, the competition had also been very busy. In particular Audi, who had managed to trim a considerable amount of weight off their four-wheel drive Quattro. For most of the season, the battle was once again between Audi and Lancia, with the German manufacturer dominating until the all-new Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 was launched late in the year. Eventually, Alen only managed to score a single victory for Lancia but consistent results throughout the year did ensure that the Italian team did place second in the manufacturers' championship.
Lancia soldiered on with the ageing 037 well into the 1985 season, while back in Italy the brand new Delta S4 was readied. Powered by a trick supercharged and turbocharged engine, it most importantly featured all-wheel drive, which the 037 lacked so dearly. While the 037 added no further victories to the Lancia Martini Racing tally, the Delta S4 scored a debut victory at the final round of the season, the Lombard RAC Rally. From 1986 onwards, the works team raced the Delta S4 exclusively (with the exception of the Safari rally), although privateers would continue to campaign 037s for several more years.
Although it was one of the very first Group B cars produced, the Lancia 037 very much represented the end of an era. The World Rally Championship won by the compact machine in 1983 would be the very last by a two-wheel drive car. This distinction, its racing record and the 037's sheer beauty has made a favourite to rally enthusiasts the world over. Not quite as complex as some of the later Group B cars, Lancia 037s are also still regularly used for demonstrations and historic rallies all over Europe. << Prev Page 3 of 3
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While the Lancia 037 Evo was an obvious improvement over its predecessor, the competition had also been very busy. In particular Audi, who had managed to trim a considerable amount of weight off their four-wheel drive Quattro. For most of the season, the battle was once again between Audi and Lancia, with the German manufacturer dominating until the all-new Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 was launched late in the year. Eventually, Alen only managed to score a single victory for Lancia but consistent results throughout the year did ensure that the Italian team did place second in the manufacturers' championship.