If you’re a fan of rally cars for the road, you will
be hard pressed to find a vehicle more iconic than this 1989 Lancia Delta
Integrale 16V, more affectionately known as the “Deltona”. The car, currently up for sale on
Bring A Trailer, made its way to the United States after being exported from
Poland by its previous owner. Shortly after the car landed stateside, it was
outfitted with a Martini livery, rally-inspired lights at the front,
embroidered Recaro leather seats, and Martini-themed door panels.
This Integrale may not be the highly-desirable Evo
II model, but it was the subject of a comprehensive review on Bloomberg a
couple of years ago and is perhaps one of the finest Lancias currently residing
in North America. At the time of writing, it had a highest bid of just US$ 5,100,
but we would not be surprised to see that figure jump five- or tenfold before
the online auction closes next week.
Powering the car is a turbocharged 2.0-liter
four-cylinder that pumps out an impressive, considering its age, 205 HP. This
engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission which sends power to all
four wheels.
Italian performance cars from this era (or any era
for that matter) aren’t known for their reliability, and the Integrale is a
complex car, so interested buyers will be pleased to know that, in 2016, the
engine was rebuilt and a stage two clutch was added. Additionally, new rear
shocks were fitted recently.
Since rolling out of the assembly line, this Lancia
has covered 100,000 km and has been owned by Classic Car Club
Manhattan since 2015, where it has been well cared for.
