Lancia 037 Stradale: A Brilliant Italian Design with Incredible Rally Heritage

Very few machines are more engaging than an Italian automobile built during the post war era. Literally every Italian manufacturer from this booming period was raising the bar on exceptional design, engineering, and braving new marketing territory – unafraid to risk, leading with passion and vigor. And it wasn’t just cars. An entirely separate area of equally passionate engagement can be found with Italian motorcycles from this same period. But, as an owner of twoLancias myself, I am continually surprised at how many automotive enthusiasts have little awareness of Lancia and the extraordinary cars they have constructed.

Lancia began as one of Italy’s earliest automobile manufacturers. Famous for their incredible craftsmanship, innovative engineering,and a passion for excellence regardless of cost, Lancias arein a class all their own. Few cars are as thoughtfully engineered or constructed, which partly explains why Lancia encountered a great deal of financial troubles building these exceptional cars. Exorbitantly expensive tooling, detailed and complex alloy castings, and impossibly beautiful body designs were hallmarks of Lancia excellence. The other area of Lancia dominance was in the rally circuit, beating Renaults and Porsche 911s with win after win in the late 1960s, and finally in 1972, Lancia’s first world championship in a series of many more to come. Lancia would go on to devour competitors with a remarkable 11 championships (not to mention multiple driver’s titles) between 1972 and 1992, campaigning the Stratos, Lancia 037, and Delta Integrale. Lancia’s 11 championships remain today a record that no other manufacturer has yet to achieve.