Lancia does not build many cars like the Lancia Delta S4: a 2-door coupé with Lancia 233 ATR 18S 1.8 L I4, built from 1985 to 1986 in the age of turbocharging and the first electronic engine management. Its designer of record is Pier Paolo Messori (Technical Director) / Sergio Limone / Renato Sconfienza / Bruno Giardino.
The background
The Lancia Delta S4 (also known by its Abarth project code SE038) is a Group B rally car manufactured by Lancia. The Delta S4 competed in the World Rally Championship in 1985 and 1986, until Group B class was disbanded and the cars were eventually banned from competition by the FIA.
The car replaced, and was an evolution of, the 037. The S4 took full advantage of the Group B regulations, and featured a midship-mounted engine and all-wheel drive for superior traction on loose surfaces. A total of 28 complete chassis were manufactured.
The engineering
Under the skin sits Lancia 233 ATR 18S 1.8 L I4. Kerb weight is 890-1050 kg. The gearbox is a 5-speed manual. The layout matters: the engine sits behind the driver and ahead of the rear axle, which puts the mass in the middle of the car and is why mid-engined cars change direction the way they do. The wheelbase is 2440 mm. These are manufacturer figures carried by Wikipedia and Wikidata, not road-test measurements.
Where it sits
Where it sits in Lancia's history is not in doubt: the Lancia 037 came before it; the Lancia ECV / Lancia Delta HF 4WD followed it. On a showroom list of its day it stood against the Renault Espace, the SEAT Ibiza, the Toyota MR2. Its Lancia stablemates include the Lancia 037 and the Lancia 2000.
The money
There is no federal ownership record for the Lancia Delta S4 — it predates the complaint database or was never sold in the United States — so MotorJury publishes no running-cost figure for it. For a car of this age the price is set by the collector market and the condition of the individual example, not by a formula.
Lancia Delta