Autolook Week – Heritage takes to the field with the monarchs of rallying

• From September 7^th to 11^th, the open-air Autolook Week event in central Turin brings together the best of Formula One, rallying, Endurance and MotoGP
• Organized for the centenary celebrations of the Monza circuit, the event will witness the participation of over 50 iconic sports cars and motorcycles, including two monarchs of rallying: the FIAT 131 Abarth Rally Gr. 4 (1977) and the Lancia Delta HF Integrale Gr. A (1992)
• The two cars form part of the vintage car collection owned by the Stellantis Heritage department, created to preserve, retrieve and leverage the historical heritage of the car brands from Turin: Abarth, FIAT and Lancia.
• The exhibition of the two cars – in Piazza San Carlo – confirms the Heritage department’s desire to play an active role in the city’s initiatives, collaborating with bodies and institutions to advocate a new look at the link between Turin and the history of the automotive industry

After the Milan-Monza (MIMO) Motor Show last June, the Autolook Week is due to take place in Turin from September 7^th to 11^th. Another open-air and totally free event, fans can admire the most iconic sports cars and motorcycles there.

These include two monarchs of rallying over time: the FIAT 131 Abarth Rally Group 4 (1977) and the Lancia Delta HF Integrale Group A (1992), both owned by the Stellantis Heritage department, founded in 2015 to leverage historical heritage of the car brands from Turin: Abarth, FIAT and Lancia. A mission in full swing undergoing constant evolution, so much so that the body’s headquarters at the Heritage Hub on Via Plava has now become a benchmark for fans and collectors of vintage cars. Visitors to the site can enjoy the exhibition of over 300 cars (including models from the Alfa Romeo and Jeep brands) and take advantage of a wide range of sector-related services: certifications, restoration, sales of spare parts and refurbished classic cars. Further details are available on the dedicated website, here.

The exhibition of the two cars in Piazza San Carlo forms part of its mission and confirms the Heritage department’s desire to play an active role in the city’s initiatives to leverage the link between Turin and the automotive industry. Organized as part of the centenary celebrations of the Monza circuit, Autolook Week consists of a wide-ranging program that includes the display of over 50 models relating to the history of Formula One, rallying, Endurance and MotoGP, themed parades of vintage automobiles and ultramodern supercars, photography exhibitions and the Autolook Awards ceremony, where prestigious prizes for communications in the field of motorsport will be handed out. The event schedule can be viewed here.

FIAT 131 Abarth Rally Group 4 (1977)

Three constructors’ world championships, two drivers’ titles, a slew of international successes in rallies in the late ’70s: a quick rundown of the trophies won by the legend that is the Fiat 131 Abarth Rally. An unbeatable model from the Scorpion brand, it made its opponents eat dust for years, courtesy of the three qualities that made it unique: robustness, reliability, and safety.
Replacing the 124 Abarth Rally as the Fiat racing team’s official car, it was developed in collaboration with Abarth and the Bertone bodyshop, with the philosophy of rallying in mind: to demonstrate the reliability and potential of 'everyday’ cars in extreme situations. To a large extent, the 131 Rally took up the forms of the mass-production two-door sedan, the body of which was lightened by widespread use of aluminum and synthetic resins. The engine was a straight-four with its displacement souped up to 1995 cc, distribution with dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. Powered by two twin-barrel carburetors, it delivered 215 hp at 7,000 rpm, with peak torque of 225 Nm at 5,600 rpm. The sporty transmission has five front-mounted gears; in the rear, the differential is anchored to the body with oscillating semi-axles and independent MacPherson-type suspension. This was the first time that low-profile Pirelli P7 tires had been available on a mass-produced sedan.
A perfect assembly: simplicity in the mechanics and easy to repair. This was the secret that brought three world titles to this model.      
The 131 Abarth Rally Gr. 4 on display on Via Roma was driven in many races by Markku Alen, the winner of the 1978 World Championship for Drivers. Meticulously restored by the Heritage team, the car bears the glorious tricolor livery of its sponsor, Alitalia. Since its restoration, it has been seen at major international events, including the Goodwood Festival of Speed (UK) and the Classic Days in Germany.

Lancia Delta HF Integrale Group A (1992)

Unlike the FIAT 131, the Lancia Delta retained very few features from the mass-production car, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1979 and winner of the Car of the Year award in 1980. Since 1986, as many as four generations of the all-wheel drive Lancia Delta HF came one after the other until the early ’90s, plotting a route of victories that gave this model an overwhelming superiority and an abiding worldwide reputation in the rallying sector: six World Rally Championships for Manufacturers (1987-1991); four World Rally Championships for Drivers (1987-1989 and 1991); one Production World Rally Championship (Group N) in 1987; six European Rally Championships (1987-1991 and 1993); two Production European Rally Championships (Group) N in 1988 and 1989. It holds an impressive number of overall victories in rallies that scored points for the various editions of the world championship: a total of 46.
Each generation corresponds to an evolution of engines and bodywork that always kept the Lancia Delta one step ahead of its opponents. The 1987 Delta HF 4WD debuted with full-time all-wheel drive with ZF self-locking differential in the front, Ferguson epicyclic center differential with viscous coupling and limited slip, and a Torsen-type differential in the rear. Output rose from 165 hp for the two-liter engine in the mass-production cars to 265 hp at 6250 rpm for the Group A.
In 1988, the Delta HF Integrale arrived on the scene. Its exterior differed from the previous version in terms of the broadened wheel arches, capable of accommodating wider tires, and larger front air intakes. It had a new 6-speed gearbox, while its weight was about 23 kg lower.
With the evolution of the cylinder head from 8 to 16 valves, with 4 valves per cylinder, the Delta HF Integrale 16V came along in 1989. An impressive “hunch” appeared on the bonnet to accommodate the new cylinder head. The Lancia was rated at around 295 hp at 7000 rpm. A whole lot of technological innovation: electronically controlled clutch, fan driven by a hydraulic motor, telemetry to collect data during pit stops, but most of all a wide range of electronics to manage the engine.
The last Delta HF from the winning family would arrive in 1991: the Delta HF Integrale 16V Evoluzione, similar to the modelcurrently on display in the heart of Turin. The fenders were further enlarged to adapt to new road surfaces and an impressive spoiler stands out at the end of the roof, but the major changes were under the bonnet: 1991 was the year the Federation introduced the use of flanges to limit the flow rate of the turbines. Improved on a yearly basis despite the officially declared values, the engines in all the Group A cars now far exceed the 300 hp imposed by the regulations.

Turin, September 6^th, 2022