A 1984 Lancia Rally 037 Stradale will be auctioned by Gooding & Company at the prestigious mid-August sale at Pebble Beach, in Monterey County, California. This is the specimen with chassis number ZLA151AR000000089, one of only 207 produced for homologation in the legendary Group B World Rally Championship.
Rare 1984 Lancia Rally 037 Stradale at auction at Pebble Beach
The model presents itself in highly original condition, with mileage under 13,000 kilometers (about 8,100 miles), a detail that increases its appeal for collectors. The car is accompanied by service documentation and original tool kit, elements increasingly rare in this type of vehicle.
The 037 Stradale is the road version of the machine that wrote one of the most legendary pages in rally history. Developed starting from the Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo, it was produced in limited edition to meet FIA homologation requirements, which called for at least 200 road examples to access competition.
Debuting at the Turin Motor Show in 1982, the Rally 037 represented an extreme project with rear-wheel drive at a time when major rivals were already developing the first all-wheel-drive systems. Despite this, in 1983 the car conquered the constructors’ title in the World Rally Championship, thanks to victories by Walter Röhrl and Markku Alén. It was the last triumph for a rear-wheel-drive car in the WRC, before the dominance of Audi’s all-wheel-drive systems.
The 037‘s structure combined a central monocoque with tubular frame, to ensure lightness and rigidity. The fiberglass and polyester bodywork was designed by Pininfarina, in a functional rather than expressive style, conditioned by the project’s aerodynamic and technical requirements.
The heart of the vehicle is a supercharged 2.0-liter 16-valve four-cylinder with a Volumex compressor, capable of delivering 205 hp, with a mass of just 2,580 lbs. Regarding performance, the car accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in under 7 seconds and reached over 137 mph top speed.
Compact and incisive, with dimensions of 12.76 feet in length and 4.07 feet in height, the 037 offered benchmark handling, also the result of collaboration between Abarth and Dallara. After it came the Delta S4, more powerful and with all-wheel drive, but with less evocative styling.
Today, the Rally 037 Stradale is one of the most coveted cars among collectors of Italian competition vehicles. Rare, technically fascinating, and linked to one of motorsport’s most iconic eras, this auction specimen represents a unique opportunity. Bidding at Pebble Beach will be intense.
