1988 Lancia Delta S4 Stradale

Whilst, to be quite honest, we can’t see ourselves being able to spend over £500k on a car at Coolector HQ any time soon, if we were to do so, it would most likely be on something as extraordinary and rare as this breathtaking 1988 Lancia Delta S4 Stradale which is going under the hammer with luxury auction house, Bonhams. This glorious piece of 80s automotive excellence has a guide price of between £470k and £550k so, needless to say, it’s going to have some A-list clientele looking to get their hands on it.

The 1988 Lancia Delta S4 Stradale from Bonhams is an incredibly rare opportunity to own a piece of motoring legend and it has done fewer than 3,300 kilometres since new so is still in a remarkably good condition despite being over three decades old. This ultra-rare and exclusive ‘homologation special’ is a real head turner and will be the cornerstone piece of any luxury car collector’s line up of vehicles but they’ll need deep pockets of course in order to add it to said collection with its half a million pound guide price.

The Rarest of Beasts

It is thought that this lot is one of just 80 Lancia Delta S4 Stradales in existence (hence the lofty price tag) so if you’re the one lucky enough to get your hands on it, you’ll be in pretty exclusive company. It has had just two owners since new and the condition is exemplary both inside and out. It has Italian documentation and all its original books which adds to its authenticity and appeal considerably.

The 1988 Lancia Delta S4 Stradale from Bonhams (£470k-550k) has an impressive history and is one of the most alluring vehicles of the 1980s. From the mid-1960s until the early 1990s, Lancia was a main player in international rallying, and won the World Rally Championship for Makes no fewer than 11 times between 1972 and 1992, which included the remarkable six successive victories commencing in 1987. During the same period, Lancia drivers won the European Rally Championship on 14 occasions and the World Drivers’ Championship (only instigated in 1978) four times – so, as you can tell, this is a vehicle that has got racing in its blood.

A top performer in rallying events due to the transmission driving all four wheels via central and rear differentials while the Abarth-designed 1,759cc, 16-valve engine broke new ground as well. It employed both supercharging and turbo-charging to lessen the impact of ‘turbo lag’ at low revs. As the FIA applied a ‘x1.4’ formula to the capacity of forced induction engines, the Delta S4 ran in the up-to-2,500cc class, which permitted a minimum weight of 890kg.

Iconic Design

In use for a mere 13 months, the Lancia Delta S4 is undoubtedly one of the rarest of Group B rally cars and that’s why it demands such a lofty price tag when going under the hammer. There is considerable doubt that Lancia actually produced the 200 road cars required for homologation, with expert opinion being that fewer than 80 exist today.

Finished in a bold red paint job, this Delta S4 keeps its original seats and original steering wheel. It was purchased five years ago by the current owner, and has covered fewer than 3,300 kilometres from the day it left the factory. This ultra-rare and highly sought after ‘homologation special’ is offered with Italian documentation, an original Lancia S4 Uso et Manutenzione manual, original Libretto di Assistenza guide, and the service book.