French title
Chassis no. according to title ZLA83100000487569

- Lancia Martini team car, 2nd on the 1988 Acropolis Rally
- Winner of the 1991 French Gravel Rally Championship
- Prepared and supplied by the factory for Fiat France and Bruno Saby
- Kept by Bruno Saby in his collection since winning the title
- Exceptional original condition, as if it had just finished its last rally!
- From Bruno Saby's collection

Its provenance, record in competition, history and condition make the car we are presenting exceptional. It is stamped with the chassis number ZLA831AB000418043. It began life as a Lancia Delta Integrale 8V and made a brilliant start to its career with the official Lancia Martini team when it finished second on the 1988 Acropolis Rally, driven by Mikael Ericsson. It then went to the Grifone Rally Team: driven by Fabrizio Tabaton, it competed in some events in 1988, including the Chalkidiki Rally, which it won. For the rest of the season, it was used as a reserve car. It continued in this role on the 1989 Acropolis Rally, where it was at the disposal of Didier Auriol. At the time, it had the registration number TO 66643 H, and the registration plate from the period is still stuck to the co-driver's door card, as was the rule.
It was sold at the end of 1989 and modified to 16-valve spec by the factory on behalf of Fiat France. It would be seen in 1991, in 16V form, entered by Fiat France for Bruno Saby. At the wheel of the Delta, the French driver won six rounds of the French Gravel Rally Championship in 1991, earning him the national title. The Lancia was, moreover, his last rally car before he went over to cross-country rallying.

which he won the national title (he used another Delta for tarmac rallies).
This brings us to the car described here: the Integrale stamped with the chassis number ZLA831AB000418043 was sent to France on behalf of Fiat France for the 1991 season. As was often the case at the time, for reasons of administrative convenience the importer used a single registration document corresponding to a more recent chassis with the registration number 9529 TH 92, which was reassigned for use with this car and which it has kept since then.
For the 1991 season the Delta 16V competed in the colours of the oil company Fina. Saby won six rounds of the French Gravel Rally Championship, so claiming the final title. For the last round, the Rallye des Cardabelles, Saby had already secured the title, and instead of his usual experienced co-driver, Daniel Grataloup, the passenger seat was home to Frédéric Billet from the magazine Échappement, resulting in a superb feature describing their drive! It was Saby's final event in traditional rallying, as he related in an interview published in Vintage Racers: "This car marked the end of my career in this branch of the sport, and it was my last official drive as part of a team." The following year, Lancia gave up rallying and Saby turned to cross-country rallying, with Mitsubishi. Two years later, he won the Paris-Dakar with a Pajero, which speaks volumes about his ability to adapt!

After the 1991 season, Saby kept the winning Delta Integrale 16V, the car presented here. Apart from its registration number, it is exactly as it was for its last rally, with the number 1, its different stickers and the names of its two occupants. In unusually authentic condition, it has all the distinctive features from its preparation in period, including its OZ wheels, large-capacity fuel tank, roll cage, bucket seats and special interior equipment. Its engine is that fitted for its final rally, tuned to deliver nearly 300bhp, and it has a special six-speed competition gearbox. Indeed, a detailed inspection of the car reveals an impressive number of works competition parts, confirming its very special status.
Moreover, all the major mechanical work at the time was carried out directly by Lancia-Abarth in Turin, which was not far from Grenoble. This made the Delta a very reliable car, a point Saby emphasised.
In 2016, the car was recommissioned after being laid up for a long time and it has now been completely overhauled. After being registered in the name of Fiat France in the Hauts-de-Seine (92), it was transferred in 1993 to Grenoble Sport Auto and then in 1994 to Bruno Saby, who is the holder of the current registration document corresponding to chassis no. ZLA83100000487569. In superb original condition, the car will be sold with a set of documents including a folder of press articles on the different events in which it competed.
It is truly exceptional and quite moving to find a competition vehicle which has remained unmodified, exactly as it was for its last rally. And in this case, it was the winning car. Specialists will recognise its full historical value.

Full catalogue and more photos https://www.artcurial.com/en/sale-4315-retromobile-2023-artcurial-motorcars