Announced in 1980, Group B rally regulations created fertile ground for innovation, encouraging constructors to explore lightweight composites, turbocharging, and all-wheel-drive. The formula was immediately fruitful: Audi’s Quattro, bristling with technological sophistication, claimed the inaugural Manufacturer’s Championship in 1982, seemingly spelling the end for rear-wheel drive. However, in 1983, against all odds, the rear-wheel-drive Lancia Rally 037 claimed the Manufacturer’s Championship – one of the greatest David-and-Goliath stories in motor sports history.

Conceived under the direction of visionary Fiat Group engineer Sergio Limone, and developed in collaboration with Abarth and Dallara, the 037 largely eschewed the techno-futurism of its rivals, save for its Kevlar-reinforced, Pininfarina-styled bodywork. Light and ferociously agile, the 037 was everything the Quattro was not. It was that contrast – coupled with the superlative driving talents of Walter Röhrl and Markku Alén – that delivered Lancia the 1983 manufacturer’s title.

As one of approximately 200 examples built under homologation rules, this lovely example is finished in iconic Rosso (Red) paint and fitted with its signature 10-hole alloy wheels. According to a 2012 Paris auction description on file, this Lancia was purchased by an enthusiast in 1985 and, in May 1990, was sold to another Lancia aficionado with less than 3,000 km showing on its odometer. The description notes that his collection included another 037, which he drove more frequently in order to carefully preserve this example. After 22 years the Lancia was sold to noted Italian car collector Jacques Bajol of Toulouse, France. The 037 remained in Europe until 2019, when it was sold to the consignor, a passionate collector of postwar sports cars. He had it imported into the US and had Redline Restorations of Bridgeport, Connecticut perform approximately $17,000 of mechanical servicing, documented by records on file.

Complete with its passenger footwell-mounted rally map light and trunk-mounted tool kit, jack, and spare tire, the Lancia is believed by the consignor to remain in largely original and unrestored condition, featuring a charmingly patinated exterior and interior. Inside, its red-piped corduroy upholstery, boost gauge, and array of auxiliary switches bring one back to the golden age of rally racing. The 037 is currently fitted with a four-cylinder, eight-valve, 1,995 cc DOHC type 828 Lancia engine in place of the original 16-valve type 232 Fiat AR4 engine, but a type 232 AR4 short block without internals accompanies the car at auction.

The last of the truly analog homologation specials, the 037’s historical significance is matched only by its visceral appeal. Rare, beautiful, and exquisitely engineered, chassis 089 offers a special opportunity to acquire one of the most evocative icons of the Group B era.

*Please note that this vehicle will not be sold for use or resale in California or to a non-dealer California resident.