1972 Lancia Fulvia 1.3s on 2040-cars

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Maturo Stradale another sweet Lancia Delta restomod

On the one hand, what we have here is (yet) another vintage World Rally Championship Lancia restomod. On the other hand, we just haven't (yet) got tired of vintage WRC Lancia restomods. This one hails from The Netherlands, quite a bit further north than the Swiss and Italian takes we've seen so far. A company called Maturo Competition Cars in Veghel, which specializes in prepping old Delta Integrales for rallying, decided to work up a Delta HF Integrale 16v in the manner of the Group A cars that won WRC Manufacturer's Championships in 1990 and 1991. The trio of men behind it decided they wanted to stay close to the feel of the original in order to provide a similar driving experience — with more horsepower, naturally — built with far more reliable and luxurious components.  The hatchback now known as the Maturo Stradale starts with a Delta HF Integrale in serviceable condition. The chassis is stripped, then sandblasted. Welders install a full custom roll cage and add spot welds in 250 places, increasing rigidity. These much stronger bones are then primered and repainted for corrosion resistance.   While all that's being done, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder goes in for an even greater overhaul. The Group A Lancias made about 200 horsepower. Upgrades bolt on a larger carbon airbox, rebuilt Garrett turbo, larger intercooler, upgraded injectors and fuel system, new wiring harness and reprogrammed motorsports ECU. New internals include forged rods and pistons, and lighter valves. There's a thicker timing belt, and the balance shafts are gone. Peak boost climbs from 1.2 bar to 1.8 bar, upping peak power to about 355 hp. The company says the engine "Will deliver a completely reliable 380 hp or more and more than 550 Nm [405 lb-ft] of torque.” The original five-speed gearbox is rebuilt with stronger gears, and can be further revised with straight-cut gears in a dogleg pattern for power shifting. The original Deltas went without a locking front diff, making do with a Ferguson viscous center diff and a Torsen rear differential. Maturo puts in a new viscous center differential and mechanical locking diffs on both axles, meshed with driveshafts formed from an alloy created for Formula 1 cars that can endure angles of up to 40 degrees without deformation.  The four-way adjustable suspension derives from the firm's rally-spec cars, and can be enhanced with a hydraulic ride height control system.

FCA's new Heritage HUB showcases 250 rare Fiats, Lancias and Alfa Romeos

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has opened a new facility near Turin, Italy, dedicated to preserving and celebrating the company's Italian brands, as well as the historic cars each has created. It's bigger than the average Costco, and it houses more than 250 pieces of automotive art, some of which have never been publicly displayed. It's called the FCA Heritage HUB. The HUB building is itself a piece of history. FCA restored the old Officina 81 in Via Plava of the historic Mirafiori industrial district on the south side of Turin. At 161,459 sqare feet (the average Costco is 145,000 sq ft), it's a massive open space that allows for both business and pleasure. In the rafters, photos and text tell the timeline of Mirafiori, but the floor focuses on Fiat, Lancia, Abarth, and Alfa Romeo. Although part of the space is dedicated to the "Reloaded by Creators" vintage restoration sales department, the portion we're interested in is shown in the massive gallery above. FCA says it has more than 250 vehicles on display, and some have never been shown. The "central area," which explores cars from 1908 to 2008, is separated into eight themes, each of which has eight cars. The eight areas include Archistars, Concept and Personalized Cars, Eco and Sustainable, Epic Journeys, Records and Races, Small and Safe, Style Marks, and The Rally Era. Some of the cars featured at the new shop include the Lancia Lambda, the Fiat 500 Topolino A, the Fiat 130 Familiar, the Fiat X1/23, the Fiat Ecobasic, the Fiat Campagnola AR 51, the Fiat 1100 E, the Fiat 124S, the Lancia Delta HF Integral Group A, the Fiat S61, the Lancia Alfa Sport, the Lancia D50, the Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo, the Lancia LC2, the Lancia Augusta, the Lancia Ardea, the Fiat ESV 1500 and 2000, the Fiat Barchetta, the Lancia Aurelia B20, the Lancia Fulvia HF 1600, and the Lancia Stratos HF. Check out the gallery and below videos to see the full extent of what the HUB has to offer. Featured Gallery FCA Heritage Hub View 47 Photos News Source: FCA Alfa Romeo Fiat Lancia Automotive History Classics FCA fiat chrysler automobiles

Kimera EVO37 Martini 7 celebrates Martini Racing's seven WRC trophies

Two years ago, Kimera launched its EVO37, a modern and thoroughly gorgeous tribute to the 1983 Lancia 037 World Rally Championship car. When Kimera put its EVO37 on the start line of the Sardinia Rally last year, the coupe wore the same Martini Racing Team colors used by the 1983 car. This year, Kimera is using a different Martini Racing livery to debut an evolution of the Kimera EVO37 that's even closer to the original and celebrates the seven Lancia-powered Martini Racing Team World Rally Championship titles. The 037 won a single title, the last two-wheel-drive WRC entry to do so. The Lancia Delta S4 and its variations won the remainder. Company boss Luca Betti again worked with Miki Biasion, who won back-to-back WRC Driver's Championships piloting the Lancia Delta, and Lancia engineers of the time to lighten and sharpen the EVO37 into the Martini 7. Starting with the performance mods, the supercharged and turbocharged 2.1-liter four-cylinder now makes 550 horsepower instead of 505 hp, and 406 pound-feet of torque. Power heads to the rear axle via a standard manual or optional sequential transmission, but the gears have shorter, more rally-like ratios. Gawkers are invited to further appreciate what lies behind the cockpit thanks to the new quick-release lower bumper as was found on the Lancia 037 Evo 2. Undoing the clips shows quad pipes in a white ceramic coating matching the new paintwork that runs all the way up the exhaust runners. The new carbon fiber aero package adds intakes behind the front doors, vents on the tops of the fenders, and additional descending steps in the engine cover surround. The new wheels recall the Delta Evoluzione, as does the passenger compartment, now made entirely from carbon fiber and getting the car down to about 2,425 pounds. The seats are inspired by those in the Delta S4, trimmed in blue perforated Alcantara with red stitching that matches accents on the door cards and ceiling. The gauges glow in fluorescent orange, the buttons and knobs laid out just as they were in the 1983 Lancia 037. The pearl effect white Martini Racing Livery with blue, light blue, and red strips comes most resembles that of the special edition Lancia Delta Martini 5 and Martini 6 cars, produced in the early 1990s to celebrate the Delta's fifth and sixth WRC trophies.