Lancia Delta S4 Gruppo B
The Lancia Delta S4 was a Group B rally car that competed in the World Rally Championship in 1985 and 1986 prior to its banning by the FIA. It was a highly advanced machine that took full advantage of the Group B regulations, featuring a mid-mounted engine and all wheel drive setup for exceptional traction and handling. Offering a 1759 cc four-cylinder engine with supercharging and turbocharging to reduce turbo lag at low RPMs, the S4 was officially rated at 550 horsepower (410 kW), though unofficially believed to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h on gravel in only 2.5 seconds. While its body styling and name share similarities with the production front-engine Delta, they have virtually no relation in terms of construction.
Lancia had planned to replace the Delta S4 with its Group S-spec ECV in 1987, but these plans were cancelled due to Group S' abolition. The Delta S4 made its competition debut in the 1985 RAC Rally with Henri Toivonen behind the wheel, winning the event. This would be of three wins achieved by the Delta S4 in 1986, when Markku Alen was second in the drivers' championship. However, two weeks after the end of the season, the FIA annulled the results of the San Remo Rally over irregular scrutineering, resulting in the championship title being handed over to Peugeot's Juha Kankkunen.
The S4's legacy was unfortunately overshadowed by Toivonen's fatal crash during the 1986 Corsican Rally, where he missed a left-hand hairpin bend and his car's fuel tanks exploded.
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