1983 Lancia Rally 037 Evolution II

The Lancia Rally 037 occupies a singular place in rallying history as the last rear-wheel-drive car to win the World Rally Championship. Developed jointly by Lancia, Abarth, Pininfarina, and Dallara under the direction of engineer Sergio Limone, the Tipo 151 (SE037) was conceived specifically for Group B competition and built in limited numbers to satisfy homologation requirements.

Although loosely derived from the Lancia Montecarlo, the 037 was, in reality, a purpose-built competition machine, combining a lightweight tubular spaceframe, extensive composite bodywork, and a mid-mounted, Abarth-developed, supercharged four-cylinder engine. Its balance, responsiveness, and agility proved formidable on demanding rally stages, culminating in Lancia’s 1983 World Rally Championship Manufacturers’ title over the four-wheel-drive Audi Quattro. It remains one of the defining competition cars of the exhilarating Group B era.

The example offered here enjoys an exceptional and unusually well-documented history beginning with its original owner, José Bernardo Cardín of Villaviciosa, Asturias. Home to the renowned cider producer Sidra El Gaitero, Villaviciosa is known throughout Spain as the country’s “Apple Capital,” and Cardín’s competition cars proudly carried his family firm’s distinctive branding, including its instantly recognizable Asturian bagpiper mascot.

In April 1983, Cardín placed a special order with Fiat Auto S.p.A.-Abarth in Torino for a Rally 037 Stradale finished with unique, white competitionstyle seats and dashboard trim. Delivered in October 1983, chassis 145 was far from a standard Stradale. Documentation on file confirms that it was supplied new with a Tipo Evoluzione Corsa engine, effectively providing Cardín with factory competition specifications from the outset.

Beginning that December, the 037 was campaigned in events forming part of the Campeonato de España de Rallyes and regional Spanish championships, wearing the unforgettable red and white El Gaitero Competición livery. In the hands of Cardín and a succession of co-drivers, the Lancia recorded numerous strong finishes, including 2nd Overall at the 1984 Rallye Villa de Gijón and other top-10 results in several national events, among them the Rallye Internacional Príncipe de Asturias, then a round of the FIA European Rally Championship.

As competition intensified and factory development continued, Cardín elected to return the car to Lancia’s Rally Service Department in 1986 for conversion to Evolution II specification. Supported by copies of factory correspondence and invoices retained in the car’s history file, the upgrade was completed during the summer of that year and incorporated the final and most potent evolution of the 037 program. The results were immediate. Returning to competition at the Rallye San Agustín in August 1986, Cardín and co-driver José Manuel Rodríguez claimed an outright victory before continuing to campaign the car in Spanish national and regional rallies through 1989.

Following its retirement from frontline competition, the 037 remained in Cardín’s care for more than three decades. Beginning in 2014, it embarked upon a second chapter as a participant in some of Spain’s most popular historic rally gatherings, including the Rallye Festival Trasmiera, Gr. A Legend Rally-Asturias, Rallye Sierra Morena, and Rallye Festival Hoznayo. Throughout this period, the car remained a familiar sight in Asturias, still wearing the charismatic El Gaitero colors with which it had become synonymous.

The significance of this continuity is critical. Given the demanding nature of period rally competition, Group B cars often present collectors with complex ownership histories, evolving specifications, and competition records that can be difficult to document comprehensively. Chassis 145 stands in marked contrast. Retained by its original owner from new until 2021, upgraded by the factory during its active competition life, and supported by extensive contemporary documentation, it possesses a clear and undisputed provenance rarely encountered among top-tier historic rally cars.

Acquired by its current American owner in 2021, the Lancia has since been carefully maintained within a collection of significant historic racing cars. It remains a highlight whenever displayed, its distinctive El Gaitero livery and well-documented Spanish history drawing considerable interest from devoted collectors and casual enthusiasts alike.

Today, this remarkable machine represents a rare opportunity to acquire an Evolution II-specification 037 with known ownership from new, documented period competition history, factory-supported development, and one of the most memorable liveries of the Group B era. A genuine survivor from rallying’s most celebrated and glamorous period, it stands among the most significant Lancia competition cars available to collectors today.

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