1983 Lancia 037 Rally #305
SPECIFICATIONS
- MakeLancia
- Model037 Rally
- Year1983
- Serial #305
- Engine ## 232 AR4
- VINZLA151AR000000305
- Engine Type151 ARD
- Chassis TypeTubular
- Build Sequence #5
- Number Built20 Evo 1 037s
- Body TypeGroup B
- Body BuilderPininfarina
- First OwnerFiat/Lancia/Martini
- Current LocationGermany
We are pleased to offer 1983 Lancia Martini 037 s/n 305, registered on Italian plates TO Y63865, unquestionably one of the most significant, if not “the” most significant Lancia 037 Group B Rally car of all time. Between 22 and 29 Jan. of 1983 Lancia 037 s/n 305 was piloted by Walter Röhrl and Christian Geistdörfer through 30 separate grueling rally stages, covering 709 kms, comprising dry asphalt, wet asphalt, snow and ice, (and sometimes all four in a single stage), to win the Monte Carlo Rally. After 037 s/n 305 was retired from racing, it was one of a group of then-obsolete ex-works cars sold to Giuseppe Volta of VOLTA racing, an 037 Specialist and subcontractor whose race shop had built some of the Evo 1 cars for Lancia and had provided race support throughout the 037 program. In the late 1980s it was restored by Volta, sold to a private European collector and kept in a single private collection until going to its current owner in 2016.
While not well known in the US, Group B was created by the FIA in 1982 for the World Rally Championship season and had few restrictions on weight, technology or boost, the only limiting restriction was that 200 Homologation cars had to be built. The result was a small number of the fastest, most powerful, and most sophisticated Factory campaigned rally cars ever built in what is today commonly referred to as the golden era of rallying. Built as an ever-faster replacement of the Lancia Stratos, the 037 was designed by Abarth, working with Pininfarina, Dallara and engineer Sergio Limone, the project manager, to build a tube-frame silhouette racer; loosely based on the center body section of a Lancia Montecarlo but with steel tubular front and rear sub-frames. Bodywork was what-was-then ultra-sophisticated Kevlar front and rear body sections with a Kevlar double bubble roof line. The engine was turned 90 degrees to a longitudinal position with a supercharger rather than a turbocharger to eliminate turbo lag and improve throttle response. The 1,995cc DOHC supercharged inline four-cylinder engine was fitted with Bosch Kugelfisher mechanical injection, a five-speed ZF gearbox, front and rear independent double-wishbone suspension and Brembo/Abarth four-wheel disc brakes. Power of the Evo 1 was 300 hp with the help of water injection.
Click on Group B – The Golden Era of Rallying for a video that’s worth a thousand words.
The Lancia 037 was unveiled on April 21st, 1982 at the Turin Auto Show by Team Manager Cesare Fiorio, Technical Director Claudio Lombardi, Project Engineer Sergio Limone and most of Lancia’s top brass. By 01 Aug., 1982 twenty “volution 1” 037 cars had been completed and were homologated by the FIA. Once homologated the last half of the 1982 world championship would be a warm-up year for the Group B cars while the 1983 season featured fantastic duels between the Lancia and the Audi drivers. After twelve months and ten championship races Lancia beat its German rival by five wins to four, taking the 1983 World Rally Championship Constructors’ title with Germany’s Walter Röhrl and Finland’s Markku Alen its principal drivers, despite serious competition from the 4WD Audi Quattro and multiple other manufacturers. Group B was initially a very successful group, with the Porsche 911 SC RS and Porsche 959, the Ford RS200, the Peugeot 205 T16, Renault R5 Turbo, Mazda RX7, the Opel Manta 400 4WD and the Nissan 240 RS all joining the premier World Rally Championship. Indeed, the Group B cars attracted more spectators than the 1983-85 F1 Championship. But the cost of competing quickly rose and the performance of the cars proved too much resulting in a series of fatal crashes. As a consequence Group B was canceled at the end of 1986 and Group A regulations became the standard for all cars. Officially known as the Tipo 151, but remembered today from its Abarth project code # 037, the Lancia 037 was the last rear-wheel drive car to dominate and win the World Rally Championship.
Lancia Martini 037 s/n 305has been Abarth/Lancia Classiche certified as the Monte Carlo winner, with the Classiche White Book in hand, has the FIVA Identification card confirming that s/n 305 is the Monte Carlo winner, is also European Duty Paid and has a known and well-documented ownership history back to the day first registered by Fiat Auto Spa on 05 Jan., 1983. After 037 s/n 305 was retired from racing, it was one of a group of then-obsolete ex-works cars sold to Giuseppe Volta of VOLTA racing, an 037 Specialist and subcontractor whose race shop had built some of the Evo 1 cars for Lancia and had provided race support throughout the 037 program. In the late 1980s it was restored by Volta, sold to a private European collector and kept in a single private collection until going to its current owner in 2016. Lancia 037 s/n 305 is a state-of-the-art Evo 1 Group B Championship winning race car yet is also user-friendly and predictable to drive in the Historic Rallying events now becoming very popular and would also be a welcome addition to any concourse lawn. 037 s/n 305 most recently was run up the hill at the Bernina Pass hill climb earlier this month, e-mail us for a video. Unquestionably the best of the Factory Campaigned and Martini sponsored Rally winning 037s.
1983 Lancia Martini 037 Rally s/n 305, the 1983 Monte Carlo winner, has been Abarth/Lancia Classiche certified with the Classiche White Book in hand, is European Duty Paid and has a known and well-documented ownership history back to the day first registered by Fiat Auto Spa on 05 Jan., 1983. Lancia 037 s/n 305 is a state-of-the-art Evo 1 Group B Championship winning race car yet is also user-friendly and predictable to drive in the Historic Rallying events now becoming very popular and would also be a welcome addition to any concourse lawn. Unquestionably the best of the Factory Campaigned and Martini sponsored Rally winning 037s.
S/n 305. Lancia 037 Group B. Full VIN ZLA151AR000000305. Lancia/Martini Group B Evo 1 team car. Engine # 232 AR4. #5 of 20 Evo 1 037s. 151 ARD.
1983, 05 Jan., first registration.
1983, 22–29 Jan., 037 s/n 305 registered on Italian plates TO Y63865 driven by Walter Röhrl and Christian Geistdörfer won the Monte Carlo Rally. The Monte Carlo Rally was run over 30 separate stages covering 709 kms comprising dry asphalt, wet asphalt, snow and ice, sometimes all in a single stage of the rally.
1983, 30 May–02 June, 037 s/n 305 registered on Italian plates TO Y63865 driven by Markku Alen and Ikka Kivimaki finished 2nd overall in the Rothman’s Acropolis Rally. The Acropolis Rally was run over 45 separate stages covering 836 kms over a mix of mix of rough, twisty mountain stages and coupled with blistering heat and choking dust.
1980s, mid, one of a group of then-obsolete ex-works Lancia 037 race cars sold to Giuseppe Volta of VOLTA racing.
1997, 19 Dec., sold by Officina Volta, Via Rivoli 98, 10090 Rosta to Aigli Apostolou, a Greek Collector living in London.
2016, 03 Nov., sold by Aigli Apostolou, then in Athens, Greece to Coys of Kensington, 237-241 Lower Mortlake Road, London, England.
2016, 03 Nov., sold by Coys of Kensington to current owner.
2016, September, inspected and approved by Maurizio Zarnolli and Luca D′agostini, the Abarth/Lancia Classiche Specialists.
2017, 09 Nov., Lancia Abarth White Book issued.
2018, February, on consignment with Ferraris-online LLC.
