From the Classifieds: 1990 Lancia Delta Integrale 16V

Many people think of early Subaru WRX and Mitsubishi Evolution cars when they’re asked about road-going rally icons, or perhaps the fabled Audi Quattro.

But for others, nothing goes past the legendary Lancia Delta Integrale.

This turbocharged all-wheel drive Italian speed machine was a dominant force in the World Rally Championship for years before the WRX and Evo took hold.

A regular Lancia Delta is a rare sight on Aussie roads, but a genuine Delta Integrale – the homologated road-going rally car – is even rarer still.

That makes the emergence of a prime-condition 1990 Lancia Delta Integrale 16V on carsales all the more eye-catching.

Listed privately for $87,000 and located in the northern Sydney suburb of Brookvale, this left-hand drive example is showing just 60,006km on the clock and appears to have been lovingly maintained.

According to the listing, the car was imported from Japan “many years ago” and recently had a major service carried out, which included a new timing belt, water pump, reconditioned alternator and starter motor, new coil pack, leads, coolant hoses, flushed cooling system and intercooler, new wheel bearings, brake rotors, rebuilt callipers, fresh suspension bushes and tie rod ends.

A few key components have been upgraded to unlock even more of the car’s rallying heritage including a new exhaust system, adjustable coil-overs and a high-capacity fuel pump.

We don’t know exactly how much extra power the modifications have contributed, but the seller says the car “goes incredibly well and sounds fantastic”. That’s as we might expect, but only a test-drive will prove it…

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine in showroom-spec 16V Delta Integrale cars produced 147kW of power and 298Nm of torque, all of which was harnessed by an advanced all-wheel drive system and a five-speed manual transmission.

The mods and reconditioning work on the listed car are paired with a repainted intake plenum, rocker cover, brake callipers and a spotless black leather interior – a factory option.

The car also features a period-specific Blaupunkt Brennan DAB digital stereo styled to look like the original sound system, albeit with the inclusion of Bluetooth connectivity.

We can’t imagine this WRC-dominating icon will last long on the market, so now’s the time to take a closer look at the 1990 Lancia Delta Integrale 16V for sale on carsales.

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