Hallowed Campion Collection Lancias Are Now For Sale
Lancia is almost a forgotten brand these days, it’s sole offering being the sub-compact – and sub-par – Ypsilon. But the Italian automaker has a genuine and revered motorsport history, and six of its most historic race cars are now for sale.
Girardo & Co. presented the Campion Collection of Lancia racers this past weekend at the Palm Beach Cavallino Classic in Florida. The collection, assembled by entrepreneur and race driver John Campion, all have genuine racing provenance from the world’s largest stages. What makes them even better is that they are all bathed in the classic Martini red-white-blue livery.
The 1981 Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo Group V was Lancia’s most successful endurance competition car. With almost 500hp from its 1,425cc four-cylinder Abarth engine and a weight of just 780kg, it claimed class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice and two World Sportscar Championships.
The 1982 Lancia LC1 Group VI, chassis number LC1-0002, was also built by Dallara, with a monocoque weighing just 55 kilograms. With stints at Le Mans and other races in the World Endurance Championship, its racing highlight was victory at the 1982 Nürburgring 1,000km, driven by Teo Fabi and Michele Alboreto. With 450hp and a total weight of just 640kg, this open-top endurance racer had a power-to-weight ratio of .65hp per kg.
The 1983 Lancia LC2 Group C, chassis number LC2-0001, was built by Lancia, Dallara and Abarth and sports a Ferrari V8. It had promising qualifying speeds but failed to win a major event, with a retirement at the 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans and a high of 2nd place at the Kyalami 1000km in South Africa. It was finally retired from motorsport at the end of 1985.
The 1984 Lancia 037 Rally Evo 2 Group B, chassis no. ZLA151AR000000411, was the winner of quite a few rallies from 1985 through ’87, including the Rally Colline Oltrepo, Rally Citta di Mantova and Rally Mille Miglia. Powered by a supercharged 1,995-cc four cylinder built by Abarth, it comes with the original Italian registration papers. Notably, one of the pilots during its history was Graziano Rossi, father of nine-time MotoGP champion Valentino.
The 1985 Lancia Delta S4 Corsa Group B, chassis no. ZLA038AR0 00000208, was originally used for testing, but finally raced in anger at the 1986 Rally 1000 Miglia, where it won comfortably, following that up with 3rd at the Rally Costa Smeralda shortly after. Unfortunately, the fearsome Group B was dropped in 1986, and the car was sold off and raced at smaller rallies around Europe before joining the Campion Collection in 2016. You can see more of this Delta S4 HERE.
Finally, what Lancia collection would be complete without a Delta Integrale? This 1988 Lancia Delta HF Integrale 8V Group A, chassis no. ZLA831AB000417885, won its debut race at the 1988 Rallye de Portugal. This particular car won two rallies that year and helped score an FIA World Rally Championship for both manufacturers and driver Miki Biasion. Though sold off by Lancia, the Integrale 8V continued to race and win, and was immaculately restored in 2013.
*Images courtesy of Girardo & Co.
