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THE ITALIAN COACHBUILDER SITE

Lancia Delta

1979

Lancia Delta

THE VEHICLE AT A GLANCE

Model dossier

Production period
1979
Body style
Hatchback
Type
Mass

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE CAR

Coachbuilding, design & conversions

PRICE & SALES RECORD

Vehicle value

Original price
Not documented
Latest recorded sale
Not documented

01 / THE STORY

History & context

The Lancia Delta: Volkswagen Golf success, premiered the year before, convinces the Lancia management to commit Italdesign Giugiaro the project for a compact but sparkling berline. For the Delta, in comparison with the Golf, the internal compartment is more comfortable and more qualitative. Delta’s design is composed by geometrical and straight lines rich of personality. In the starting project a sliding back seat was provided to increase the room for luggage. This solution won’t be realized because of production costs. Immediately before the production, a new cowling is assembled and this particular becomes the Lancia family feeling for 80′ and 90’s. It’s a two box that reintroduce the image of Lancia. The Lancia Delta was the first and so far only Lancia car to be voted Car of the Year in 1980. This car was also briefly sold in the early 1980s under the Saab brand in Sweden, under the name Saab 600. The sporting successes achieved by its rally versions made it a successful car and extended its career, which spanned an entire decade and only ended in 1993 with the arrival of the second series designed by the I.DE.A Institute, though it remained on the list with various special editions until 1995.

02 / TECHNICAL IDENTITY

Specifications & construction

Production & construction

Production type
Mass

Dimensions & accommodation

Wheelbase
2,475 mm
Length
3,895 mm
Width
1,620 mm
Height
1,355 mm

Design & manufacture

Designer · Candidate
Giorgetto Giugiaro
Manufacturer · Documented
Lancia
Design Studio · Documented
Italdesign

06 / EVENTS & AWARDS

Events & awards

Europe Car of The Year General · From the historical archive
Date
1980
Chassis
General

08 / FROM THE ARCHIVE

Archive

References held in the vehicle dossier. Their inclusion does not establish that every historical claim has been independently verified.

ReferenceSource type
Auto-Data — Lancia Delta I technical data www.auto-data.net Specialist technical database

10 / CONNECTED HISTORY

Timeline

Chronological history1 dated records
  1. Unassigned chassis · Event

    Europe Car of The Year

THE CONVERSATION

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