1968 Lancia Fulvia Coupè Rallye HF 1.6

Before Fiat’s takeover, Lancia introduced one of its last truly independent projects: the Fulvia. Presented at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show, the model embodied the brand’s philosophy of blending crisp Italian styling, advanced engineering, and agile performance in a compact yet refined package. Conceived under the guidance of technical director Antonio Fessia as a successor to the Appia, the Fulvia marked a decisive step forward in both design and technology. It adopted a front-wheel-drive layout at a time when most Italian competitors were still rear-driven, and it came standard with disc brakes on all four wheels – features that underscored its modern character. Power came from a narrow-angle DOHC V4 designed by Zaccone Mina, mounted at a 45-degree angle, a technical curiosity that contributed to the Fulvia’s distinct identity. Though production eventually surpassed 300,000 units, the model did not resolve Lancia’s financial difficulties, and the Fiat acquisition soon followed. The first version launched was a sober four-door berlina, but it was the coupé, introduced in 1965 and styled by Pietro Castagnero, that truly defined the Fulvia’s image. Low, sharp, and perfectly proportioned, the coupé reflected the elegance of Italian coachbuilding tradition while hinting at sporting intent. Over the years, Lancia enriched the coupé range with numerous trim levels and progressively more powerful engines, culminating in the legendary HF versions. The pinnacle was the 1.6 HF, unveiled in 1969: with 115 horsepower from its 1,584-cc engine, a five-speed gearbox, and a top speed around 180 km/h, it became the roadgoing counterpart to Lancia’s rally machines. The coupé also generated derivatives such as the Fulvia Sport, designed and built by Zagato, which combined lightweight construction with avant-garde lines. Yet it was the coupé in HF guise that secured the model’s lasting fame. Rallying soon became the Fulvia’s natural stage, where its precise handling and nimble balance made up for modest power. From the mid-1960s onward, the Fulvia scored important results in European rallies, consistently battling against more powerful rivals. Its greatest triumph came in 1972, when a Fulvia 1.6 HF driven by Sandro Munari clinched the International Championship for Manufacturers – a precursor to the World Rally Championship. That victory marked both the peak of the Fulvia’s career and a milestone in Lancia’s long rally tradition. Produced until 1976 in berlina, coupé, and Sport versions, the Fulvia closed an era for the company. It remains admired not only as an elegant, technically sophisticated car but also as a symbol of Lancia’s ingenuity before Fiat’s influence reshaped the brand. For enthusiasts, especially of the coupé, it stands as the last “true” Lancia – a car in which engineering originality, Italian style, and motorsport glory converged.

The Fulvia “Fanalone” is a unique, special, and winning machine. At the end of 1968, a car appeared that was first conceived for racing and only later offered as a series-production model. It earned the nickname “Fanalone” (“big headlights”) for its aggressive 170 mm inner lamps and for production details that had little in common with any previous Fulvia. Many of the parts specific to this version carried the identification number “818.540.” A total of about 1,258–1,278 “Fanalone” were built between 1969 and 1970. Most were road cars intended for homologation, while only a small number were prepared to full Group 4 specification. These were supplied either to Lancia’s Reparto Corse, to private teams such as Jolly Club, 3 Gazzelle, and Grifone, or to selected individual customers. Among them, the true ex-works cars built and raced directly by the factory team are believed to have numbered no more than a dozen, with probably just a few dozen in total (no more than 40–50) prepared for private customers. For private teams and owners, engines were supplied in configurations close to the originals but capable of higher performance. The units prepared for the official Lancia racing department, however, were something else entirely: specialists of the engine division, known for their “mechanical experience,” carried out deep modifications to cylinder heads, valve seats, manifolds, exhaust systems, and even to crankcases, using reinforced castings very different from those intended for production cars. These “ESPER MECC” racing components can be identified by their special markings, as seen on car body number 1006 (the sixth produced, in 1968), renowned for its outstanding competition record as one of the most successful Reparto Corse Fulvias. The bodywork also showed distinctive features: bonnets and doors in thin Peraluman alloy, and on Group 4 cars the entire right rear fender molded without a fuel flap, replaced instead by an opening near the right roof pillar to accommodate the oversized L-shaped fuel tank filler, designed to leave space for the spare wheel. The first 200 cars were fitted with thin, lightweight windshields, later replaced with stronger glass after frequent cracking in competition use. Inside, Group 4 specification brought radical changes. The cockpit was reinforced with a roll cage, the wooden steering wheel gave way to a Fusina wheel on the first examples, and with Group 4 homologation the dashboard was completely redesigned in fiberglass and aluminum, with repositioned instruments, switches, and fuses. Speedometers were absent on factory rally cars. Competition seats were mainly Ferrero bucket seats, although two reclining Recaros were fitted for road transfers. The pedal board was revised, and an Avional sheet panel was installed between cabin and trunk to prevent fuel vapors from entering the interior. Under the bonnet, the differences between road and Group 4 cars were numerous but less visible. The engine cover bore the classic yellow and blue colors of Turin, with slightly smaller “Lancia” lettering. Many components carried special numbering or stamped marks. On this particular example, 45 Weber carburetors are fitted. The crankcase was progressively reinforced over time, reflecting the extensive preparation aimed at reliability under competition stress. The gearbox was developed specifically for the 1.6 HF and its sporting use. A fifth gear was added via an additional gear set, producing a heavy unit that became known as the “testone” (“big head”) for its distinctive shape. For competition use, the transmission offered multiple choices of final drive and gear ratios, ensuring adaptability to different rally conditions.

Chassis no. 818.540*001006*, registered TO B 51446, was part of the very first lot of four cars prepared by Lancia’s Reparto Corse to full Group 4 specifications under Appendix J. It was the sixth Rallye 1.6 HF produced and the third car prepared by the works department to Group 4 specification. Of these first three Group 4 cars, it is supposed to be the only one that has survived intact. The car was entrusted from the outset to some of the finest drivers and co-drivers of the era. At the wheel were Sandro Munari, Harry Källström, Simo Lampinen, Tony Fall, Amilcare Ballestrieri, Sergio Barbasio, Alcide Paganelli, and James Ireland, with equally illustrious names in the navigator’s seat such as Mario Mannucci, John Davenport, Pierino Sodano, Gunnar Häggbom, and T. Wood. Few works cars of the time could claim such a concentration of rallying talent. Its competition record is among the most distinguished of any Fulvia. In major international events, it achieved four outright victories: the 1969 Rally of Spain (Källström-Häggbom), the 1970 TAP Rally (Lampinen-Davenport), the 1970 Rally of Portugal (Lampinen-Davenport), and the 1971 Rally 4 Regioni (Lampinen-Davenport). In addition, it scored eight further top-five finishes, underlining its consistency at the highest level. Chassis no. 818.540*001006* also appeared in many other important rallies. At the 84 Hours of the Nürburgring in 1969 it retired after twelve hours when Paganelli went off the road. In the same year’s RAC Rally, Munari and Davenport retired while leading after twelve special stages due to broken driveshaft bolts. At the 1970 Rally of Sweden, Lampinen and Davenport had to withdraw after taking over from sister car TO B 51443, whose engine would not start. At the 1970 Rallye dei Tulipani, Barbasio and Mannucci finished third overall despite losing the lead after a navigational error, and at Wiesbaden the same crew retired after an accident. Barbasio and Sodano later brought the car to third place overall at both the 1971 Sanremo Rally and the 999 Minuti Rally. At the 1970 RAC Rally, Lampinen and Davenport again retired, this time with gearbox failure. Altogether, with its four international victories and numerous podiums, chassis “1006” established itself as the most successful Fulvia ever fielded by the Reparto Corse. At the end of its works career, the car was sold to Amilcare Ballestrieri on 27 September 1972. It later passed to Walter Bulfoni and eventually to Carlo Stella. It is now preserved with remarkable originality.