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Lancia Hyena: The Zagato Delta

PHOTOS LANCIA HYENA: RM SOTHEBY'S

Produced from 1988 to 1993, the Lancia Delta HF Integral hardly needs an introduction. In fact, what speaks best about it is the data. Specifically those related to the World Rally Championship, where garnered five constructors' world titles and 35 victories. A legend of the stages with an aesthetic marked by the master lines of Giorgetto Giugiaro. And it is that the mythical designer was the architect of the geometric semblance with which the first generation of the Lancia Delta was born.

A design of the most eighties, even more so if we take into account that it was born in Italy, where those years the design of cars seemed to be made square and square. Over the years, the Delta gained a more muscular presence, especially with the widened wheel arches on the HF Integrale versions. But nevertheless, always preserved that geometry of straight lines devised by Giugaro. Everything until the change devised by Zagato in 1992. Of course, a short-run change, since the Lancia Hyena only produced 24 units.

lance hyena

In fact, this one you see is precisely the last, being one of only three with 300CV. A power that makes him a lancia hyena very special, which adds to having been the personal car of the creator of the project, Paul Koot. Obsessed with producing a coupe based on the Lancia Delta HF Integrale, this Dutch importer never managed to convince the FIAT group of this. However, its creation remained as one of the most interesting derivatives of the Lancia Delta.

AN IDEA OF PAUL KOOT THAT DIDN'T FIT ON FIAT

Without ever having been in the pay of a large automobile company, Max hoffman He became one of the most influential characters in the landing of the European motor in America. Gifted with a great instinct to read market trends, ideas such as the Mercedes 300SL, the BMW 507 or the Porsche Speedster came out of his head. All of them vehicles with recognizable sporting whims, which fascinated a North American market eager for exotics Europeans with verve and nerve. However, the curious thing about all this is that Max Hoffman was, quite simply, a car importer, very well connected that yes.

Paul Koot, At the end of the 80s he was in charge of the importation of Lancia models to the Dutch market. Fascinated with the behavior of the Lancia Delta HF Integrale, our businessman came to FIAT with an idea: the mass production of a coupe based on the platform and mechanics of the model. Something like a twist on the history of the Delta, offering a distinctive version with lighter weight and lines more adapted to the neighboring 90's. Unfortunately, the idea was not seen with good eyes by FIAT -owner of Lancia since 1972-, which was not an obstacle for Paul Koot to be discouraged. So, he got down to work with what would be the Lance Hyena.

lance hyena

Far from giving up our intrepid Dutchman turned to Zagato. With experience in short run projects, the Milanese bodybuilder immediately said yes to the idea, anticipating the sale of some 500 units of the Lance Hyena. In fact, they jumped into the pool so quickly that they fully trusted in being able to buy the chassis and mechanics from the factory. Something that, finally, was not possible due to the null collaboration of FIAT for the new adventure. As it was, there was only one solution: the manufacture of each Lancia Hyena would require the sacrifice of a Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione.

lance hyena

LANCIA HYENA, OR THE SACRIFICE OF A DELTONA

What was required to have a Lancia Hyena was very similar to what we are now seeing with the New Stratos, which requires the sacrifice of a Ferrari F430 for its creation in Manifattura Automobili Torino. Comparisons aside, the truth is that few people were willing to bring a Lancia Delta HF Integrale to Zagato for his transformation. A shame, since the Lancia Hyena apparently improved on various objective criteria to the model it takes as a base. Beyond a purely Zagato aesthetic - its ceiling is not even missing "double bubble "-, the objective evolutions of the model lay especially in its weight.

lance hyena

The four-door body change to that of a coupe in aluminum plates lowered the scale considerably, something that was helped by the extensive use of carbon fiber in its interior. Outcome? Neither more nor less than 190 kilos less, shedding only 1148 kilos for their 250CV obtained with the two-liter turbo engine of the Lancia Delta HF Integrale. All this on a slightly trimmed chassis, also mounting a new set of independent suspensions with MacPherson scheme.

With these data, the Lancia Hyena is an interesting derivative of the Delta, even more so if you are a follower of the always striking Zagato designs. However, the high cost of the transformation and the fact of having to contribute a car as a donor made the project a financial failure. So things, the Lancia Hyena was only in production for one year, making it a rather rare car. For this reason, the offer of this unit draws so much attention, which will be auctioned at the end of June by RM Sotheby's in Essen. We'll see what happens to her.

What do you think?

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Written by Miguel Sánchez

Through the news from La Escudería, we will travel the winding roads of Maranello listening to the roar of the Italian V12; We will travel Route66 in search of the power of the great American engines; we will get lost in the narrow English lanes tracking the elegance of their sports cars; We will speed up the braking in the curves of the Monte Carlo Rally and we will even get dusty in a garage while rescuing lost jewels.

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