The Lancia Zagato remains an oddball in the collector car marketplace today, but it really shouldn’t be. There’s a lot here to like, from the influences of both Pininfarina and Zagato to the mid-engine design and targa-top roof. Still, they’re a bit lost on the landscape for vintage vehicles, and examples like this running, driving Zagato listed here on Facebook Marketplace for $2,700 in Columbus, Ohio remain quite attainable despite limited production. While these earlier cars came with the less desirable powerplant, they’re supposedly still heaps of fun to drive. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Darrun for the find.
The Zagato was plagued by the reputation of its forebears, more than anything, as the malaise era and Italian cars just didn’t mix. But there was also the unenviable problem of still running up against other enthusiast cars from foreign automakers still being churned out despite the power-robbing limitations of the era. Alfa Romeo still had the Spider, and Datsun was building Z cars as fast as it could. As is so often the case, the Zagato debuted with a low-output powerplant that would later rise to more respectable levels, but the damage had been done. This one is the earlier style with the 83 b.h.p. 1995-cc engine.
Still, from its exotic looks to its comfortable interior, the packaging of the Zagato was on target for shoppers of small, sporty cars. The Zagato was front wheel drive, but the mid-engined placement helped deliver entertaining handling. Road test editors at the time found the Zagato charming, even with a quarter mile run that took close to 20 seconds. Aside from the Italian car industry’s reputation, the Zagato also faced challenges with regards to its higher asking price when compared to its competitors, which became especially challenging with the modest horsepower rating and quality control concerns. The interior of this car looks to be quite nice, with untorn leather seats.
The later cars would adopt a DOHC, fuel-injected engine that delivered a respectable 108 b.h.p. and 114 lb-ft of torque. The Zagato’s performance would improve dramatically, but it was seemingly a case of too little, too late. In 1982, just 764 were sold, and the car faded away. Despite its scarcity today, we still see them pop up fairly often and for very reasonable prices – although, the hard-to-find final year models do command real money when discovered in good shape. There can’t be many left like this that haven’t been restored but also haven’t fallen down the slippery slope of cheap sports car ownership. Would you save it?
Mid-engine? Never heard one of these referred to as mid-engine before. The transverse 4-cylinder is tilted back 20 degrees, but I doubt that puts the engine’s center of mass behind the front axle centerline.
Wish I could go get it right now! If it’s not rusty anywhere and the interior is really as pictured, this is a steal! Although they are like a cheap Benz or BMW, after all the money to keep it on the road I’d rather be in this.
That seat leather will respond very well to treatment with mink oil (the actual oil, not the boot paste); they used a really nice glove-quality leather on these, which doesn’t withstand heat and sun very gracefully, but the oil treatment brings it right back to nearly new.
Mid engine front wheel drive?
Front-mid engine/Front wheel drive is a real thing. Citroen SM, Renault 5/LeCar, Saab 99/900. However, in those examples, the engine is mounted longitudinally behind the transmission.
including the Renault 16TS and all Citroen DS.
Saab transmissions were under the engine actually
Just begs for a Honda K series engine and transaxle swap.
The Fiat 2.0 L DOHC was a little gem. In South Africa tuners got freakish outputs out of them, though the Honda K series is bound to be much more reliable.
Thats funny, I have a Lancia Beta, my son said the exact same thing, “K-swap it dad!!”
It’s funny, I guess that my only experience with Lancia was a Beta that had to be repossessed due to it never being driveable. I was working out of the Tigard office. Is yours black?
has it been done. ?
The fuel-injected 1982 is the one to have. Much more performance and better corrosion control. I’d like mine back. They’re still cheap.
The ’81 was also fuel injected, basically identical to the ’82 except for the grille design and minor interior trim updates.
Lovely cars to take out for a thrash. Transverse front-engined, though; it was the Beta Montecarlo that was mid-engined… I think… as it was the basis of the 037.
Aha, getting this mixed up with the Montecarlo (Scorpion in the US) prolly explains the mid-engined reference. Those used the same powertrain as the FWD Betas, just mounted in the rear-mid position — basically the same trick Fiat pulled with the X1/9 using their powertrain from the 128.
I have a 82 in red ,great little car, great summer driving car,I have rebuilt the engine & a new clutch when i bought it. Love the car.
No idea of what these go for, i would like to have one, but at this price it must be a beater.
Nah, this price is about on par for a decent driver-quality example of this year and condition, tho’ if that mileage is actual and not a rollover, I’d expect a bit more premium, maybe a grand or so above this ask.
They’re just too weird and obscure to have enough demand to drive prices higher, and too many people who’ve even heard of them at all tend to parrot quaintly inaccurate shade they picked up about them from the grapevine, usually lumping them in with Fiats (really the only thing Fiat about these is the engine, which was a gem of its era).
They all had twin-cam engines. But the fuel injected ones were much batter
Yes the fuel injected ones are the best ,theres alot of tuning equipment for the carb. ones. you need to check out Guy Crofts book on the engine tuning & do the mods he recommends to the oil pan. The price is not to bad just check the engine make sure its in good condition.
I owned a 1982 Lancia Zagato. Absolutely LOVED IT.
It did not have as much passion and sport as my 1970’s Alfa Romeo – but it was a great, sporty car. Comfortable.
The Targa Top – you could pop off the plastic top cover that ran between the Targa Band and the windshield, over the driver / passenger seat in about 30 seconds. You could do it at a stop sign and pop it into your back seat and go.
The back window / rear of the top is soft… just two clicks and it would drop down. (beware of doing that when it’s closed, or the soft plastic window will crack! (I know from experience).
This one looks great for 40 years on the road. I had a few mechanical / electrical issues with mine.
By the way – it’s a front engine, front wheel drive.
I’m actually tempted to look closer at this one! But I would jump at a 1982!
Just to clarify, think you meant beware of dropping the ragtop when in motion. That doesn’t work very well, as the forward rake of the main bow when closed means it rises above the roofline slightly as you start to open it, turning it into a wind scoop. Wait for a stop or pull over to drop the top.
Here in Tucson, I usually drive mine with the ragtop down but the targa panel left on for shade from the brutal sun.
I frankly love Lancias to look at – that´s it. There is NO SUCH THING as a ¨cheap¨ Italian exotic.