Feeling stuck in your old hatchback? Tired of seeing twelve people every day driving the same car you own? Here’s a solution: still a hatchback, still family-friendly, but it’s a Lancia! Not only does it have exotic origins – with the styling penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro – but this example is pristine. It’s not a survivor – having had one repaint in its factory color – but it’s darn close. It’s also one of a few grocery-getters that spawned thundering performance cars destined to win rallies: this one was used as the basis for the Delta Integrale, and in a similar move over in France, the Renault 5 was transformed into the 5 Turbo. This 1982 Lancia Delta LX is available here on craigslist, with an asking price of $18,500. It’s located in the Washington D.C. area. Thanks to Tony Primo, who has a knack for finding unusual cars!
The Delta was launched in 1979 to occupy a niche that Lancia had abandoned in 1973 – the small family car. The Fiat-derived SOHC four-cylinder engine was augmented with a twin-choke Weber and electronic ignition, and better air flow through a new inlet manifold and exhaust for a boost of several hp over its Fiat sibling. A variety of displacements were available, from the base model at 1300 ccs, up to 1500 ccs. The car is front wheel drive with a sophisticated suspension and robust chassis. This example is a member of the first renovation for the model – 1982 – which added a front spoiler to a revised front bumper, among other minor changes. Other than the new GT 1600, this Delta was top-shelf for its vintage: a 1500 engine, five-speed manual, and LX trim. The seller notes that the car runs well, is kept garaged, and comes to its new owner accompanied by manuals, literature, and the original dealer sticker. The odometer has turned over once and now reads 31,915 km.
Lancia aimed the Delta at a sophisticated, upscale buyer. The upholstery is wool cloth, door cards were made to match, the ergonomics of the instrument panel were top of mind. The seller notes no rips or stains inside, including the headliner. I immediately appreciate an owner who keeps his car’s trunk this clean.
Can we find the style clues of Giugiaro? Yes: the Delta’s geometric tail lights and hatch glass, its angularity and sharp creases, its short-tailed proportion, and an exterior nearly devoid of trim are all hallmarks of Italdesign. Now let’s talk about this car’s value. A suspiciously similar car has made the rounds over the last several years, arriving from Italy in 2017, then selling here for $7250 three years ago. Early in 2025, the same VIN was a no-sale at Hemmings, with a high bid of $16,570. That should have been enough. The seller can wait out the market, but there’s no guarantee prices will come his way.
Haven’t seen one of these in ages. Thanks for the article Michelle.
Of course, Stan. Kinda handsome, isn’t it?
Indeed, love the front end, and chopped rear. š š
That is what i thought by seeing the photo. Still beautiful after almost 1/2 century. Great writing Michelle, i can only add that the expensive automatic version of the Delta was privileged with the Abarth 1.5lt engine (think X1/9) instead of the Fiat unit!
I have not owned a Delta, but rather the even rarer badge-engineered Saab 600. At the same time I also had a Fiat Ritmo. While they were really based on the same design it was interesting to see how Lanciaās engineers had tweaked almost every single part to make it better. And yes, it did indeed drive a whole lot better. This isnāt a classic Lancia of the past, it is quite plastic fantastic with hard unpleasant surfaces inside and the build quality was quite questionable. But it did drive well. In many ways the best comparisons I can come up with are the Mk1 Golf and the Peugeot 205. The Delta is larger than those but has the same feeling of lightness. But the price seems crazy to me, for that money for sure Iād rather buy a Fulvia or Giulia if I wanted to drive Italian with space for the family.
I’m not sure what’s more rare – the car, or buyers willing to pay more than $16,570 for it. The seller was a fool to turn down that offer.
Lancia cars always intrigued me. I owned a Scorpion/Monte Carlo for a few years. Seemed like a perfect upgrade from the Fiat X1/9 I was driving. I did enjoy the Lancia but parts were a nightmare to obtain. Eventually sold it and went back to Fiat models. There’s no denying the beautiful cars Lancia made and the fantastic rally cars they produced.
Sorry to hear that you had a problem with parts availability. Maybe you were in a different part of the country (I was on the East Coast). I had a Beta Berlina that I drove for several years before handing it to a family member.
Neither of us had a problem obtaining parts. When it was time for a brake job, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was less expensive to replace the rotors with new than to machine the originals. Al Consentino’s FAZA operation had a ton of performance parts for Fiat and Lancia which allowed me to make some upgrades at affordable prices. That Beta was in our family for 12 years before being sold to a collector in the Midwest.
Yup, the Scorpion/Montecarlo used the powertrain from the FWD Beta (engine and transmission, but with a Fiat block) and running gear from the X1/9 (suspension, brakes, steering), so knowing that, most critical parts and even some upgrades aren’t that hard to find. The Monte Hospital now stocks most parts unique to the Scorpicarlo, and Midwest-Bayless is a good source for Fiat/Lancia parts in the US.
Of course, things become a bit more challenging for a Lancia model never even sold in the US like this Delta, but thanks to the Internet parts from Europe aren’t that hard to source these days.
yes, this world car everybody hada go with, won big till the fordRS2000 killed everybody (literally) in rally-ing by it. Make a ātributeā to that car? No, not @ this price.
I’ll take the Integralli (spelling???) option thank you! You can also install all the rally lights too.. And since you are being so nice, please provide the service crew that I will need between every special stage!
nice
Are you trying to say the Ford RS200 (not RS2000) ended the Group B category? Actually, it was the Lancia Delta S4 driven by Toivonen that put the dagger in Group B when Toivonen and his co-driver Cresco died in Corsica at the Tour De Course. The Ford RS2000 was an Escort manufactred way before the Lancia Delta S4 or Ford RS200.
I’m fascinated to hear from someone who owned a Saab 600. I’d love to see one of those. People complained about the Saabaru in 2006-2007, but apparently that was nothing new, lol!
Just imagine this Delta, with badges along the bottom edge of the tailgate that say SAAB|Lancia on the left side and 600 GLS on the right side (there was also a short-lived GLE version with nicer trim, prolly equivalent to this LX trim), and that’s pretty much it for visual differences. Under the skin, Saab also spec’d an improved heater and rustproofing treatment, thermostatic air cleaner, and an automatic choke.