A three-part docuseries, to be aired from Saturday 3 June at 21:15 on Sky Documentaries and NOW, it focuses on the history of the Lancia brand from 1970 to 1990, when the brand was dominant in the world of rallying. To this day, it remains the most successful maker ever.
“Lancia. The rallying legend” is a Sky Originals three-part docuseries, to be broadcast from Saturday 3 June on Sky Documentaries and NOW, with episodes 2 and 3 airing from 7 and 10 June respectively. It tells the story of Lancia in the golden age of rallies from 1970 to 1990, when the brand was dominant in the world of rallying and indeed became the most successful maker in history.
To unveil the initiative, Sky selected the Stellantis Heritage Hub at Via Plava, 86 in Turin. Part of the Mirafiori industrial complex and a stone’s throw from Lancia headquarters, this iconic and highly evocative venue is the home of the Stellantis Heritage department, tasked with preserving and leveraging the historical heritage of the Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia and Abarth brands.
These spaces – whose original industrial charm has been retained – are used to store the unrivalled corporate collection of over 300 vintage cars, together with a vast exhibition dedicated to the Lancia brand that includes the nine cars that inspired the design of the brand's future: from the Aurelia B24 Spider and the Italian President’s Flaminia, to the Stratos and the 037.
“Lancia. The rallying legend”
The docuseries tells the story of cars that have almost become mythological creatures, whizzing among the people and winning the most adventurous races, and of those whose passion and fervent desire to win inspired them and led them to victory.
Created in the mid-1960s, the Lancia Racing Department is the story of all-Italian excellence, which resulted in the small Lancia Fulvia Coupé HF winning the first World Championship in 1972, against all odds. And the Lancia Stratos, the first car designed specifically for rallies and the star in the mid-’70s of a three-year golden age of victories around the world.
After a few years away from racing, Lancia returned to competition in 1983 with the very lightweight and fast Rally 037, which overcame the challenge against the favourite Audi 4, taking a historic victory in Monte Carlo. The next step was the creation of the Delta S4, whose advanced technique and monstrous power made it very difficult to tame.
The Racing Department continued to face up to the challenge with the Delta HF integrale, taking an all-Italian victory at the 1988 and 1989 World Championships. It even won the Safari Rally, which had been an unachievable feat until then. On the cusp of the ’90s, rallying had become a very popular collective phenomenon, with the power to overwhelm and excite. But after taking five consecutive World Constructors’ Championships, a record that still remains to be broken, Lancia announced its withdrawal from the world of rallying in late 1991.
The Lancia Racing Department is therefore reflected in the history of the late 20th century: it remained faithful to the values of innovation and ingenious creativity that transformed it into a world view of its own that influenced the history of Italy and the profound changes in society and customs in a country that needed to dream more than it ever had before.
And the history of this adventure has been made by its leading lights: Luca Napolitano (Lancia Brand CEO); Roberto Giolito (Head of Heritage, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia and Abarth); Massimo “Miki” Biasion (driver, world champion, 1988-89); Alex Fiorio (driver, Group N world champion, 1987); Cesare Fiorio (Lancia Racing Team Principal, 1965-1989); Sergio Limone (design engineer, Abarth, 1972-2005), Claudio Lombardi (Head of Lancia/Abarth Engines, 1976-83 and Lancia Racing Technical Director, 1984-89); Riccardo Scamarcio (actor and producer); Beppe Severgnini (journalist and author) and many others.