VIDEO: Lancia’s WRC icon gets the all-electric treatment

14/5/2021

A rallying icon and an exercise in understated everyday automotive brutalism, the Lancia Delta dominated international rallying in the late 1980s and early 1990s and over three decades since its sideways heyday as been given the electric power treatment.

Traditionally, underneath the bonnet of the most potent Delta lies a two litre, twin cam, turbocharged Fiat engine. However GCK Motorsport have ripped up the rule book and produced an all-electric Delta Evo-e, the first in a series of ‘Exclusiv-e’ electric restomods.

GCK Motorsport have taken the singular Delta body shell, but replaced the original engine with an electric powerplant, keeping the 4x4 drive layout, and crucially, unlike the majority of electric vehicles, the Delta Evo-e has a manual transmission.

It’s worth remembering that in the storied history of the World Rally Championship, the Lancia Delta took the Italian firm the manufacturer’s title six times between 1987 and 1992 with four driver’s titles, clocking up a whopping 46 rally victories, and the all-electric Delta has had the blessing from one of Lancia’s best drivers from yesteryear.

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1994 WRC champion and 11-time rally winner Didier Auriol got behind the wheel of the 200bhp Delta Evo-e and loved the experience. “I was quite sceptical before trying the Evo-e,” commented Auriol, “but I can now guarantee that its driving sensations are exceptional.”

With a ringing endorsement from a former WRC champion, GCK Motorsport must be doing something right to take such a lusted and sought after classic as the Delta and give it such a makeover, and the company plan to build 36 Delta Evo-es for road going thrills and 11 for rally competitions.