2014 was a sad year for Lancia. It's when we found out Sergio Marchionne was planning to reduce the automakers lineup to a single model by discontinuing the Delta->ke1976, and both the Chrysler->ke21-based Thema and Voyager. As if that wasn't enough, the remaining Lancia Ypsilon will be sold only in Italy, which essentially means this Italian automaker is on a quick road to extinction. For me, a big Lancia enthusiast, that's downright terrible. Sure, present-day Lancia is just a shadow of what it used to be, but that's no reason to pull the plug on it and let it die. On the contrary, Marchionne should devise a plan to bring it back in the spotlight, much like he's doing with Alfa Romeo->ke1386.

It remains to be seen whether Fiat->ke30 will come to its senses or not, but in the meantime I'm here to present you with one of Lancia's glorious past moments. Thanks to Petrolicious, which has made a habit of showcasing some of the most important cars the industry has created, we can have a closer look at the Lancia 037, the racer that won the World Rally Championship and paved the way for the stunning first-generation Delta.

The 037 saga began in 1980, when Lancia started working on a rally car->ke191 to comply with the then-new FIA Group B regulations. The Italians opted for a mid-engine layout and turned to Abarth->ke2904 for a few tips. Fitted with a supercharged, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder powerplant that developed 265 ponies at first and 325 in its final Evolution 2 configuration, the 037 became a successful rally car, winning the series in 1983 with German ace Walter Rohrl behind the wheel.

With FIA regulations requiring at least 200 road-going version to be built for homologation, Lancia also rolled out a Stradale version, with its engine detuned to 205 horses. Although less aggressive than its rally-course sibling, the 037 Stradale is now a collectible in its own right. If only Lancia would look back on its legendary cars and move toward reviving its heritage...

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