CHAMPION-PROOF / PATRESE-LANCIA TURBO
I drove this car 300km (Kyalami's distance) and found it exciting as a motor and roadholding
Translated by the Webmaster
PADUA - Immediately after my victory at Kyalami, here I am at the wheel of the Lancia Delta HF Turbo that Autosprint asked me to try for its readers. The test lasted as long as the South African GP, about 300 kilometers of which part on the motorway, part on the roads of the Euganean hills and part in the city, to be able to test this interesting car in all conditions.
Let's start from the line: it's pleasant, elegant. practical and sporty at the same time. At the wheel it is easy to find the right driving position.
The engine has become, thanks to supercharging, a real "bomb" There is a "hole" up to 3800-4000 rpm, but at this speed the turbo starts operating gradually, without the typical "kick in the back”. The car acquires an acceleration and power that are difficult to find in similar cars of equal or greater displacement. The Delta 1600's low weight also contributes to this: just 1000 kilos. In fifth gear at 3000 rpm, you are traveling at 100 km/h, at 4000 rpm at 35 km/h, at 5000 rpm at 70 km/h and at 6000 rpm you are already over 200 per hour: not bad for a 5-seater family sedan. Acceleration in the various gears is also very good: in the first I reached 65 km/h, in the second the 105, in the third the 140, in the fourth the 170 and in the fifth the 205. To cover the kilometer from standstill I took 30 seconds, with an output speed of 180 km/h at 5200 rpm in fifth gear.
Being a front-wheel drive with great power, the Delta HF has an understeer behavior when cornering, but there is no problem because the road holding is excellent both in the mixed and in the fast, where it always remains glued to the asphalt.
The brakes are another of the strong points of this car: powerful and progressive, they are activated without effort even at high speeds. Excellent front seats that offer perfect anchoring of rider and passenger even in the most demanding corners. In my opinion, the steering wheel is a little too big and the gearbox would be preferable more direct and with less lever travel.
In conclusion, the Lancia Delta HF is a very fun car to drive, which can be used as a normal and quiet sedan, but which is also always ready to “go wild” when the driver asks for it. It is certainly one of the most "divine" machines in its class.
© 1983 Autosprint • By Riccardo Patrese • Published here for non-profit, entertainment-only purposes