Lancia 037: The Development and Rally History of a World Champion [Hardcover]

Auto Italia, June 2008
UK magazine
Circulation: 12,000
This is a good book! It's not one of your under-researched self-indulgent writer lightweights. Peter Collins has obviously taken a lot of time and effort to produce what must surely be regarded as the most authoritative record of the fabulous Lancia 037. Mind you, he was asked to write it by Sergio Limone, who was the main man behind the 037 project. With this kind of support, it's not surprising that there are plenty of archive pictures. The extensive collection of never-been-seen shots of the car during its development from the production Montecarlo shell are fascinating. There's also an insight into the proposed 037 'Evo 3', a four-wheel drive rallycross car and an 037 with twin rear wheels. Fascinating stuff. Highly recommended.
Speedscene, October 2008
The magazine of the Hillclimb and Sprint association
The fabulous Group B rally cars of the 1980s were a relatively short-lived breed and so opportunities to see them were rare. In later life, though, some made sporadic appearances in hillclimbing in Britain to enliven the large capacity sports libre classes. One of the most charismatic was long-time Ferrari enthusiast Christian Mineeff's flame-spitting, Martini-liveried Lancia 037 which few who saw it in action will forget. And even in period, John Gray had considerable success with his unique, right-hand-drive Andy Dawson-prepared example on the Scottish hills. Both these cars feature in Peter Collins' book, which traces the history of one of the main challengers to the all-conquering Audi Quattro and which took the World Championship for Makes in 1983. Including some of designer and chief engineerSergio Limone's initial concept sketches, the development of the car, with Lancia Montecarlo central cockpit shell and tubular sub-frames front and rear, is covered in detail before going on to detail the car's competition career.

In the late 1970s the problem facing any manufacturer that wanted to continue taking part in the World Rally Championship during the next decade was that the rules were being changed. Not only that but nobody knew until it was almost too late what form those new rules would take. This book takes the reader through the reasons for the new rules and the solutions that all potential contenders would have to consider if they wanted to win rallies at World Championship level. In particular, the subject of the book, Lancia's Rally, was the car that was developed quickly to deal with the then-dominant Audi Quattro. The reasons it succeeded are featured here along with an in-depth, behind closed-doors, look at the development of the car with the close help and cooperation of its designer and chief engineer Ing. Sergio Limone.Here you can read how he decided the basic configuration of the car, what the rules would allow and how the project unfolded in total secret at Fiat's various test tracks and centres in and around Turin overlaid with rumour and counter-rumour as the world's motoring press tried to make sense of what little knowledge they could glean of the project s progress. In addition Ing. Limone's own photographs from areas never allowed access to the public tell their own story. The story then moves to the world of top-level rallying, with all the associated glory and headaches. Accompanied by stunning photography and insights from team members, we follow the small and nimble 037s as the cars have become popularly known, as they head out to take the World Rally Championship for Makes in 1983 and innumerable wins throughout the world.In addition there are tests of various key examples of the cars and appendices of events and chassis used. Featuring many of Ing Limone's own photographs during development and interviews with team members, it is illustrated with 250 stunning and rare rally action photos.

Co-founder and Editor-at-Large of Auto Italia magazine in the UK in 1994, Peter Collins' enthusiasm emanated from Le Mans 1967, as a Ferrari supporter and he has subsequently become intimately involved in the total Italian motoring scene, both with the cars and the people. His first book was on the Lancia Integrale and second on the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33. He was honoured to be asked to write this book by Ing Sergio Limone, designer and chief engineer of the Lancia 037.