Grand Tour -- Lancia 037

Man, two pages before we got to the "it's not as good as it used to be" post. That's gotta be a record.

Although yes, the Lancia took the manufactory championship that year, and as the segment went on to show, they used some tricks to do so. (like changing tires mid run)

But lets not forget that Audi took the following year (84) Manufacturers Championship. And they had also won the 82 championship. 83 and 84 would also give Audi 2 drivers championships. They would of had the first female to win a drivers championship but she broke down towards the end of the last season race giving her position to an Opel driver.

Of course Lancia would go on to find sucess with the Delta Integrale which was by far my favorite of the Lancia's with the 037 being a really close 2nd.

Keith Tanner said:

Man, two pages before we got to the "it's not as good as it used to be" post. That's gotta be a record.

 

I might show my bias here, but older Lancias were better.

Okay, I'll grant you that!

Keith Tanner said:

Man, two pages before we got to the "it's not as good as it used to be" post. That's gotta be a record.

 

The new WRC cars are phenomenally fast, I'll give them that.  But they just seem so clinical compared to the Group A era.

I guess you'll always have that as things get more and more refined.

I was thinking more about every single Top Gear/Grand Tour thread, but it is kind of a running theme of this forum

I stopped watching rally when Loeb retired, and even then it was a far cry from the Safari days. I should check it out again.

Desy said:

Although yes, the Lancia took the manufactory championship that year, and as the segment went on to show, they used some tricks to do so. (like changing tires mid run)

 

But lets not forget that Audi took the following year (84) Manufacturers Championship. And they had also won the 82 championship. 83 and 84 would also give Audi 2 drivers championships. They would of had the first female to win a drivers championship but she broke down towards the end of the last season race giving her position to an Opel driver.

 

Of course Lancia would go on to find sucess with the Delta Integrale which was by far my favorite of the Lancia's with the 037 being a really close 2nd.

Lancia basically pulled an Italian Smokey yunick.  That guy is my hero. 

Knurled. said:

Keith Tanner said:

Man, two pages before we got to the "it's not as good as it used to be" post. That's gotta be a record.

 

The new WRC cars are phenomenally fast, I'll give them that.  But they just seem so clinical compared to the Group A era.

 

I guess you'll always have that as things get more and more refined.

Now I can't say I ever saw group a/b run. But I have seen rally America. Ain't nothing clinical about pastrana pitching a Subaru sideways at 100mph. It's still wild as E36 M3. 

Keith Tanner said:

I was thinking more about every single Top Gear/Grand Tour thread, but it is kind of a running theme of this forum

I stopped watching rally when Loeb retired, and even then it was a far cry from the Safari days. I should check it out again.

I've tried. I just can't get into it. Way to far away from production cars for my liking. I still love rallying and will watch the lower class cars but until they reign in the ludicrous wheel travel the WRC is not interesting to me at all.

Jumper K Balls said:

I will admit to preferring the looks of the uncluttered by livery street car version of the 037

 

 

the stock monte had a lot of front overhang.

mad_machine said:

 

Unfortunately for the Stratos, it has the opposite issue than the Quattro. With A arms up front and a strut based rear suspension, it's natural cornering attitude was to be sideways.

Why, whatever do you mean?

Nick Comstock said:

I've tried. I just can't get into it. Way to far away from production cars for my liking. I still love rallying and will watch the lower class cars but until they reign in the ludicrous wheel travel the WRC is not interesting to me at all.

 

To be fair the Rally America cars have more power but a whole lot less technology in diffs and things than WRC cars so they are more spectacular to watch.  Also seeing rally in person is way way more impressive than seeing it on TV.  Finally I often enjoy watching the bottom half of the field go past way more than most of the top 20.

In reply to Adrian_Thompson :

Rally America is the most fun I've seen involving a car and still having pants on. 

In reply to Mndsm :

You need to see them at night in the Michigan woods with snow and ice all around.  Best Motorsport spectating experience ever, including being in the pits of an F1 race. 

In reply to Adrian_Thompson :

I have seen them.in the Michigan woods, and it was cold as, and dark as hell. Just no snow. Army car did try to kill us. 

Hey just a quick headsup, y'all are NOT gonna wanna skip past this weeks' celebrity faceoff thing... 

In reply to Jay_W :

And how 'bout that Aston....   

Jay_W said:

Hey just a quick headsup, y'all are NOT gonna wanna skip past this weeks' celebrity faceoff thing... 

Yes the Celebrity Faceoff was very good.  

Conversation Street was a bit lacking.

The main part of the show with the three cars was interesting but there did not seem to be a point to it.  Although I really liked the cars. . . Well two of them anyway.  I was hoping Caption slow as going to show up in another period correct car.  

( I am trying to not make this a spoiler) 

That Aston and Jaguar were just incredible. I loved that bit.