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Talking to clients about their cars and how they enjoy them is one of the pleasures of being a specialist classic car insurance broker. We are lucky to hear so many stories of family treasures, full nut and bolt restorations, and radical custom projects, and now it’s time to share some of these awesome classic car adventures with you.

Andy’s 1993 Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2

The Lancia Delta Integrale was one of THE hot hatches to own during the late 80s and early 90s. Originally built and homologated to allow Lancia to compete in group A rallying following the demise of Group B, even to this day, the Delta remains one of the most successful rally cars ever to compete in the World Rally Championship with over 40 wins and 6 consecutive manufacturer titles between 1987 and 1992.

Cars from this era benefit from ClassicLine’s modern classic car insurance schemes, and Andy’s 1993 Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2, as featured in our 2021 Drive It Day gallery, is a fine example of how much fun retro hot hatches can be.

Andy’s passion for classic cars started at a young age. Passing his driving test in the early 1980s, much of the 80s and 90s were spent reading all the car magazines of that era, the heyday of the light, affordable hot hatch. His first car was a 1979 Fiat 127 Sport, followed by a succession of now sought-after retro cars, including a MK2 XR2, a Peugeot 205 GTI in both 1.6 and then 1.9m form, and a VW MK2 Golf GTI 16v. However, with the increase in popularity of these high-performance, affordable cars, incidences of theft soared and so coupled with rising insurance premiums, Andy eventually reverted to something more practical.

14 years ago, Andy went back to his high-performance roots and bought a 1993 Lancia Delta Integrale from Integrale specialist Walkers Garage in North Allerton.

My car is an early Evo 2 model, probably the most desirable of the road car versions to most people. But, in fact, by the time the car was on sale, the Lancia factory team had withdrawn from rallying so for aficionados, it’s probably viewed as the least authentic model from a motorsport history perspective

Andy

Lancia produced just over 1,200 Evo 2 models plus a few limited editions, so they are relatively rare to come by nowadays. Andy comments, “I’d wanted one for years, it was the darling of the motoring press and was in another league, both in terms of cost and performance, to other hatches. Some said if Ferrari made a 4 door hatch, the Integrale would be it and indeed it used to get road tested against cars like the 911 and Testarossa to name but a few. I remember a friend of my cousin, who was a little older than I, had a 1988 16V which I used to drool over and once got a lift to a football match sitting in the back seat. I was hooked!”.

Andy’s Delta Integrale was originally from Vicenza in Northern Italy and was imported into the UK in 2000. The car was in great condition when Andy bought it, including the characteristically Italian red paintwork. In fact, apart from a stainless steel exhaust, the car has remained unmodified. The original dealer fit cassette player is still in the car, and unusually for a hatch of this era, speakers have not been fitted in the rear parcel shelf.

Under the bonnet, it is stock too. The engine a 1995 CC, 4-cylinder, turbocharged 16V engine, producing 215 BHP and about 230 lb/ft of torque. “Not a lot by today’s standards but still enough for a 0-60 MPH sprint of 5.7 seconds which was really quick back in the day”, Andy remarks. The car has permanent 4-wheel drive with a 5-speed manual gearbox, and 16 inch standard Speedline wheels, which are distinctively Integrale.

Inside, the interior is original too, a sea of beige Alcantara as Andy describes it, but the Recaro seats are fantastic! As with all cars of the era, the plastic trim and finishing’s are on the hard and squeaky side, and we are not surprised to hear that it can get rather warm inside the car on a hot day. The 90s aircon is trying to contend with the heat emitted from the snug engine bay.

All in all, Andy has a great looking car and under his ownership, it has appeared in both Classic and Sportscar Magazine and Auto Italia. It has also been proudly displayed at the NEC Classic Motor Show on the Lancia Motor Club stand which is always an honour. Andy is a long-time member of the Lancia Motor Club and also Club Lancia Sport, both of which are vibrant communities with useful tech discussions. But getting out and driving is where the real fun lies. “I love driving it as it simply makes me smile. In the summer, we went on a road trip driving some glorious roads in Wales with 12 other Integrale’s. What a sight that was!”, says Andy.

Averaging around 2,500 miles a year, Andy says he would love to drive down to the Le Mans Classic, or perhaps to Rally Legends in San Marino one day. But until that happens, Andy really enjoys attending local pub meets, as well as longer drives to locations such as Oulton Park and Donington for various events including the Gold Cup and Historic Festival. “People who like cars really enjoy seeing an Integrale out and about. On several occasions, someone has stopped me in a car park or shouted across a street to say seeing the car has ‘made their day’”, comments Andy.

To view more of Andy’s recent trips in his 1993 Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2, find him on Instagram at @andyintegrale.

Andy, thanks very much for chatting with us!