A brand, a name and three numbers which for racing enthusiasts represent a code that needs no explanation, but only needs to be told.
Lancia: the SE037 project
It was 1982 when the SE037 project became reality at the Turin Motor Show : the collaboration between the Lancia brand , the famous design house Pininfarina, the chassis manufacturer Dallara and the tuner Abarth brought to light an extraordinary rally car . Even today, this car evokes indelible memories in the drivers who tamed it and in the many enthusiasts who crowded the roadsides of the Sanremo Rally. On 7 October 1983, exactly 40 years ago, the Lancia Rally 037 won the constructors' world title.
Among the drivers who contributed to this extraordinary success were legends such as Markku Alén, Walter Röhrl, Attilio Bettega and a young Miki Biasion.
The Lancia Rally 037 was the last rear-wheel drive car in rally history to win a world title, in an era when all-wheel drive was now dominant.
From rallies to acquisitions, a success story
How many fascinating stories have seen the Lancia 037 as the protagonist! One of these began on 7 February 1983, when the well-known racing car preparer 'Beppe' Volta purchased the 037 chassis 133 from Fiat Auto SpA for 36,320,000 lire, with the aim of making it debut in Spain in the Costa Brava Rally on February 19-20. In the race, the car was presented with a simple and clean livery: white background with some red stripes and the main sponsor Eminence, a brand of men's underwear.
After an unfortunate debut in the Costa Brava, where the car was eliminated due to a lack of control, the 037 took part in three more rallies, facing further unforeseen events, such as a broken suspension, an engine problem and an off-road situation. Finally, in the last test of the 42nd Tour de France Automobile , he achieved an important 3rd place. The livery of this last rally of the '83 season, with the number 1, remains memorable.
In 1985, the car reappeared with an orange color, managing to compete in two Italian rallies with good placings. However, it was time to be sold to another team. The Swiss branch of Fiat Auto SpA acquired the 037 and included it as an official car in the 1986 Fiat-Lancia Corse Suisse programme. It took part in five rallies obtaining good placings and an important first place in the German rally in Baden-Württemberg.
Érik Comas' restoration project
33 years and several changes of ownership had to pass before former Formula 1 driver Érik Comas rediscovered this piece of history in Holland. Immediately fascinated by the car, Comas began to conceive an ambitious project : to bring the Lancia 037 back to its perfect configuration of the last race of 1983, when it ran with the number 1. The careful checks carried out by Comas confirm the originality of the car, giving I begin a meticulous restoration work aimed at keeping every piece still good and functioning, restoring everything that is recoverable and reconstructing what is missing or irreparable as the original.
The restoration is an exciting and meticulous job, which involves dismantling the car piece by piece down to the last screw. The chassis and bodywork are treated with cataphoresis, all the mechanics are refurbished, the wiring restored, and the engine and gearbox completely redone. Comas even manages to recover from MOMO the set of specific rims with which the car raced in the 1983 Tour de France Automobile.
An obsessive work, with the aim of bringing the Lancia 037 back to its original state of 40 years before, while making it perfectly functional in every detail.
The first meeting with the 037 and the Comas: Lorenzo Carraro speaks
My first encounter with the Lancia 037 took place in September 2020, on the shores of the picturesque Lake Orta. It is during an automotive event organized by Érik Comas and his wife Raffaella that I have the opportunity to meet the couple and immerse myself in their dream come true: giving a new life to the 037 Eminence. For them, this car represents almost a child to look after and introduce into the world.
The 037 took its first steps in historical rally re-enactment competitions , participated in numerous car shows and in 2022 triumphed in the Poltu Quatu elegance competition, in Sardinia, defeating illustrious classic cars.
It was inevitable that this car, which I learned to love thanks to the passion of the Comas, would reappear in my professional life. It was entrusted to me with the task of taking care of it and finding new custodians capable of appreciating the true commitment with which Érik and Raffaella dedicated time and resources to restore it, as well as the emotion felt in seeing it reborn.
What makes this Lancia 037 exceptional is not its sporting pedigree, but rather the people who invested love and dedication so that it would not be forgotten. A rally car embodies the fatigue, fear, tension, joy and a myriad of other emotions experienced by those who drove it and those who assisted it. It was inconceivable to let a Lancia Rally 037 go to ruin, today among the nine cars that inspire the "Renaissance" of the brand.
Lorenzo Carraro CEO and Co-Founder Milano Classiche
