The Lancia Delta HF 4WD is too often overshadowed by its successor, the Integrale — yet it was this Series 1 car, homologated in Group A in 1986, that set the stage for Lancia's dominance of the European rally scene. Kyosho's 1:18 die-cast scale model captures a specific, historically grounded moment: the Grifone Esso No. 1 car as it appeared at Rally Piancavallo 1987, crewed by Fabrizio Tabaton and Luciano Tedeschini.
The Group A Delta Before the Integrale
The Lancia Delta HF 4WD ran a turbocharged four-wheel-drive Group A configuration, homologated in 1986. It dominated the 1987 European and Italian Rally Championships before the wider-bodied, 16-valve Integrale arrived for the 1988 season. The HF 4WD is a distinct competition vehicle in its own right, not a prototype or early revision of the Integrale.
Tabaton, Tedeschini and the 1987 Italian Title
Fabrizio Tabaton was the driver and Luciano Tedeschini the co-driver — a long-standing Italian rally pairing who competed together for over ten years. At Rally Piancavallo 1987 — a round of the European Rally Championship — they brought the Grifone Esso No. 1 car home as overall winners, repeating a victory Tabaton had claimed at the same event in 1985. That 1987 season also delivered Tabaton the Italian Rally Championship title with the Delta HF 4WD. He would go on to win the European Rally Championship in 1988, by which point the Integrale had entered the equation — but the foundation was built with this car.
Kyosho's 1:18 Scale Model: Die-Cast with Full Opening Features
Kyosho renders this car in die-cast metal at 1:18, a scale well suited to the compact proportions of the Series 1 Delta bodyshell. The model features opening front bonnet, opening rear hatch and opening doors on both sides, exposing a detailed engine compartment and authentic interior trim. The front wheels are articulated for turning. These are not cosmetic additions: the Grifone Esso livery, complete with Esso fuel branding, is specific to this event and this crew — not the more widely seen Martini WRC scheme of the same period.
A Distinct Piece for the Lancia or Rally Shelf
The Grifone Esso livery in No. 1 trim stands apart visually from the white-and-red Martini entries that dominate most Lancia Delta collections. This model pairs naturally with Kyosho's own Integrale rally die-casts — showing the Group A lineage from HF 4WD through to Integrale — and sits alongside representations of the Lancia Rally 037, the Group B predecessor that carried the torch before the Delta era began. For collectors focused on the Italian and European Rally Championships rather than the WRC, this is the harder-to-find, event-specific variant.
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What is the Lancia Delta HF 4WD, and how does it differ from the Integrale?
The Delta HF 4WD was homologated in Group A in 1986 and used a turbocharged four-wheel-drive configuration. The later Integrale, introduced for the 1988 season, featured wider bodywork and an uprated 16-valve engine. This model represents the earlier, pre-Integrale variant.
Does the Kyosho model have opening parts?
Yes. The model features an opening front bonnet, opening rear hatch, and opening doors on both sides, as well as a detailed engine compartment and turning front wheels.
Who were Tabaton and Tedeschini, and what did they win?
Fabrizio Tabaton was the driver and Luciano Tedeschini the co-driver — a long-standing Italian rally pairing who competed together for over ten years. They won Rally Piancavallo 1987 in the Grifone Esso No. 1 Lancia Delta HF 4WD. Tabaton also won the Italian Rally Championship that year, and the European Rally Championship in 1988.
What is the Grifone Esso team?
Grifone was a prominent Italian rally team that ran Lancia machinery with Esso fuel sponsorship throughout the mid-to-late 1980s. Their livery differs from the Martini-sponsored works WRC entries of the same period.
