Back in 2018, I was fortunate enough to be able to bid on and buy a 1989 Lancia Delta integrale. I used to avidly play rally racing video games, and I thought the Delta integrale was just the coolest rally car. I’m a hatchback guy, and the Delta’s angular design and bulging flares and hood just looked mean. I sold the car in 2022. The car was a blast to drive, but I rarely took it out for rides because I could never find a really comfortable driving position, thanks to my tall frame. I consider myself lucky to have owned a World Rally Championship homologation icon, but the car had humble beginnings. Today’s Good Find Friday car, a 1982 Lancia Delta LX, is where it all began.

The Lancia Delta was introduced in 1979 as a five-door hatchback designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and engineered to serve as an upmarket compact car within the Fiat Group. Built on a modified version of the Fiat Ritmo (Type 138) platform, the Delta featured fully independent MacPherson strut suspension, front-wheel drive, and a transverse-mounted inline-four engine. Initial models were equipped with 1.3- and 1.5-liter SOHC engines paired with a five-speed manual transmission, offering a refined driving experience and strong build quality for the segment.

The car’s clean, angular styling, sound chassis tuning, and well-appointed interior with premium materials positioned it above mainstream competitors. In recognition of its engineering and design, the Delta was awarded the 1980 European Car of the Year, helping establish Lancia’s reputation for producing technically sophisticated compact cars.

Throughout the 1980s, the first-generation Delta evolved with a growing range of trim levels and equipment aimed at private buyers rather than motorsport enthusiasts. Models such as the 1500 LX and GT 1600 ES offered features like electronic ignition, fuel injection, alloy wheels, velour upholstery, and optional air conditioning, targeting customers who valued comfort and refinement.

Though later high-performance variants like the HF Integrale drew attention for their rally success, standard Delta models retained naturally aspirated engines and prioritized everyday usability and chassis balance over outright performance. Lancia also emphasized corrosion protection and cabin ergonomics, reinforcing the car’s premium aspirations. By the time production of the first-generation Delta ended in 1991, over 500,000 units had been built. It remained critically respected for its engineering quality, road manners, and stylish presentation in an otherwise utilitarian segment.

Today’s Good Find Friday car is a 1982 Lancia Delta LX listed on Facebook Marketplace in Washington, D.C. with a list price of $17,500.

The car is finished in Beige Chiaro Metalizzato over beige wool upholstery by Zegna. The car’s overall condition appears to be very good to excellent for a car that is now 43 years old.

According to the seller, the car has been repainted once. Of course, I prefer the muscular flared-arch design of the integrale with its round headlights over this base design, but it’s still a very attractive car, as all Giugiaro “folded paper” car designs are.

While a very strong platform, the cars were described as having been built of recycled steel from old washing machines (a slur!). While hyperbole, the cars do rust like any economy car designed in the 1970s. Common rust locations are at the rear of the roof, the wheel arches, near the windscreen, and really anywhere multiple layers of metal join together.

On the Delta integrales, stress cracks could develop near the a-pillars, but on a family car like the base Delta, one would hope it’s been driven with less aggression. Still worth checking, however. Exterior features on this year Delta include rectangular headlights, integrated composite bumpers, vents on the c-pillars, and an aluminum badge panel between the rear headlights.

The interior of the car appears to be in very nice condition. The wool upholstery is almost a bonus, as it’s sure to be extremely comfortable and likely wear less than the alcantara seats in my integrale. The dashboard features the pre-facelift (and therefore pre-HF) dashboard and interior design. Aftermarket speakers are mounted into the center console below the gear lever, an interesting choice.

The engine bay is very tidy, displaying the 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine quite well. Compare this car to the integrale to understand just how the engineers really had to squeeze the 2.0-liter engine in there. No air conditioning compressor is visible, so this car will be pretty hot in the summer in DC and Virginia.

No undercarriage photographs are visible, so interested buyers should take a good luck underneath to ensure the car is solid. The seller states the sale includes 2 original keys, documents and records, owner’s manual, press photos, advertisements, and more. True enthusiasts seem to have owned this car — always a good sign. The odometer reading of 31,915km is said to have likely rolled over.

There certainly aren’t many recent comparables for the base Lancia Delta in the United States, as the car was never offered here. They are being imported by brave enthusiasts, however. The most recent offering of one of these cars on the public market in the US was on Hemmings in January of this year where the car was bid to $16,750. It’s incredible this car didn’t sell, as the owner purchased it for $10,000 in June of 2022. The same car was a no-sale after being bid to $7,250 on Bring a Trailer in May of the same year.

There really aren’t enough comparables in this country to determine a market price. In Europe where sales are common, this car would probably sell for under $5,000 USD. If one considers the cost of importation — which is easily $5,000 after shipping costs, duty, and taxes — you can start to see why asking prices for Stateside cars are so high.

So—this 1982 Lancia Delta LX is a good find, but is it a good price? I think asking nearly $18,000 is ambitious. The high bid of $16,750 on the comparable listing in January was all the money for one of these cars, and that seller should have taken it and ran. Interest in the iconic Lancia Delta integrale suffers from the fact that rally racing isn’t really popular in the US and that the car was never offered here. The base Delta has even less going for it since it lacks the homologation pedigree.

The target market of Italian economy hatchback enthusiasts is extremely narrow, meaning that to maximize the sale price of this car the seller will need to be patient. Hopefully, this feature will help him find the right new owner for this gem of a European hatch. At maybe $12,000, I’d be all in.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Wolf and Mare provides car finding, appraisal and auction services for sellers and buyers of collector European cars. We also provide importation services. Give us a call or drop us a line!