Jeremy Clarkson on Audi and Lancia's early 80s rally battle
When Audi unleashed the A1 Quattro on the WRC in 1982, it looked a lot like the end of the road for their two-wheel-drive competitors.
That was until Lancia hit back with the 037. Sure, they might have bent some rules on the way to winning the 1983 manufacturers championship, or at the very least applied some highly liberal interpretations; but you can't knock a plucky Italian manufacturer for trying. Instead, let's applaud their skill in getting away with it.
This clip from a recent epsiode of the Grand Tour goes in to more detail, and is well worth a watch. It does seem to be from a questionable YouTube source, mind, so I'd advise you to get in there quick before it's pulled.
And if you want a bit more 037, here's a Petrolicious clip from a few years back.
