Lancia Delta Integrale returns for WRX 2022 – with electric power

29 years after the final Lancia Delta Integrale WRC works entry, the car is back in World Rallycross, now with electric power – and faster acceleration than an F1 car

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Lancia A

After 29 years, the Lancia Delta Integrale is back – but this time powered by electricity

GCK

One of rallying’s most fabled cars, the Lancia Delta Integrale, is to be produced once more – but this time with electric power.

GCK, the outfit which also plans to enter Dakar 2024 with a hydrogen powered car, has announced it will campaign the electric-powered Lancia Delta Evo-e in the World Rally Cross Championship next year.

The legendary Lancia, which won eight World Rally titles between 1988 and 1992 – five manufacturers’ crowns and three drivers’ – is being revived the Guerlain Chicherit’s RX outfit, and will be powered by the Kiesel RX1e powertrain – a pair of motors pumping out 500kW (680bhp) with 880nM of torque, providing brutal acceleration.

With the ability to reach 0-100kph in under 2sec, the acceleration is in fact faster than that managed by a modern F1 car (2.6sec).

Lancia B

A pair of motors will pump out 500kW (680bhp)

GCK

The Kiesel unit will be mandatory in all World RX cars next season as the series goes all-electric, with GCK returning to a championship in which it ran Renault machinery for Chicherit, Liam Doran, Andreas Bakkerud and Anton Marklund between 2018 and 2020.

“Designed and built by GCK”, the chassis will be sourced from all over the world and based on the company’s Exclusiv-e retrofit of the Lancia Delta Integrale road car.

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GCK will also provide the electric charging points for all 14 cars on the World RX grid, using both solar power and that from “green energy networks”.

Chicherit’s career has been eclectic to say the least. Making his name as a four-time World Freeriding Champion, he has since competed in rally, rallycross events, complementing his motor sport activities with  stunt driving attempts.

“I’m super excited for GCK to be returning to the FIA World Rallycross Championship under its new electric banner,” he said. “The race format lends itself perfectly to delivering one of the most thrilling sporting spectacles with electric cars so far, and we chose the Lancia Delta Integrale because it is a vehicle that made us all dream. It is the rally car par excellence – without doubt the most incredible of its era – and one that remains hugely popular to this day.

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