SCX® presents the Lancia Delta S4 which was driven by the Italians Luciano Tedeschini and
Fabricio Tabaton in the 1986 Costa Brava Rally and with which they took the championship. A
car with a highly original colour black and gold scheme, naturally carrying the leader’s number
1. The front of this Lancia Delta S4 has a very prominent gold-coloured bumper with the Rally and Esso logos together with the Italian flag. Above them are various air vents and four round
headlights, two on each side. The Michelin logo is in the centre.
The bonnet of this SCX® model is black with two diagonal gold stripes. In the centre is the
Lancia crest, and next to it the Costa Brava Rally logo and the number 1, and in front of it, at
each side and in the centre, the Esso logo appears again. This bonnet has a rather unusual
system for opening it, with a black fitting sticking up, and two air vents at the top.
In front of the driver, the windscreen has a pair of wipers and a black strip at the top with Esso
logos on it. The black rear view mirrors can be seen at each side. Seen from above, the roof is
gold-coloured and is fitted with two small black spoilers. An aerial is located on the Lancia crest
and the Esso logo appears yet again right at the back, along with the name of the model:
Lancia Delta S4.
The sides of this Lancia are plastered with logos, especially under the windows, which feature
air vents and underneath which the driver and co-driver’s names appear, each of them together
with the Italian flag and their blood group. On the side door is a large number 1 on a white
background. Slightly further back is a large Esso Super Oil logo.
The wheels are entirely white in colour and the Michelin logo appears on the tyres. The side
view of this SCX® car reveals that the chassis is higher than usual at the back. Another striking
feature here at the back is the size of the rear window, with its air vents. Above it the Costa
Brava Rally logo appears once more along with the race number 1 and an Esso sticker on each
side. The Michelin logo is in the centre, over a diagonal gold stripe which runs across the black
background.
The large aluminium-coloured twin exhaust pipe, the number plate on its white background, the
red tail lights and the highly visible mud flaps are other noticeable features of this Lancia Delta
S4. Here too are the anti-roll bars and the figures of the driver at the wheel and the co-driver
holding the route plan. Both of them are wearing gold tops to go with the car’s colour scheme.
Not a detail is missing in a SCX® model which will certainly be one to watch.
Fabricio Tabaton in the 1986 Costa Brava Rally and with which they took the championship. A
car with a highly original colour black and gold scheme, naturally carrying the leader’s number
1. The front of this Lancia Delta S4 has a very prominent gold-coloured bumper with the Rally and Esso logos together with the Italian flag. Above them are various air vents and four round
headlights, two on each side. The Michelin logo is in the centre.
The bonnet of this SCX® model is black with two diagonal gold stripes. In the centre is the
Lancia crest, and next to it the Costa Brava Rally logo and the number 1, and in front of it, at
each side and in the centre, the Esso logo appears again. This bonnet has a rather unusual
system for opening it, with a black fitting sticking up, and two air vents at the top.
In front of the driver, the windscreen has a pair of wipers and a black strip at the top with Esso
logos on it. The black rear view mirrors can be seen at each side. Seen from above, the roof is
gold-coloured and is fitted with two small black spoilers. An aerial is located on the Lancia crest
and the Esso logo appears yet again right at the back, along with the name of the model:
Lancia Delta S4.
The sides of this Lancia are plastered with logos, especially under the windows, which feature
air vents and underneath which the driver and co-driver’s names appear, each of them together
with the Italian flag and their blood group. On the side door is a large number 1 on a white
background. Slightly further back is a large Esso Super Oil logo.
The wheels are entirely white in colour and the Michelin logo appears on the tyres. The side
view of this SCX® car reveals that the chassis is higher than usual at the back. Another striking
feature here at the back is the size of the rear window, with its air vents. Above it the Costa
Brava Rally logo appears once more along with the race number 1 and an Esso sticker on each
side. The Michelin logo is in the centre, over a diagonal gold stripe which runs across the black
background.
The large aluminium-coloured twin exhaust pipe, the number plate on its white background, the
red tail lights and the highly visible mud flaps are other noticeable features of this Lancia Delta
S4. Here too are the anti-roll bars and the figures of the driver at the wheel and the co-driver
holding the route plan. Both of them are wearing gold tops to go with the car’s colour scheme.
Not a detail is missing in a SCX® model which will certainly be one to watch.
Track Trials
Like all the all wheel drives with double pinion motors, the Lancia Delta S4 displays excellent,
evenly-distributed traction, with no power loss on any of the wheels. The gearing on the two
axles gives equal power to each of them, although the difference between the front and rear
tyres gives the back wheels a touch more traction.
The tires have good grip, keeping this SCX® car on the road on the bends. It is not a very long
model in terms of either guide distance or wheelbase, so you will need to control effective
traction by taking bends carefully and putting your foot down as it comes out of them. A lack of
attention to this will see the car tending to skid out of control, dragged by a high, rather heavy
bodyshell which generates excessive inertias – and it is on bends in particular that these make
themselves felt.
The ARS pick-up guide with its flat blades has a very smooth feel to it, so that the car fits snugly
into the slot without too much pressure. It stays in there well and makes contact without any
difficulty. The motor, well mounted on the chassis, starts up well and piles on the revs fast. It
transmits power to the ground well thanks to a set of pinions and crown gears which, with a little
running in and relubricating, prove to be very smooth.
Overall, the Lancia Delta S4 performs on a par with the other SCX® all wheel drives, in a way
which has proven a lasting success over the years, by fulfilling the proper function of all wheel
drive: transmitting motor power to the ground in the most efficient possible way.
* Tests conducted without extra magnet and following a slight tune-up.
Sport Table of Measurements
Wheelbase 76mm
Front bearing Double-wall, metal
Guide distance 91mm
Front crown Scalextric grey plastic
Virtual chassis width 31.5mm
Rear wheeltrack 54mm
Chassis clearance 2.5mm
Rear wheel diam. 19mm
Motor clearance 3.5mm
Rear wheels Plastic 16.75x8mm
Pivoting arm No
Rear tires Type 058. 19.5x11mm, grooved
Adjustments No
Rear bearing Double-wall, metal
Front wheeltrack 56mm
Rear crown Scalextric grey plastic
Front wheel diam. 19mm
Car weight 88g
Front wheels Plastic 16.75x8mm Bodyshell weight 29g
Front tires Type 016 19x10mm, grooved
Lights Yes
Digital chip Not possible
Motor Rx91
Motor type Open compact
Motor mounting Fixed to chassis
Transm. type 4x4 Direct
Transm. ratio 9/27=3 rear
Guide type Pivoting ARS, flat blades
Guides Double, copper
Screws 5 (2 +2+1)
Ground effect mag Yes, adjustable
Others Covered motor
Product reference no.: 63780
The Real Lancia Delta S4
The real car reproduced here by SCX® is a 1,759cc model, with a power rating of 400
horsepower and an engine with 4 in line cylinders, supercharger and turbocharger. Its top speed
is 225km/h and it can get up to 100km/h in 6 seconds.
Having said that, thanks to the permissiveness of the International Federation rules on adapting
cars in the different groups to competition, the Lancia Delta S4, in group B, in the 20 “adapted”
cars became a racing thoroughbred. The spoilers were designed to exploit ground effect, the
car was slimmed down to 1,050kg. The engine, with both a turbocharger and supercharger,
could deliver more than 500 horsepower depending on the pressure of the turbocharger.
Lancia, under the orders of Cesare Fiorio, came up with an ambitious plan for this car (the
production model of which sold for around a hundred thousand US dollars) for its official teams.
The Jolly Club had the task of defending the manufacturer’s honour in the Italian championship
and the Italian Open, while the Grifone team of Genoa, with Fabrizio Tabaton, was to compete
in the European championship, which it won after a final victory in Catalonia.
SCX® brings you the model driven by Fabrizio Tabaton and Luciano Tedeschini in the 1986
Costa Brava Rally. Tabaton made his rally début in San Remo in 1979 and, 20 years later, took
part for the last time in the World Rally Championship, specifically at the 1999 Monte Carlo
race. Behind the wheel of the Lancia Delta S4 he won the European Rally Championship in
1986. His co-driver was Luciano Tedeschini, who accompanied him on nearly all his outings in
this competition between 1982 and 1987.
The Delta S4 achieved major triumphs with different drivers until its withdrawal from the
Portuguese rally and, above all, the tragic events which cost the life of Henri Toivonen as he
was well on the way to winning the Tour of Corsica. This led the FISA to ban Group B cars for
1987 and drove the Lancia team to a psychological low point which cost them the 1986 World
Rally Championship. Despite its short life – by 1987 it was only taking part in a few exhibition
races – the Lancia Delta S4 was a monster in the competition, and one which it is very hard to
forget.
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