Lancia Fulvia

Lore & Background

The Fulvia Berlina was designed by Antonio Fessia to replace the Lancia Appia, with which it shared almost no components. The Appia was rear-wheel drive, while the Fulvia moved to front-wheel drive like the Flavia. The general engineering design of the Fulvia was identical to that of the Flavia except for the engine: the Flavia had a four-cylinder horizontally opposed engine, while the Fulvia used a 'Narrow Angle' vee configuration as featured on most production Lancias from the Lambda. The Fulvia used a longitudinal engine mounted in front of its transaxle, with independent front suspension using wishbones and a single leaf spring, and a beam axle with a panhard rod and leaf springs in the rear. First series Fulvias had four-wheel Dunlop disc brakes; second series cars (from 1970) received larger Girling calipers, a brake servo, and a separate drum handbrake on the rear wheels.

The Fulvia's narrow-angle DOHC Lancia V4 engine was mounted well forward at a 45° angle. Designed by Zaccone Mina, its unusually narrow 12° V allowed a single cylinder head to cover all cylinders, with one cam each for intake and exhaust valves. Displacement started at 1091 cc with a single carburettor producing 58 CV, later raised to 71 CV with twin Solex carburettors. The engine was bored to 1216 cc for the HF model, with output from 80 to 88 CV. In 1967 the engine was re-engineered with a slightly narrower bank angle and longer stroke, producing three displacements: 1199 cc, 1231 cc, and 1298 cc. The 1298 cc engine came in two versions: the 818.302 producing 87 bhp and the 818.303 producing 92 CV. For the 1.6 HF, the engine was completely reworked with an even narrower angle (11°20'), a 75 mm stroke and 82 mm bore giving 1584 cc and power from 115 to 132 CV depending on tune.

The Fulvia Coupé was a compact two-door, three-box coupé introduced in 1965, designed in-house by Piero Castagnero on a wheelbase 150 mm shorter than the saloon. The competition version, the Coupé HF, appeared in 1966 with a tuned 1216 cc engine and lightened bodywork. The Rallye 1.6 HF, known as Fanalone for its large inner headlamps, was introduced in 1969 with a 1584 cc engine producing 115 CV. A works rally-spec variant, the tipo 818.540 variante 1016, produced up to 132 CV and was used by the works rally team until 1974.

Reader's Guide

The Lancia Fulvia holds a significant place in motorsport history, most notably for winning the International Rally Championship in 1972. Its engineering was praised by Road & Track, which described it as 'a precision motorcar, an engineering tour de force'. The Fulvia's narrow-angle V4 engine was a distinctive feature, allowing a single cylinder head and compact packaging. The car's front-wheel-drive layout, independent front suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes (later upgraded with Girling calipers) contributed to its competitive rally performance. The Fulvia's production spanned three body styles: the Berlina saloon, the Coupé, and the Sport fastback by Zagato. The Coupé was the last Fulvia model discontinued, replaced in 1977 by a 1.3-litre version of the Beta Coupé. The works rally team used the Fulvia until 1974, when it was superseded in competition by the Stratos HF. The Fulvia's legacy is that of a technically innovative and successful rally car that demonstrated Lancia's engineering prowess in the 1960s and early 1970s.

Did You Know?

• The Fulvia is named after Via Fulvia, the Roman road from Tortona to Turin.
• The Fulvia's V4 engine had an unusually narrow 12° bank angle, allowing a single cylinder head.
• The Rallye 1.6 HF was nicknamed 'Fanalone' due to its large inner headlamps.
• The Fulvia Coupé was the last model discontinued, replaced in 1977 by a Beta Coupé.