The Delta S4 was one of the iconic Group B rally cars which, alongside the Audi S1 and the Renault Turbo 5, established legions of ardent fans. Huge amounts of power, downforce and four wheel-drive propelled rally racing into a new arena entirely, and within four years, the category was deemed too dangerous to continue.

A series of freak accidents and several deaths, both of spectators and drivers, led to the FIA banning the category overnight. Nonetheless, that passion, that exuberance and the sheer excessive nature of the Group B cars is still palpable and today rallycross events and hillclimbs alike are filled with these remnants of a wilder, less-regulated time. The S4 perhaps best typifies this kind of decadence.

The Lancia Delta S4 was not just turbocharged – oh no, that was too simple for the tech-heavy 1980s. Instead, the engine was twincharged: utilizing a supercharger at low revs and a turbo at the higher revs to produce a wide and easily-accessible powerband. Keep in mind that these little four-cylinder cars could produce as much as 650 horsepower in rally trim, and the image of sheer insanity begins to come clear.

The supercharged and turbocharged Delta S4 had divisive looks, for sure, but everyone agreed the performance was remarkable.

Watching the onboard footage shot in one of these pristinely-maintained monsters makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Despite the natural body roll, the Lancia possesses an athleticism that something so gawky-looking shouldn’t have. With four wheel-drive and gobs of torque, it simply rockets out of the corner with amazing speed. With the proportions it has, the Lancia Delta S4 looks more suited to a family trip than blazing through the hillclimb. Perhaps that odd mixture is why it’s such an iconic machine.