By the 1970s, the relationship between road and competition cars was drawing closer than ever before.

Those bold enough to sell barely civilised racers with licence plates reaped the rewards on Sundays; none were so bold as Lancia as the marque seeked podium finishes above all else, realising the potential of a low-volume sportscar homologated for racing and rallying.

Alas, Lancia’s finances were in a parlous state at the time.

Safely under Fiat’s wing, further competition forays seemed unlikely, but managing director, Ugo Gobatto, drove home the significance a strong racing team played in retaining staff, customers, and marque identity.

Works team manager, Cesare Florio, felt similarly: the multiple Italian and European Championship wins earned by the Fulvia HF (High Fidelity) revitalised the marque a decade after its withdrawal from racing in 1955.

As the new decade dawned, the Fulvia was beginning to show its age; after all, it was a road machine-turned-rally car.

An all-encom...