Lancia was established in 1906, in Turin, Italy, by the famous racing driver Vincenzo Lancia. His company soon became known for elegant design and impressive technical innovations, a prime example of which was the Lambda of 1922, which is now regarded as one of the great pre-war engineering masterpieces. Rallying played a key role later in Lancia’s history, and the marque achieved great success with its Fulvia, Stratos, Delta and 037 models, winning the World Rally Championship a staggering 11 times between 1972 and 1992. The Fiat group purchased Lancia in 1969, and it has been its owner ever since.