1981 Lancia Beta 2.0 Coupe *Sold £12,100*

Description

• 2.0-litre twin cam engine
• Twin Weber 45 DCOEs fitted
• Comprehensive history file
• Very well maintained
• From a small collection

When Fiat finally gave Lancia the resources it needed, Lancia did a proper job producing the Beta Coupe. A driver’s car, chic styling and impossibly good looking.

History

Lancia. One of the most evocative names of Italian motoring. The firm has been responsible for some truly great cars and the 2.0-litre DOHC Beta Coupe is amongst them.

The Beta was shorter, narrower and lower. The design was by the inhouse team of Aldo Castagno and Piero Castagnero. The result was a sharp, lithe, lively Lancia Beta Coupe.

• First registered 10th August 198
• With our collector/vendor since 2017
• Comprehensive history file
• Colour changed from blue to red
• Restoration work carried out whenever it was needed
• Engine upgrade completed in 2010
• Maintenance has been conducted regardless of cost
• Now both road tax and MoT exempt

The Coupe was introduced in 1973. But the best of the line arrived in 1981 in facelifted 2.0-litre DOHC form as we have here.

Engine

The engine in the Lancia Beta was designed by ex-Ferrari engineer Aurelio Lampredi. Lampredi designed and developed several engines which saw use in many Ferrari race cars. Joining Fiat in the 70s, he developed the Fiat Twin cam aka the ‘Lampredi Twin Cam’. The Fiat Twin Cam engine has been widely used in motorsport; Fiat and Lancia won a total of ten World Rally Championships using engines based on the Lampredi Twin Cam engine.

Our vendor tells us this.

“A stunning Lancia Beta coupe with the larger 2 litre engine and with the highly desirable Guy Croft inlet manifold and twin Weber 45 DCOE carburettors and ITG air filters. It is quick and super fun to drive. The engine upgrade was completed in 2010. The engine has been converted to run on unleaded fuel. Maintenance has been conducted regardless of cost. When the vehicle was acquired the twin carbs were not set up correctly, so it was taken to Lancia specialists Auto Integrale for a thorough service

Please note that the V5 incorrectly lists the Lancia Beta as an automatic whereas it is a manual gearbox.”

The images in the Gallery show the engine & engine bay in clean, tidy condition. Pop over and take a look at the 100+ images  our vendor has provided.

Mechanicals

• New front brake pads
• Rear hub bushes
• Gear change bushes
• New fuel pump and fuel hose
• New centre and rear exhaust sections.

The alloy wheels on this Lancia Beta are in super condition and have been professionally refurbished. The Yokohama tyres are all good. The spare is a Pirelli P400, which looks unused.

The suspension is Lancia’s in-house set-up. MacPherson struts all round and a unique rear set-up using the anti-roll bar as fore-aft location alongside twin transverse links. Over the years it has been much copied.

Motor Magazine had this to say, ‘There are no cars in the class that are more fun to drive along twisty roads, nor any that create more interest among bystanders.’

Interior

• Grey/Black interior in very good condition
• Converted from manual windows to electric
• The complete original toolbox is present
• Both boot and engine bay very clean
• A retro AM/FM radio with USB/MP3 playback has been installed – a lovely touch

Climb inside and you are immediately struck by the stylish interior which is in nice order with no tears to seats or headlining. There are a few minor marks on the seats commensurate with its age. The top of the dash has a small split and mark (see photos). The carpets are all in good condition.

The interior is typically Italian. Lovely original touches such as good chrome and the chrome tread plates on the sills all add to the feeling that this is a lovely, well looked after Lancia Beta.

Outside

Whatever magic the Italian design houses sprinkle on their cars on the Turin production lines, the Lancia Beta has it in spades. Its sleek lines are set off by a bright red paintwork that only Italian motors seem to suit. Giving the clear impression of speed and agility just standing still.

Our collector tells us this

“Generally, the paintwork is in very good condition. The bumpers are not dented, and the stainless steel is not rusty. There are a few minor paintwork blemishes including bubbling on the scuttle, chips on the front valance and a small dent on the boot. Wheel arches, door bottoms, front and rear valences, sills are all solid as is the underneath of the car”.

More info

The final word comes from our vendor.

“The car has been used extensively. In 2018 it completed the London to Brighton classic car run featuring in Classic Car Weekly’s report of the event.

In 2022 it participated in the Beta 50th anniversary meeting organised by BetaBoyz.

Also in 2022, the Beta attended the Lancia Motor Clubs’s track day at Goodwood where there was a special lap of the circuit completed by Betas as another 50th anniversary event.

 The car is such a fine example that it was chosen to grace Evoke Classic’s 2023 calendar in October.

There is a comprehensive history file with MOT certificates going back to 1987. Along with extensive maintenance records including those of the well-known Basingstoke Lancia dealer Clover Leaf Cars who looked after the car in the 1980s.

A copy of the Evoke calendar, the Classic Car Weekly article, a certificate of entry for the Goodwood Beta 50th anniversary parade and a magnetic plaque for the Beta 50th anniversary weekend are all included in the file. An original Operating Instructions manual is on file as are sales brochures and original wiring diagrams.

This really is an exceptional opportunity to acquire one of the better condition Lancia Beta coupes with a highly desirable specification.”

Our view

Lancia Beta coupes are hard enough to find at the best of times. Finding one as solid as this, or as good as this, well, they are simply vanishingly rare nowadays.

What makes a good classic? Rarity. Paperwork. Condition. But above all desirability. This Lancia Beta coupe has it all.

Good luck! Please remember, our site uses anti-sniping software which ensures fairness to all bidders. So, if a bid for a lot is received in the last minute, the auction will go into a 2-minute overtime period for each subsequent bid.

Vehicle Location: Bracknell, Berkshire RG42 – it’s the responsibility of the buyer to make collection / transportation arrangements directly with the vendor.

Have a question about this Lancia Beta? Please contact the Evoke team at auction@evoke-classics.com and we will speak to the vendor on your behalf.

Guide Prices?

We’re different. But you know that. And we’re always honest. In a sector where no two classics are same, how does anyone put a ‘guide’.

Well, everyone knows the broad value of classic, let’s all be honest. So we don’t need to tell you what you already know, do we.

The ‘market’ decides and the old cliché that ‘it’s worth what someone wants to pay’ is no less true. So why kid everyone!

But, because we are different, if it really does matter to you, that’s fine, we want you to be happy. Just drop us a line at auction@evoke-classics.com and one of us will be delighted to ring you back and discuss, it’s what we do.

Tedious but it’s vital you read this, please.

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