You’ll no doubt be familiar with the iconic Lancia Fulvia, one of the Italian marque’s many successful rally-bred vehicles. Over 340,000 were built, and its 1972 International Rally Championship win cemented its legendary status.
What you mightn’t be so familiar with is the rare Fulvia Sport Zagato. Only 7102 are believed to have been built, and legitimate right-hand drive examples are the scarcest of all.
What you see here, however, is a true “rarer than hens’ teeth” examples. This 1968 Series 1 is open to bidding on RR Auctions from September 14-23, 2026, and here’s why it’s one you’ll want to watch.
Designed and built for Lancia by Zagato, the Fulvia Sport is a two-seat fastback based on the coupé’s underpinnings. Commissioned as a sportier, more aerodynamic version of the coupé, it waws aimed at road and track competitions rather than gruelling rally stages.
It performed well on track, too. At the 24 Hours of Daytona it topped its class and finished 11th overall in 1969. It also claimed three Targa Florio class wins between 1968-71, and back-to-back class wins at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1968-69.
The Series 1 is the rarest of all. Only 202 were built, but this car is even rarer than that as an Australian-delivered, factory right-hand drive example. We’re talking an extremely small number there.
Highly prized for its all-aluminium alloy body shell, the Series 1 came powered by a quirky narrow-angle V4 engine, which used a single cylinder head – an idea similar to Volkswagen’s ‘VR’ and ‘W’ engines of the 2000s.
Delivered new through Victorian Lancia distributor W.H. Lowe & Co, wearing the plates “LDH-841”, Victorian Motor Registration Branch correspondence identifies Bob Jane South Yarra Pty Ltd as an early registered owner. Those original Victorian number plates remain with the car.
After its 1983 registration renewal, the car spent approximately four decades off the road before it was uncovered as a barn find. Subsequent restoration began in March 2018, and was completed in December 2019.
The body was extensively stripped, with the interior, exterior fittings, engine, gearbox, radiator, wiring, lights and glass removed. According to the restoration report, inspection revealed no evidence of previous accident damage or poor repairs. The panels, subframe and chassis were considered original and the identification tags remained intact.
Body repairs were carried out as required, without the need for major rust reconstruction, before the car was refinished in Rosso Corsa – matching its original factory colour.
The cabin was similarly dismantled and restored. The original seats, door cards and surrounding trim were retrimmed in black leatherette matching the original factory trim and new black floor carpet with heel mats fitted. A tailored mat set with Lancia sewn in badges was also fit.
The dashboard was reskinned by the dashboard doctor and its damaged wood veneer replaced with a new item. The instruments and switches were refurbished and a non-original radio removed in favour of the correct-style Fulvia radio blank.
Attention extended to some of the Sport Zagato’s more unusual details. The electrically operated rear hatch ventilation mechanism was dismantled and repaired after its motor was found seized, while the heater box was removed, its blocked core refurbished and the fan returned to operation. The original Carello headlights were also dismantled and remetallised, with the wiring and lenses restored.
As part of the restoration, a later Rallye 1298cc S-specification V4 engine was fitted under its quirky side-hinged bonnet. The engine and front subframe were removed during the restoration, while the motor itself received a new timing chain and water pump, replacement gaskets and hoses, new fuel pump, rebuilt Solex PHH35 carburettors, rebuilt starter motor and generator, and a new clutch and flywheel.
As a result, it will be no surprise to hear that this Fulvia received several concours and club awards, including Best Lancia in 2023 and Best Italian at Show at the 2024 Maling Road Auto Classico.
To find an original right-hand drive, Series 1 Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato in this kind of condition is the kind of rarity that’s hard to top. For serious Italian car collectors, you’ll want to keep your notifications on when this is open to bidding on RR Auctions.
