The wide-arched 182bhp Integrale 8-valve replaced the HF 4WD in late ’87; within 18 months it gained a new engine with twice the number of valves and 197bhp. Together with wider wheels, bigger brakes and a torque split that favoured the rear wheels, this was the Integrale 16v.
In October 1991 the Evoluzione arrived, with an even wider track, new front suspension and a revised rear set-up. This demanded fatter wheelarches, and the Integrale looked more stunning than ever. A remap resulted in 207bhp, while the interior got a Momo wheel and Alcantara upholstery.
What we now call the Evo II rocked up in June 1993. In reality it was an Evoluzione with a cat, plus a new turbocharger that helped raise power to 212bhp to counter the effects of the exhaust cleanser. It also got 16in alloys, up from 15s. A number of special editions, which were nothing more than different paint colours and some stickers, followed before the Integrale was phased out in 1994.
Although all four-wheel-drive Deltas are fun, the pick of the bunch is the Evo II. Last-of-the-line models aren’t always the best, but this one is. And it has an added benefit: from the outset it was clear that the Evo II would be a legend, and most owners have cared for them accordingly – a fact that is, of course, reflected in the prices.