Automobili Amos made its debut on the Lancia Delta Futurista restomod in 2018 with plans to build just 20 examples of the updated classic hot hatch model. It builds a final regular example in 2022 before moving on to a competition-inspired Safarista variant. Four of these special cars made it to the US, and Larry Chen had to ride them.
Joel, owner of Delta Futurista, was also one of the recent buyers of the Lime Rock Park racing circuit. The car is bright blue with gold wheels. Inside, there are light brown seat upholstery and black Alcantara for the redesigned dashboard.
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The Delta Futurista was based on the original donor car so legally it remains a Lancia for import into the United States. Automobili Amos made extensive changes to the vehicle, from revising the body to removing the rear door. The bumper, hood, front fascia and rear hatch now use carbon fiber. These steps helped keep the weight down to 2,755 pounds (1,250 kilograms).
The Delta Futurista retains the stock 2.0-liter engine block but with overhauled internals and a bigger turbo. The Motec’s engine management allows the driver to select either 250-horsepower (186 kilowatts) or 300-hp (224-kW) output. For comparison, the last lap of the Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione II model produced 212 hp (158 kW) in 1993.
The five-speed manual gearbox received upgrades to handle the extra power. Differences also receive attention.
According to Joel, the Delta Futurista rides like a dream on the road. The modest power output means he can squeeze spin without fear of reaching speeds that could result in a straight trip to the slammer. The two-mode damper has a soft or stiff setting to suit asphalt conditions. Despite being among the Lime Rock ownership group, he has yet to use a hot hatch on the track.
