Rowan Atkinson’s 1993 Lancia HF Integrale Evo II is up for auction

British comedian and car enthusiast Rowan Atkinson, best known for his role as Mr Bean, bids farewell to a legendary rally homologation special. The 1993 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evo II will be auctioned by Silverstone Auctions on February 25th.

The first generation Lancia Delta had a long life both as a modest economy car and as a rally special. First shown at the 1979 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Delta competed in the World Rally Championship throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, spanning the memorable Group B era and the following Group A eras.

Manufacturers needed to sell street versions of their rally cars, so Lancia also released a number of Delta performance models for homologation purposes during this period, starting with the Delta HF and Integrale in the 1980s. The Evo I followed in 1991 and finally the Evo II in 1993.

For the Evo II, Lancia upped the power of its 2.0-liter turbocharged 4 engine to 215 hp, sent to all four wheels through a 5-speed manual gearbox. This would be the final evolution of the original Delta; Lancia introduced a second generation model that same year, marking a departure from performance. There was even talk of bringing a later model Chrysler Delta to the US after the Fiat-Chrysler merger.

Rowan Atkinson’s 1993 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evo II

The car up for auction was originally sold in Japan and then imported to the UK in 2011. Atkinson purchased it in May 2021 with a reported mileage of 54,059 miles. Although he has put the Lancia to good use, the total mileage remains under 56,000 miles, according to the auction listing. The seller expects the hammer price to be between 65,000 and 75,000 British pounds (around 78,000 to 90,000 dollars).

Atkinson has owned some interesting cars over the years, including a 1991 Mercedes-Benz 500E that was auctioned in 2019. He also bought a McLaren F1 new from the factory in 1997 and put it up for sale in 2015 after two accidents.