Style and Substance: The Lancia Beta Monte Carlo Turbo Group 5

It's not very common in the modern era that a styling house is given responsibility for shaping a racing car, but that is exactly what happened with the Pininfarina-designed body for the Lancia Beta Monte Carlo Turbo Group 5 racer, which was active from 1979-82.  The results were spectacular, with an incredibly aggressive stance, purposeful proportions, and a livery that stands in my mind as one of the coolest paint schemes ever to grace a racing machine.  While its more famous successor, the 037 acheived a mythical status in Rally, the Lancia Beta Monte Carlo Turbo was also no slouch, winning FIA championships in 1980 and 1981 for Lancia in Group 5.  Despite its brutalistic beauty and undeniable acheivements, it's pretty hard to find a lot of good period pictures of these beasts, so I have compiled a few for your enjoyment.