The star cars that are set to steal the show at the NEC in Birmingham later this week kick off with a superb 1983 OLIO Fiat/Grifone Lancia Rally 037, currently maintained by Midlands-based Sweep Motorsport, that was driven in its heyday by Fabrizio Tabaton. An early production 1973 Stratos Stradale that has recently come back to Europe from its home at a museum in the United States and which will feature in a forthcoming Top Gear episode, will be at the MPH09 Show. Club LanciaSport has recently announced John Davenport as their President. The former 1968 Rally of Great Britain winning co-driver and ex-Austin Rover Motorsport director is today a respected rallying journalist and author of several books on the subject. Hugely anticipated by fans of the brand is the appearance of Lancia in an episode of Top Gear set to air at the end of November. Club LanciaSport provided cars for a photo shoot on the Rally GB venue in Neath

Fresh from providing the cars used for filming during an episode of the forthcoming season of BBC TV Top Gear, Club LanciaSport will be at the MPH09 Motor Show at the Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre this week (12-15 November) showing four of the most significant rally machines from Lancia's hugely successful motorsport history.

The star cars that are set to steal the show later this week kick off with a superb 1983 OLIO Fiat/Grifone Rally 037 that was driven in its heyday by Fabrizio Tabaton followed by an early production 1973 Stratos Stradale that has recently come back to Europe from its home at a museum in the United States. The 037 Rally is currently maintained by Midlands-based Sweep Motorsport. Rare beasts to see in any format, and especially side-by-side at a motor show in the UK. This evocative pair will also be seen on British television later this year driven by the well-known Top Gear team.

Club LanciaSport will also be showing a Fulvia 1.3 Montecarlo and a ready to race motorsport prepared Fulvia Sport. Alongside these classic Lancias will also be a rear-engined V6 Alitalia Beta - a fantastically engineered car in Group B theme and a regular visitor to Rally Legend in San Marino.

On the subject of racing and in honour of 30 years of the Delta, Club LanciaSport will show a sixth car, a Delta Martini WRC liveried car, that was formerly a Magneti Marelli development mule; this famous machine will celebrate (whilst Lancia can!) the unbeaten six consecutive World Rally Championship manufacturers' title wins.

Club LanciaSport invites visitors to the MPH Show to speak to their members who travel to UK and international events in their Lancias on the stand, see the calendar of events for 2010, the membership offers and regalia, and to find out why Club LanciaSport makes for more fun in a Lancia than you thought possible.

Hugely anticipated by fans of the famous Italian brand is the focal appearance of Lancia in an episode of BBC TV's Top Gear programme set to air at the end of November. Club LanciaSport provided cars used for a photo shoot and filming on the Rally GB venue in Neath, Wales. The Delta Integrale, Stratos, Rally 037, Fulvia and others are sure to make for an interesting feature.

Meanwhile Club LanciaSport, the online club for Lancia motor sport fans, has recently announced John Davenport as their new President. The former 1968 Rally of Great Britain winning co-driver and ex-Austin Rover Motorsport director is today a respected rallying journalist and the author of several books on the subject. His comprehensive knowledge and motor sports background has also involved co-driving Lancia Fulvia HF and Beta Coupe for many successful years in the 1960s and 1970s. Recent publications include books created with rally photographer, Reinhard Klein.

Davenport was taken with the enthusiasm of the Club LanciaSport team: "My years with Lancia Squadra Corse were some of the best of my life. Working with Italians to win rallies was something that a keen young Englishman found very much to his liking." Meanwhile Club LanciaSport chairman Jean-Pierre Lihou was delighted by the appointment: "Having John Davenport on board as President strongly supports the commitment that Club LanciaSport have to motor sport and to the Lancia brand - still holder of the unbeaten six consecutive World Rally Championship record thanks to the Delta HF Integrale. We're a relatively new club, but depth comes from passion and John’s support for us underlines the excellent work our team have done so far."

With motorsport veteran and former Lancia co-driver John Davenport as club president, and many events supported by the UK Lancia specialists that keep these cars on the road, Club LanciaSport has committed people at its core to make sure owners can enjoy their cars.