Former Lancia-driver and –engineer Claudio Maglioli has passed away this morning at the age of 72. This very passionate Piedmontese sportsman dedicated his entire life to auto sport and to the brand Lancia. The in Boglio (province Biella) born Maglioli started as a motorcycle racer, but made his way to car racing through karts. In 1965 and 1966 he won the Italian championship Velocità Turismo Classe 2000 in a Flavia 1.8 Zagato (you will find him standing next to this car in the picture above). In 1967 he participated in the European Touring Car Championship in a Fulvia Rallye 1.3 HF. But Maglioli is also a legend because of the spectacular Targa Florio, in which he participated driving a Fulvia Sport Zagato. In that same year, he also drove beside Stirling Moss in the 24 hour-race at the Nürburgring, the 12 hours of Sebring and the 24 hours of Daytona.

Next to being a good racer, Maglioli was also known for his technical knowledge; he created several prototypes, based on the Fulvia Coupe, together with colleague Cesare Florio. This is how the Fulvia F&M Special was created (picture above). The result was a very fast car which won multiple races. Claudio Maglioli became well-known for his contribution to the sport-compartment of Lancia; in his own workplace, he worked on the Stratos, Beta Coupe, Beta Montecarlo Gruppo 5, the Endurance Prototipo Gruppo C and the Rally 037. Piece by piece key players and technical masterpieces in the rich, one might even call it mythical, rally-history of Lancia. Maglioli was thus one of the people who, together with plenty of other important people such as Munari and Biasion, maintained the name of Lancia in rally-sport.