The Lancia Delta began as a remarkably clear piece of design. Giorgetto Giugiaro shaped the original 1979 Delta around clean geometry, defined lines and compact proportions. Over years of motorsport evolution, that restrained silhouette became wider, more muscular and increasingly purposeful, eventually resulting in the unmistakable HF Integrale Evoluzione. And somehow, that transformation translates beautifully into bricks.

COBI’s interpretation is exceptionally dense. Almost every surface seems constructed rather than simply covered, with slopes, angles and perfectly smooth tiles gradually forming those wonderfully boxy Italian proportions. The widened arches, bonnet, four-eyed front and rear spoiler make the Delta instantly recognisable. What continues to impress me most about COBI, though, is the quality. The precision of the pieces is among the very best I have experienced, the tiles are beautifully smooth and the huge variety of specialised slopes allows for a level of shaping that often feels closer to scale modelling than conventional brick building. And then there are the prints. Quite possibly the best in the industry.

The build itself matches the result. Dense, varied and surprisingly demanding, yet completely trouble-free from the first piece to the last. There is always something happening structurally, without the construction ever feeling unnecessarily complicated. The result is fantastic. Not merely a brick-built car, but a remarkably convincing little piece of Italian automotive design. My only regret? COBI makes far too few models at this scale. Because when building feels this good and the finished object looks this good, I would happily make room for many more. Bellissimo.