1975 Lancia Stratos HF Coupe

Lancia presented the Bertone-designed Lancia Stratos HF prototype at the 1971 Turin Motor Show, a year after the announcement of the Stratos Zero concept car. The prototype Stratos HF (chassis 1240) was fluorescent red in color and featured a distinctive crescent-shaped wrap-around windshield providing maximum forward visibility with almost no rear visibility. The prototype had three different engines in its early development life: the Lancia Fulvia engine, the Lancia Beta engine and finally, for the 1971 public announcement, the mid-mounted Dino Ferrari V6 producing 192 horsepower.

The Stratos was a very successful rally car during the 1970s and early 1980s. It started a new era in rallying as it was the first car designed from scratch for this kind of competition. The three leading men behind the entire rallying project were Lancia team manager Cesare Fiorio, British racer/engineer Mike Parks and factory rally driver Sandro Munari.

Without support from Fiat, and despite new regulations that restricted engine power, the car would remain a serious competitor. The final Stratos racing chapter at the international level took place in 1981.

This Lancia was built on June 12, 1975, in red with Avana (medium tan) seats and Rosso carpets. All steel body numbers match today, the fiberglass front and rear lids were never matching numbers. It was bought by Netto Aldo on June 22, 1976, from Aosta for 10,500,000 Lire, equivalent to 5,423 Euros. SAVA is the finance company of Fiat Spa, which first bought the car from the Lancia factory. Over the years, there have been several owners until it was purchased by the current owner on July 15, 2012. During 2011 and 2012, Aldo Zanone of Italy performed a down-to-the-tub restoration with some very nice paint inside, outside, and underneath and has great body panel fit, and all mechanics were rebuilt. In 2012 it was serviced by Rod Drew, F.A.I. of Cost Mesa, with an engine out service, transaxle rebuild, new-old-stock seats located, seats reupholstered, and seat belts installed.

The engine was rated at 275 horsepower in the two-valve configuration and 320 horsepower in the four-valve configuration, producing outstanding performance and handling.