1976 Lancia HF Stratos Stradale Coupe

Within the motorsport of rally racing, there are numerous examples of an iconic road car becoming a popular rally car. However, there are only a very few examples of specifically-built rally cars becoming greatly sought-after road cars. One example of a rally car that did manage to become an iconic road car would be the Lancia Stratos 'Stradale.'

Toward the later-part of the 1960s, a team within Lancia would have an interest in competing in rally races. However, the team behind the rallying project at Lancia would approach the situation from a different point of view. Instead of making do with an existing road car and turning it into a rally car, the team would design and build a specially-built car that would dominate the competition.

Marcello Gandini at Bertone would end up designing a truly mean and aggressive-looking car. Gandini would design a car sporting a crescent-shaped windshield to provide maximum forward visibility and a low, wide body that would provide the car with a low center of gravity, thereby providing good handling. Then, in 1971, Lancia made the announcement that they would procure the use of a Dino Ferrari V6. Combined with the car's wide shape and compact size, the Ferrari engine producing 192 hp would help to make a truly potent rally car.

When the car made its first appearance during the early 1970s, the Lancia Stratos represented a new era in rallying. The Stratos represented the first purpose-built rally car ever. And it would prove to be very successful. In fact, it would be one of the most successful rally cars of all time.

But while Lancia believed it had designed and built the best rally car, it still had to contend with homologation rules regarding European rallying. This presented something of an issue considering the car had been built with very little in the way of amenities inside the car. It had been built as a rally car and, therefore, was void of anything that would add any unnecessary weight and mass that would hinder the car's performance.

Yet, despite being devoid of many of the comforts one would want or that one could get in something like a Grand Tourer, there was something about the Stratos that made people really want one. Perhaps it was the fact, for many, it would be the closest he or she would ever come to owning a driving a rally car. Or, perhaps for others, it was simply the truly wicked design Gandini had produced at Bertone. But whatever the reason, the Stratos would become a favorite that would have something of a cult following.

Lancia couldn't just sell 500 examples of the outright Stratos to meet the homologation rules. The car certainly seemed dangerous in the hands of anyone else other than professional rally drivers. So, Lancia would tune-down the Dino V6. Known as the 'Stradale,' Lancia's de-tuned example of the Stratos would still be a very potent performer in its own right. While pushing 280 bhp in rally trim, the Stradale would utilize the base Dino V6 that would produce a still respectable 192 bhp. And when combined with Bertone's futuristic and wicked design, non-professionals would still have the opportunity to experience the sensations of rally driving.

One such Stradale, chassis 829 AR0 001 611 would be built in 1976. And while, like other Stradales, the chassis doesn't feature the performance of its rally derivatives, it still features the same aggressive looks giving it the appearance of having come straight from the Welsh forest or the Monte Carlo Rally.

One of what is believed to be about only 492 Stratos ever to be built, this Stradale exists in even smaller company as the majority of the Stratos built were specifically for rally racing. This particular example would be delivered to a Dr. Rudolf Wiespointner of Wels, Austria, in 1976.

Dr. Wiespoitner would end up enjoying the Stratos for no fewer than two decades. After 23 years and spending what was already a lifetime in Austria, the Stratos would be sold in 1999 to Rudolf Bromberger. However, the car would remain in Austria. It would only move to Vienna.

Despite being more than thirty years old the Lancia Stradale would only accumulate a total of 43,000 kilometers and would even undergo some restoration during the new millennium. Being that the car has been driven so little throughout the years, it would not be at all surprising that the engine compartment remains clean and boasts factory-correct finishes all throughout. In addition, the low mileage on the car means the original gearbox and engine have not been restored and remain in impressive conditions even to this day.

Presented for sale at the RM Auctions event held at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco in 2012, the Lancia Stratos Stradale would come with a blue finish and gold-finished wheels creating a striking look that would become synonymous with another great rally performer that could also be purchased for the city streets.

And while so many of the few existing Stradales have been modified in order to reflect their high-performance brothers and sisters, this particular Stradale has a greater significance precisely because it is one of the few that has remained true to its street car roots. Complete with black roof, decklid spoilers and the original manual and sales brochure, this particular chassis is highly original from nose to tail.

A rare Stradale version with only two registered owners since it rolled out of the factory, chassis 829 AR0 001 611 would be estimated at 250,000 to 300,000 EUR at the time of the auction. And when the gavel fell, the Stratos 'Stradale' would garner a sale price of 299,600 EUR.

Sources:
'Lot No. 332: 1976 Lancia Stratos 'Stradale' by Carrozzeria Bertone', (http://www.rmauctions.com/CarDetails.cfm?SaleCode=MC12&CarID=r329&Currency=EUR). RM Auctions. http://www.rmauctions.com/CarDetails.cfm?SaleCode=MC12&CarID=r329&Currency=EUR. Retrieved 17 May 2012.

'1974 Lancia Stratos Stradale News, Pictures and Information', (http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z6831/Lancia-Stratos-Stradale.aspx). Conceptcarz.com: From Concept to Production. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z6831/Lancia-Stratos-Stradale.aspx. Retrieved 17 May 2012.

'Race Cars/Other/Lancia Stratos', (http://auto.howstuffworks.com/lancia-stratos-sports-cars.htm). Howstuffworks. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/lancia-stratos-sports-cars.htm. Retrieved 17 May 2012.

Wikipedia contributors, 'Lancia Stratos HF', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 28 April 2012, 08:06 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lancia_Stratos_HF&oldid=489592821 accessed 17 May 2012

By Jeremy McMullen