1971 Lancia Stratos HF Prototype

The Lancia Stratos HF Prototype was a clandestine project done by the legendary design studio Bertone and constructed from parts from a used Lancia Fulvia. The front-engined car was converted to an exotic mid-engine layout with power from the engine sent to the rear wheels. The wedge-shaped exterior bodyshell was penned by Marcello Gandini, with an overall height of just over 42 inches.

This project was done independently from Lancia. When the car was shown at the Turin Motorshow, it was easily a highlight. Cesare Fiorio, the competition manager for Lancia, apparently walked passed the vehicle on several occasions. Obviously, the Lancia personnel were impressed but did not offer contracts to Bertone, nor did they initiate conversation. After the show, Bertone tried to set-up meetings, but Lancia was not interested. Undeterred, Bertone drove the concept to the Lancia factory. It was short enough to pass under the security gate and enter the premises. Bertone finally had the attention he wanted, and his persistence was rewarded with a contract from Lancia.

Bertone, along with help from Fiorio, was commissioned to further develop the car into a Group 4 rally car. Gandini created a new design that drew heavily upon the concept car. It was given a monocoque chassis and fitted by Lancia with a four-cylinder engine from a Fulvia. The engine was later scrapped, and development began on a proper powerplant.

The second prototype, the Stratos Zero, was completed in just four months and painted in an eye-catching DayGlo fluorescent red. It was shown at the 1971 Turin Show and later Geneva in non-functional form as its engine had not been completed. The engine would take very long to complete resulting in Lancia scrapping it in favor of a Ferrari unit.

The car was put through rigorous testing, which, after several revisions, was a well-tuned machine. The double wishbone suspension was swapped in favor of a McPherson strut setup on the production cars. Also, instead of aluminum, the body was formed from fiberglass.

Design and development took three years, meaning the assembly of the production version did not start until 1973. The cars were assembled quickly in order to comply with the necessary 400 examples to qualify for Group 4 homologation. The racing version of the Stratos was given a heavily-modified engine that raised the base 190 horsepower to 280 bhp. The body was modified to distinguish it from its road-going sibling.

The Stratos, which had been racing in the Group 5 class, was cleared for racing in Group 4 competition midway through 1974. The cars were very successful for both privateers and the works team. The cars would win seventeen World Rally Championship victories during their career, with the first victory earned by Sandro Munari.

Production of the Stratos lasted from 1973 through 1978, with nearly 500 examples built. Fifty examples were competition cars.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2008