1975 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale

Estimate: $500,000 - $550,000

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Sold

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All Exterior Interior Engine Trunk Underside

At a Glance

Location
Los Angeles, CA
Vehicle Make/Model
Lancia Stratos
Chassis No.
829ARO 001976

Exterior
Azzurro
Interior
Blue Carpet and Black Velvet
Mileage
30,413 km
Engine
2,418 CC DOHC 65° V-6
Engine No.
829A000 001248

Transaxle
5-Speed Manual
Suspension
4-Wheel Independent with Wishbones and Coil Springs
Brakes
4-Wheel Disc

The 1975 Lancia Stratas HF Stradale

The Lancia Stratos was a design product of Carrozzeria Bertone - more specifically, Marcello Gandini - and the sport director for Lancia at the time, Cesare Fiorio. In 1970, Gandini’s Stratos Zero concept was first shown at the Turin Motor Show, coinciding with Lancia’s desire to replace the aging Fulvia that they were using in international rally racing at the time. Having gained Lancia’s interest, Gandini came up with a gorgeous prototype design for the new rally racer, using the Fulvia chassis and drivetrain, with clear influence from the Zero concept.

The following year, in 1971, the Turin Auto Show saw the first Stratos High Fidelity (HF) concept, which was met with an overwhelmingly positive response from the public. Not only a lovely design, it was purpose-built for the demands of rally racing, with short overhangs, a long travel suspension, and that gorgeous wraparound front windshield for maximum forward visibility.

Enzo Ferrari had initially agreed to supply the production Stratos with V6 Dino engines for the homologation run, but then balked as they came close to production. While the status remained unknown, keeping the project on hold, Ferrari suddenly shipped 500 Dino engines to Lancia at once, and production began. Not only a striking design, the Stratos was quickly developed into a winner, taking the World Rally Championship title for three years in a row starting in 1974. Only corporate politics prevented more possible wins, as the group opted to move ahead racing Fiat sedans, but the Stratos’ racing pedigree had already been earned.

Road-going ‘Stradale’ versions of the Stratos, like the one being offered, were built for homologation rules and represent the bare minimum of accommodations made by a manufacturer to allow a car to be legally registered for street use. With its Ferrari sourced 2.5-liter V6 Dino motor, dogleg 5-speed manual transmission, short wheelbase, and long-travel four-wheel independent suspension, the Stratos is a unique, incredibly engaging drive. This example is showing 30,413km on the clock, has a known owner history, and is in very original condition.

The 1975 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale now available, chassis (001976), was first registered in October of 1975 to Paolo Neri of Livorno, Italy. After just a single year of ownership, the Stratos was sold to its second owner, Mr. Romano Cionini Visani, another local Livorno resident. Mr. Visani would continue to own the car for 18 years, with the exception of a brief period in 1983 where the car was sold and later bought back at the end of the year.

In 1994, the Stratos would see a new caretaker, Giuseppe Di Benedetto. After a 20-year ownership, Di Benedetto sold the Stratos in October 2015 to a US based collector. Being sold in unrestored, survivor condition after years of regular use, it was decided that the Stratos could benefit from both cosmetic and mechanical work. Richard Grenon of Driving the Best (Au-Temps-Tics-Auto) in Montreal, Canada, would be contracted to refinish the Azzurro blue paint and interior work as well as a myriad of other details.

After the paint and interior work was completed, the car went to Phil Bagley of Klub Sport Racing in Riviera Beach, Florida, for a full mechanical refresh. Engine, brakes and suspension were all carefully gone over and fixed where needed, being careful to keep it original and period correct. The Stratos would be regularly driven and maintained for the following five years until it was sold to the current owner in 2020 where it has been maintained in a private collection in Chicago, Illinois.

The Stratos pictured here is a truly rare purchase opportunity. Beyond being a limited production car that is barely different from its competition ready brethren, it is in exceptional shape, having managed to keep its original clamshell hood and trunk with no damage. The comprehensive cosmetic refresh and mechanical work done have it in proper good health. As a driving experience, the Stratos is every bit as fun as its shape would promise, and this example in particular would be a satisfying addition to any collection.

Exterior

The exterior of the Stratos is finished in Azzurro, a blue non-metallic, most recently being repainted in its original color in 2015. The blue is nicely offset by the original Campagnolo 14” wheels, in a great bronze paint shade, and are original to the car.

The entire exterior is made of molded fiberglass, mounted to the steel frame chassis. One of the most striking visual aspects of the Stratos are the fiberglass clamshell hood and trunk elements, which when opened, reveal the weight saving structure and drivetrain underneath to great effect. The clamshells on this Stratos, vulnerable to any impact, are original and uncracked. That is a testament to the care and consideration – and of course, a little bit of luck - afforded this car throughout its life.

Interior

The spartan black interior is finished mostly in molded fiberglass and black vinyl, minimalist in both weight and appearance. The seats are the primary element that are not entirely original, having been reupholstered in black velvet cloth instead of suede. The interior door pockets feature the rounded cutout intended as a placeholder for both driver and passenger helmets, and the headliner is done in a ribbed pattern. All gauges work properly, and the interior fan and heat are also in operable condition.

Drive Train

The 2.5-liter 65-degree V6 and the five-speed dogleg transmission in the Stratos were sourced from Ferrari, originally produced for the Dino. Producing 195HP at 7,400 rpm, this was a high revving engine in its day, and was plenty of power to motivate the lightweight rally racer.

The engine and transaxle in this Stratos are original to the car as it was delivered new, an achievement hard to find in many of the existing examples today.

Enzo Ferrari had agreed to sell the drivetrain to Lancia, but then cancelled the deal before shipping them, citing concerns about the Stratos being a Dino competitor. When Dino production ended, Lancia suddenly found themselves receiving the shipment of engines all at once, thus allowing production to commence.