Bertone Lancia Stratos HF History
History
The Stratos began as a Bertone concept: the Lancia Stratos Zero, a dramatic wedge-shaped show car designed by Marcello Gandini for the 1970 Turin Auto Show. Lancia's Cesare Fiorio saw its potential as a rally-specific car and worked with Bertone and Lancia's Chivasso plant to transform the concept into a homologation special.
The production Stratos HF used a Ferrari Dino 2.4-liter V6 mounted transversely behind the driver, producing 190 hp in road trim and around 275–320 hp in competition specification. Production of the approximately 492 cars needed for Group 4 homologation ran from 1973, with the car homologated for the 1974 World Rally Championship season.
The Stratos dominated the WRC: Lancia won the world rally title outright in 1974, 1975, and 1976, with the car also taking multiple Tour de France Automobile victories. It remains the archetype of the purpose-built rally homologation special and is one of the most consequential and collectible rally cars of the 20th century.
Body styles
- Coupe
Notable special editions & performance variants
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Lancia Stratos Zero (concept)
The Bertone concept car by Gandini that inspired the production Stratos — exhibited at the 1970 Turin Auto Show; now in the Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli.
Related models