1975 Lancia Stratos HF
Coachwork by Bertone Scocca no. 1240 487
Chassis no. 829AR0 0000008
Engine no. AR0829000 0000008
2,418cc DOHC Ferrari Dino V6 Engine
Triple Carburetors
192bhp at 7,000rpm
5-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Disc Brakes
*Excellent patina throughout and less than 12,700 kms on the odometer
*In current ownership since 1989
*Striking color combination
*One of circa 35 Stratos completed by legendary Autosport Jolly Club
The Motorcar Offered
Finished in the sporting livery of turquoise blue over a matching blue interior, this Stratos HF Stradale looks striking indeed. The car was built at Bertone with Scocca number 1240 487, yet left unfinished when Lancia ended production. The car became one of the Stratos HF's finalized by Autosport Jolly Club in Milan, where is was given chassis number 829AR0 0000008 and matching engine number
AR0829000 0000008. The turquoise Stratos is believed to have been delivered new to Stratos-hungry Switzerland, where it was owned by a Zurich-based gentleman by the name of Amoruso Euegen Damiano in 1988. The car was purchased here by well-known collector car dealer Ed Waterman in 1989, and in turn sold to a renowned collector from Central America. The Stratos has remained in this ownership ever since, forming part of an incredible Group B rally car collection.
With less than 12,700 kilometers (7,900 miles) on the odometer – a figure indeed believed to be original – This striking Stratos HF Stradale displays a wonderful patina throughout. The paint appears to never have been stripped or redone, and the interior is believed to be equally original; right down to the fragile 'bath towel-like' seat covers. A full service would be recommended before use. The cars history file includes many photos from when the car was purchased in Switzerland in 1989, as well as a Lancia Stratos sales brochure, owner's manual, and copies of Swiss registration paperwork.
The Lancia Stratos HF
A limited production 'homologation special', the Lancia Stratos is historically significant as the first car from a major manufacturer conceived specifically for rallying. The spearhead of Lancia's international rally campaign in the 1970s, the Stratos had its origins in a Fulvia-powered, mid-engined design exercise by Marcello Gandini first exhibited on Carrozzeria Bertone's stand at the 1970 Turin Motor Show. Also, the work of Gandini and Bertone, the production Stratos of 1972 retained the striking 'wedge' styling of its forbear but employed the powerful Ferrari Dino 2.4-litre V6 engine. The latter was housed in a robust steel monocoque body tub clad in glassfibre coachwork.
That such a daring design actually made it into production is mainly due to Cesare Fiorio, co-founder of the HF Corse team that had become Lancia's official competitions department in 1965. Lancia was already enjoying considerable success in international rallying with modified versions of the Fulvia, but in the Stratos, Fiorio saw an opportunity to create a purpose-built rally car from the ground upwards. He was an admirer of Ferrari's quad-cam V6 motor, having evaluated a Dino for rallying purposes, and Enzo Ferrari was duly persuaded to come on board as the engine supplier. The stubby, mid-engined Stratos looked nothing like a traditional rally car, but then Fiorio knew exactly what he was doing.
As befitted a car purpose built to cope with all types of rallying, the Stratos came with fully adjustable, all-independent suspension by double wishbones and coil springs, plus four-wheel disc brakes all round. With 190bhp on tap, the production road-going (Stradale) version was good for 225km/h. The works Group 4 rally cars were, of course, considerably more powerful, but reliability problems meant that success was slow to come. After its initial major victory in the 1974 Targa Florio, the Stratos went on to dominate international rallying, Lancia winning the World Rally Championship of Makes in 1975 and 1976. Works pilot Bernard Darniche triumphed twice in the world's premier drivers' competition - the European Rally Championship - in 1976 and 1977, and the Stratos helped Markku Alen to the inaugural World Drivers' Championship in 1978. Alen's season had been split between the Stratos and the FIAT 131, and it was the parent company's political decision to favor that latter, rather than any lack of competitiveness, which saw the incomparable Stratos phased out, though private entrants continued to enjoy success at international level into the early 1980s.
Incredible as it may seem today, after the 500-or-so cars required for homologation had been completed in 1975, the vast majority remained unsold due to lack of demand. (As it happens, that crucial '500' figure was never reached, one widely circulated estimate stating that only 492 were built). Almost as soon as it ceased active competition though, the car's historic significance was recognized and prices soared. A few remaining Bertone-built unfinished cars were purchased by legendary racing team and car manufacturer; the Milano-based Autosport Jolly Club. Jolly Club would assemble these cars to the stock Stratos HF Stradale configuration, and sell them on. It was a time in Italy, where cars sold as parts would fall into a much more attractive tax bracket, so these Jolly Stratos' became very popular.