Once a dominant force on the world rally stage, the iconic wedge-shaped Stratos is making a return half a century after the production of the original.
This modern-interpretation of the original Lancia Stratos made its first debut in late 2010 as a one-off prototype commissioned by Pininfarina for wealthy German entrepreneur, Michael Stoschek. Based heavily on the Ferrari 430 Scuderia, plans to put the new Stratos into production failed when Ferrari pulled the plug in 2010. Not to be deterred, the stakeholders of the initial development approached Italian design-house Manifattura Automobili Torino (MAT) to manufacture a limited-run of the new Stratos – a move that is now bearing fruit.
The MAT Stratos retains the original car's styling, from the wedge-shaped silhouette to the round taillights and the five-star rims. With light weight a key design-criteria the Stratos' aluminum chassis has been sourced from the Ferrari 430 Scuderia, which has been shortened by 20 cm and welded to an FIA-certified roll cage, and the fiberglass body of the original has been replaced by carbon-fiber.
Powering the new Stratos is the 430 Scuderia's 4.3-liter naturally-aspirated V8. Thanks to a titanium exhaust system and a retuned ECU, the V8's performance is boosted to 540-hp (397 kW) and 383 lb-ft (519 Nm) of torque, up from the Scuderia's 503-hp (375 kW) and 347 lb-ft (470 Nm).
Combined with the upgraded six-speed sequential gearbox, locking differential and its 2,750-lb (1,247 kg, dry) curb weight, the new Stratos will sprint from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in a claimed 3.3 seconds and hit a top speed of 171 mph (274 km/h).
Keeping it on the road, the new Stratos has ZF Sachs suspension with Eibach springs, electronic damper calibration and 19-inch center-lock wheels wrapped in sticky Dunlop Sport Maxx tires. Stopping duties are handled by a set of ceramic rotors clamped by Brembo calipers with six pistons on the front and four pistons on the rear.
The bespoke interior is also taken from the 430 Scuderia and, like the original, has door pockets that can fit a race-helmet. The driver's cockpit features the Ferrari's steering wheel complete with the Manettino drive-mode selector, shift lights and paddle-shifters.
The race-orientated interior sports alcantara bucket seats, glossy carbon-fiber door cards and aluminum checker-plate flooring, though it still has air-conditioning.
Only 25-units of the new Stratos will be produced, with the first car set to be delivered in early April 2018. The attached price-tag is expected to be in the six-figure range.
The new Stratos will be featured at the Geneva Motor show alongside the 70s original. In the meantime, check out the new Stratos being put through its paces by former F1-driver Tiago Monteiro.
Source: New Stratos
