|
English
|

1971 Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone)

Lancia Stratos HF prototype (Bertone), 1971
Lancia Stratos HF prototype (Bertone), 1971
Lancia Stratos HF prototype (Bertone), 1971
Lancia Stratos HF prototype (Bertone), 1971
Lancia Stratos HF prototype (Bertone) coupe, 1971
Lancia Stratos HF prototype (Bertone) coupe, 1971
Lancia Stratos HF prototype (Bertone), 1971
Lancia Stratos HF prototype (Bertone), 1971
Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone), 1973
Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone), 1973
Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone), 1973
Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone), 1973
Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone), 1973
Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone), 1973
Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone), 1973
Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone), 1973
Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone), 1973-78
Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone), 1973-78
Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone), 1973-78
Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone), 1973-78
Lancia Stratos HF Group 4, 1974
Lancia Stratos HF Group 4, 1974
Lancia Stratos HF Group 4, 1974
Lancia Stratos HF Group 4, 1974
Lancia Stratos HF Group 4, 1974
Lancia Stratos HF Group 4, 1974
Lancia Stratos HF Group 4, 1974
Lancia Stratos HF Group 4, 1974
Lancia Stratos HF Group 4, 1975
Lancia Stratos HF Group 4, 1975
Lancia Stratos HF Group 4, 1974
Lancia Stratos HF Group 4, 1974
Lancia Stratos HF prototype (Bertone), 1971
Lancia Stratos HF prototype (Bertone), 1971
Lancia Stratos HF prototype (Bertone) - Turin'71
Lancia Stratos HF prototype (Bertone) - Turin'71
Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone) - Design Sketch
Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone) - Design Sketch
Lancia Stratos HF prototype (Bertone) - Рисунок А. Захарова
Lancia Stratos HF prototype (Bertone) - Рисунок А. Захарова
Images: Mario Buonocunto Concept Cars Page
Rating:  178    -43    +221
Lancia Stratos HF prototype coupe (Bertone), 1971

Lancia Stratos, 1973-1978

#40 - The 100 most beautiful cars (The Daily Telegraph)
Bred purely for rally racing the Lancia Stratos every inch of this car, both inside and out was designed to get the very most out of it in a race situation. Superb handling, sophisticated engine and inspired bodywork by Marcello Gandini made this beast a muscle car of the hardest kind.


Bertone stunned the world at the 1970 Turin Motorshow with their Stratos 0 design. Nuccio Bertone initially wanted to call the ultra-compact wedge-shape design Stratoline because of its space-ship-like appearance. Not much on the Stratos concept was conventional, except for the fact that the wheels were round. Fitted low and midships in the chassis was a 1.6 Lancia Fulvia powerplant. The running prototype featured an all new monocoque style chassis, custom built for the Stratos.

In the next few months the concept appeared in magazines all over the world and Lancia talked with Bertone to construct a purpose built rally based on the Stratos design. This car debuted at the 1971 Turin Motorshow and resembled the previous Stratos in name only. Even though Lancia was working on a new competition engine Bertone fitted the Stratos with a Ferrari Dino engine which he had lying about. The extremely compact design looked like the winning recipe for the twisty roads used in rallies.

Nothing much happened in 1972 as Lancia was still waiting for their new competition engine. Late that year Bertone suggested that Lancia should stick with the Ferrari engine and start production of the Stratos. His suggestion received mixed reactions but works racing manager Cesare Fiorio was on his side. Finally production of the 400 cars needed for homologation started. By October 1974 the Stratos was homologated for Group 4 rallying.

Over the next couple of years the Stratos’ dominance was total. It scored 17 world championship victories and over 50 european championship victories. Victory in the legendary rally Monte Carlo rally was taken four out five times between 1975 and 1979. Two were converted to Group 5 road racing specifications with a Turbocharged engine. These silhouette-racers didn’t fare nearly as well as their Group 4 counterparts. At the end of the decade it was replaced by the Fiat 131 Mirafiori.

Few racing cars in history combined form and function as well as the Stratos did.


Like many other coachbuilders, Bertone had to change its business model in the 1960s. The ever increasing popularity of the unitary chassis left little room for custom coachbuilding. In order to survive the "Carrozzeria" had to convert from bodying cars to assembling complete cars for other manufacturers. To showcase the company’s engineering and design skill Nuccio Bertone developed a very special concept car for the 1971 Turin Motorshow. Despite its modest height, the striking lines penned by Marcello Gandini ensured that the Lancia Stratos Zero was impossible to miss.

The extreme wedge-shaped show car had been developed completely independently from Lancia and in complete secrecy. The Lancia Fulvia used for parts was a used example that Bertone had reportedly bought incognito. His engineers converted the chassis to the desired mid-engine rear wheel drive layout. It was covered by a very low body that amazingly followed a single line all the way from the nose to the tail. The windshield of the fully running machine tilted forward to allow access to the two-seater cockpit. Bertone initially wanted to call the car "Stratoline" for its space ship appearance, but later settled for slightly abbreviated "Stratos".

Not surprisingly Bertone’s Stratos was the absolute star of the show and while Lancia’s competition manager Cesare Fiorio walked by at least three times to admire the car, there was no official response from Lancia. Once the dust had settled, the Lancia top brass remained awfully quiet. Bertone tried to set up a meeting to show the car to them, but they were not very interested. Reluctant to give up, Bertone stepped in the concept car and drove it to the Lancia factory. The security guards at the gate could not stop him as the Stratos was low enough to pass under the barrier. The mayhem outside captured the executives’ attention and Bertone was allowed in.

Bertone’s persistence paid off as Lancia commissioned him to further develop the Stratos together with Fiorio into a new Lancia "Group 4" rally car, which indeed seems like quite a departure from the ground hugging Stratos Concept. Gandini was once again called in to draft up a completely new shape, which amazingly retained quite a few cues of his original design. The Bertone engineers developed a very compact monocoque chassis, leaving Lancia to worry about the engine. The Fulvia four cylinder engine was discarded and work was started on a brand new competition engine.

In an incredible short time of just four months, the second Stratos was assembled. It was considerably higher than the original and featured a wrap-around windshield and a very short wheelbase. Painted in a striking DayGlo fluorescent red, the car was ready in time for the 1971 Turin Motor Show, but it was still missing an engine. Lancia’s new competition engine existed only on the drawing board, so that was not an option. Determined to show a fully functional car, Bertone fitted a V6 engine from Ferrari, which, like Lancia, was owned by Fiat.

After being shown at the Turin and Geneva shows, the bright red prototype was used for rigorous development tests. As a result the production cars received a revised rear suspension with McPherson struts instead of double wishbones and the body was crafted from fiberglass instead of aluminium. Many design details were refined and the engine cover was redesigned altogether. Still waiting for their new engine, Lancia delayed the introduction of the production Stratos many times. Eventually they decided that the Ferrari engine would do just fine and an order for 500 engines was placed.

Over three years after the Stratos Zero was first shown, production finally commenced in 1973. At least 400 examples had to be produced for Group 4 homologation, so the pressure was on to assemble the cars as quickly as possible. In the mean time a rally version of the Stratos was developed, which was very similar to the road car with power up to 280 bhp from 190 bhp, courtesy of 24 valve heads. A slightly more aggressive body kit distinguished the rally car from its road going counterpart. Before the Stratos was homologated, it was already rallied with considerable success in the Group 5 class.

Halfway through 1974 the Stratos received its full Group 4 homologation and in the hands of works drivers and privateers began on an incredible string of successes. Italian rally legend Sandro Munari drove the Stratos to its first of a staggering seventeen World Rally Championship victories during the October 1974 San Remo Rally. Despite its supercar appearance, the purpose rally car did not only excel in tarmac events, but was also very successful on anything from gravel to snow. A much more extreme Turbocharged Group 5 version was later developed, but it was not nearly as successful.

Between 1973 and 1978 just short of 500 examples of the Stratos were constructed, including around 50 competition cars. Needless to say it has gone into history as one of the most legendary rally cars of all time and one arguably the most evocatively styled. It fitted right into a series of highly successful Lancia rally cars that include its predecessor the Fulvia HF and its replacements the 037 and Delta. Although rarely mentioned, there would have been no Lancia Stratos without Bertone’s persistence and Fiorio’s enthusiasm for the project.

Featured is the 1971 Lancia Stratos HF Prototype that has survived in a remarkable original condition. It was shown for a few years by Lancia in their museum, but in 1979 was sold. Today it is part of an impressive collection, which includes almost every version of the Stratos. In recent years the unique car was refurbished by Bertone and repainted. According to the owner the DayGlo paint starts to fade after only few days in the sun. He proudly showed the car the 2008 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este where it received a best in class award.


Кузовостроительная и дизайнерская фирма "Бертоне" осенью 1970 года показала на туринской автомобильной выставке опытный образец спортивного автомобиля "Стратос 0", который произвел на присутствующих впечатление инопланетного космического корабля из фантастического романа.

Расположенный перед задними ведущими колесами двигатель, независимая подвеска всех колес, выдвигающиеся фары - таковы конструктивные особенности этой машины. Вскоре прототип стал промышленным образцом и получил название "Лянча-стратос-ХФ". Годовой выпуск составлял 400 штук, и машина была зарегистрирована международной автомобильной федерацией как спортивная модель группы 4. На ней в 1975, 1976 и 1977 годах выиграно первенство мира по ралли.

Дизайнерам "Лянча-стратос" удалось создать очень гармоничную и выразительную форму кузова. Основой его композиции служит клиновидный - в виде сбоку - корпус с развитыми колесными нишами и своеобразным остеклением: лобовое и боковые стекла образуют единую цилиндрическую поверхность.
Source: www.swide.com; Wouter Melissen - www.ultimatecarpage.com; Журнал "За рулем"
Coachbuilder: Bertone
1942 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Coupe (Bertone), 1952 Abarth 1500 Coupe Biposto (Bertone), 1953 Alfa Romeo B.A.T. 5 (Bertone), 1953 Arnolt Bristol (Bertone), 1953 Aston Martin DB 2/4 (Bertone), 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupe (Bertone), 1953 Dodge Zeder (Bertone), 1953 Fiat Siata 8V (Bertone), 1954 Alfa Romeo 2000 Sportiva (Bertone), 1954 Alfa Romeo B.A.T. 7 (Bertone), 1954 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint (Bertone), 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Spider (Bertone), 1955 Alfa Romeo B.A.T. 9 (Bertone), 1955 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider (Bertone), 1956 Abarth 750 (Bertone), 1956 Abarth Record (Bertone), 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale (Bertone), 1957 Fiat Stanguellini 1200 Spider (Bertone), 1957 Jaguar XK150 (Bertone), 1958 Abarth Alfa Romeo 1000 (Bertone), 1958 NSU Sport Prinz (Bertone), 1959 Maserati 3500 GT Coupe (Bertone), 1959 OSCA 1500 (Bertone), 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Prototype EW (Bertone), 1960 Gordon-Keeble GT (Bertone), 1961 ASA 1000 GT (Bertone), 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT Jet (Bertone), 1961 BMW 3200 CS (Bertone), 1961 Ferrari 250GT (Bertone), 1961 Maserati 5000 GT Coupe (Bertone), 1962 Iso Rivolta GT (Bertone), 1962 Simca 1000/1200S Coupe (Bertone), 1963 Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint HS (Bertone), 1963 Chevrolet Corvair Testudo (Bertone), 1963 Iso Grifo (Bertone), 1964 Alfa Romeo Canguro (Bertone), 1965 Fiat 850 Spider (Bertone), 1965 Ford Mustang (Bertone), 1966 Jaguar FT (Bertone), 1966 Lamborghini Miura (Bertone), 1966 Porsche 911 Roadster (Bertone), 1967 Alfa Romeo Montreal Expo Prototipo (Bertone), 1967 Fiat 125 Executive (Bertone), 1967 Jaguar Pirana (Bertone), 1967 Lamborghini Marzal (Bertone), 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo (Bertone), 1968 Bertone Panther, 1968 Lamborghini Espada (Bertone), 1968 Lamborghini Miura Roadster (Bertone), 1969 Autobianchi Runabout (Bertone), 1969 BMW 2800 Spicup (Bertone), 1969 Fiat 128 Coupe (Bertone), 1969 Iso Lele (Bertone), 1970 Bertone Shake, 1970 BMW 2200 TI Garmisch (Bertone), 1970 Lancia Stratos Zero (Bertone), 1971 Lamborghini Countach (Bertone), 1971 Lamborghini Urraco (Bertone), 1971 Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone), 1972 Citroen Camargue (Bertone), 1972 Fiat X1/9 (Bertone), 1972 Maserati Khamsin (Bertone), 1972 Suzuki Go (Bertone), 1973 NSU Trapeze (Bertone), 1974 Fiat 127 Village (Bertone), 1974 Lamborghini Bravo (Bertone), 1974 Maserati Quattroporte II (Bertone), 1975 Fiat 131 Abarth (Bertone), 1975 Fiat Visitors Bus (Bertone), 1975 Fiat X1/9 Dallara (Bertone), 1976 Alfa Romeo Navajo (Bertone), 1976 Ferrari Rainbow (Bertone), 1977 Jaguar Ascot (Bertone), 1978 Lancia Sibilo (Bertone), 1979 Volvo Tundra (Bertone), 1980 Lamborghini Athon (Bertone), 1981 Mazda MX-81 Aria (Bertone), 1982 Citroen BX (Bertone), 1983 Alfa Romeo Delfino (Bertone), 1984 Chevrolet Ramarro (Bertone), 1986 Citroen Zabrus (Bertone), 1988 Lamborghini Genesis (Bertone), 1989 Bugatti EB 110 Proposal (Bertone), 1990 Chevrolet Corvette Nivola (Bertone), 1991 Lotus Emotion (Bertone), 1992 Bertone Blitz, 1992 Fiat Cinquecento RUSH (Bertone), 1994 Bertone ZER (Zero Emission Record), 1994 Fiat Punto Racer (Bertone), 1994 Porsche Karisma (Bertone), 1995 Lancia Kayak (Bertone), 1995 Opel Maxx (Bertone), 1996 Citroen Berlingo Coupe de Plage (Bertone), 1996 Fiat Enduro (Bertone), 1996 Opel Slalom (Bertone), 1997 Alfa Romeo Sportut (Bertone), 1998 Bertone Pickster, 1999 Alfa Romeo Bella (Bertone), 1999 Mazda Neospace (Bertone), 2000 Bertone Slim, 2001 Oldsmobile O4 (Bertone), 2001 Opel Filo (Bertone), 2001 Saab 9X (Bertone), 2002 Bertone Novanta, 2003 Alfa Romeo GT Coupe (Bertone), 2003 Bertone Birusa, 2003 Opel Insignia (Bertone), 2004 Aston Martin Jet2 (Bertone), 2005 Cadillac Villa Design Study (Bertone), 2006 Bertone Suagna, 2007 Chery A6CC Coupe (B23) (Bertone), 2007 Fiat Barchetta (Bertone), 2008 Bertone B.A.T. 11, 2009 Bertone Mantide, 2010 Alfa Romeo Pandion (Bertone), 2011 Jaguar B99 (Bertone), 2011 Jaguar B99 GT (Bertone), 2012 Bertone Nuccio, 2013 Aston Martin Jet 2+2 (Bertone), 2022 Bertone GB110, 2024 Bertone Runabout
Other Lancia
1922 Lancia Lambda, 1927 Lancia Lambda Faux Cabriolet (Touring), 1933 Lancia Augusta Cabriolet (Touring), 1933 Lancia Dilambda/Astura Phaeton (Castagna), 1934 Lancia Artena Cabriolet (Touring), 1936 Lancia Astura Cabriolet Tipo Bocca (Pininfarina), 1937 Lancia Aprilia, 1937 Lancia Aprilia Aerodinamica (Pininfarina), 1937 Lancia Aprilia Berlinetta Aerodinamica (Touring), 1938 Lancia Aprilia Cabriolet (Touring), 1938 Lancia Aprilia Spider (Touring), 1938 Lancia Aprilia Sport (Zagato), 1938 Lancia Aprilia Villoresi (Zagato), 1938 Lancia Astura 'Flying Star' (Touring), 1949 Lancia Ardea Panoramica (Zagato), 1953 Lancia Aurelia PF200 (Pininfarina), 1953 Lancia Aurelia PF200 C Spider (Pininfarina), 1954 Lancia Aurelia B24 S (Pininfarina), 1955 Lancia Florida (Pininfarina), 1956 Lancia Appia Coupe (Pininfarina), 1957 Lancia Appia Convertible (Vignale), 1957 Lancia Appia Coupe (Pininfarina), 1957 Lancia Appia GTS (Zagato), 1957 Lancia Florida II (Pininfarina), 1958 Lancia Appia GTE (Zagato), 1958 Lancia Flaminia Sport (Zagato), 1961 Lancia Appia Sport (Zagato), 1961 Lancia Flaminia Spider 'Amalfi' (Boneschi), 1962 Lancia Flavia Convertible (Vignale), 1962 Lancia Flavia Coupe (Pininfarina), 1963 Lancia Flaminia Coupe Speciale (Pininfarina), 1963 Lancia Flavia Sport (Zagato), 1964 Lancia Flaminia Super Sport (Zagato), 1965 Lancia Fulvia Coupe, 1965 Lancia Fulvia Sport (Zagato), 1967 Lancia Flavia Super Sport (Zagato), 1968 Lancia Fulvia Spider (Zagato), 1969 Lancia Flavia 2000 Coupe (Pininfarina), 1969 Lancia Fulvia 1600 Competizione (Ghia), 1969 Lancia Marica (Ghia), 1970 Lancia Stratos Zero (Bertone), 1971 Lancia Dunja (Coggiola), 1971 Lancia Stratos HF (Bertone), 1972 Lancia 2000 IE FL1 (Francis Lombardi), 1974 Lancia Beta Spider (Pininfarina), 1974 Lancia Mizar (Michelotti), 1975 Lancia Beta Montecarlo (Pininfarina), 1975 Lancia FF (Felber), 1976 Lancia Beta FF (Felber), 1976 Lancia FF Spider (Felber), 1976 Lancia Gamma Coupe (Pininfarina), 1978 Lancia Gamma Spider (Pininfarina), 1978 Lancia Megagamma (ItalDesign), 1978 Lancia Sibilo (Bertone), 1980 Lancia Gamma Scala (Pininfarina), 1980 Lancia Medusa (ItalDesign), 1982 Lancia Gamma Olgiata (Pininfarina), 1982 Lancia Orca (ItalDesign), 1982 Lancia Rally 037 Stradale (Pininfarina), 1987 Lancia Delta HF Integrale, 1988 Lancia HIT (Pininfarina), 1992 Lancia Hyena (Zagato), 1993 Lancia Thema Coupe (Coggiola), 1995 Lancia Kayak (Bertone), 1997 Lancia Ionos (Sbarro), 1998 Lancia Dialogos, 2000 Lancia Nea (I.DE.A), 2002 Lancia Granturismo (Carcerano), 2003 Lancia Fulvia Coupe (Carcerano), 2003 Lancia Granturismo Stilnovo (Carcerano), 2003 Lancia Ypsilon, 2005 Lancia Kandahar (Fioravanti), 2005 Lancia Ypsilon Sport (Zagato), 2006 Lancia Delta HPE, 2006 Lancia Haizea (IED), 2010 Lancia Stratos (Pininfarina), 2023 Lancia Pu+Ra HPE
Related articles:
Оркестр Бертоне
Денис Орлов
Журнал "МОТОР", Август 2002 года
Дизайнер, который работает сам по себе
Н.Розанов
Журнал «АВТОМОБИЛИ», 10-1999
10. Коварные убийцы и мотыльки (Стиль 70-х)
Н. Розанов, кандидат искусствоведения.
Журнал "АВТОМОБИЛИ", 11-1998
Discuss this car
Author
E-mail
Add your comments