Finally! New Lancia Stratos trumps the old
By Straight-Six, published on 20 January 2011
We really don’t have time to do this post and its subject justice. Honestly.
On the run between meetings and lunch at a devastatingly good Italian restaurant (vongole and Tuscan white wine await…), we have mere minutes to share with you the storming success that is the New Stratos.
Clearly, the cognescenti will know immediately what we’re talking about and have no doubt hoovered up the recent evo review. For those who don’t, the short version is that the Stoschek Father & Son combo spent millions on constructing a new version of the 1970s Lancia Stratos whose looks and success in the world of rallying haunt enthusiasts to this day.
Those who don’t give a shit about cars will find the compact, wedge-shaped design to be most worthy of their time and admiration. In other words, its an icon. And you all know how much we love icons around here.
The fear was that making this one-off would be, well, somewhat of a let-down given the purity of the original. You know: stepping on the delicate toes of automotive history and established aesthetic grandeur. Well, the Stoscheks not only nailed this number down to the last rivet, they positively stomped all over the many failings and shortcomings of the original by providing us with a car so achingly beautiful and mechanically wonderous (Ferrari F430 Scuderia mechanicals, anyone?!) that it will apparently be made in limited numbers at €500,000 a pop.
Light, tight, frighteningly fast, the New Stratos is a breath of fresh air in a world dominated by hulking, ponderous super-car giants. And barring the front headlights – which we think could have been better integrated into the overall design – we can think of nothing to criticise. At all. We adore it, crave it and take our hats off to the the Stoscheks for making this a reality.
Ladies & Gentlemen: the New Stratos!
Finally! New Lancia Stratos trumps the old
We really don’t have time to do this post and its subject justice. Honestly. On the run between meetings and lunch at a devastatingly good Italian restaurant (vongole and Tuscan white wine await…), we have mere minutes to share with you the storming success that is the New Stratos. Clearly, the cognescenti will know immediately [...]
3 Responses to “Finally! New Lancia Stratos trumps the old”
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Straight-Six
21 January 2011
Actually, we have Chris Hrabalek to thank for the design, with input from the Stoscheks. Pininfarina just executed it all.
But who cares about details like that?! We can’t stop drooling over it…
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Hmmmm….
So here’s the thing.
It’s ugly gentlemen. There’s no finesse or balance to the design. It’s a mess. It looks naff.
Sorry but it looks like a cheap kit car to me.
Ivan Y
20 January 2011
Pininfarina did a great job with the design of the car. Last I heard, this was a one-off, but I guess they got enough serious interest to start a limited run.