Guide: Special Stages Redefined - a Historical & Technical Appraisal of the Lancia Stratos HF Stradale
Background
During the early 1950s, Lancia embarked on an ambitious sports car racing programme that most notably yielded victories at the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio and Carrera Panamericana.
The privately owned company then moved into Formula 1 with the legendary D50.
The D50 made its maiden appearance in the final race of 1954 where it took pole, set fastest lap and led until clutch failure forced an early retirement.
With a driver line up that included Albero Ascari, Luigi Villoresi and Eugenio Castellotti, big things were expected for 1955 when Lancia would be up against the likes of Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari and Maserati.
However, the new Mercedes W196 was easily the fastest car of 1955 and, when Ascari was killed testing in May, the financially stretched Lancia family pulled the plug.
Scuderia Lancia’s assets were sold to Enzo Ferrari and, in 1956, the Pesenti family took control of Lancia.
In 1965, Lancia returned to motor sport. HF Squadra Corse (originally a privateer racing team founded by Lancia enthusiasts) became the works team. Cesare Fiorio managed the operation.
Various High Fidelity iterations of the front-wheel drive Fulvia Coupe were subsequently produced and Lancia went on to win the Italian Rally Championship every year bar one between 1965 and 1973.
In 1972, the Fulvia won the International Championship for Manufacturers which was the precursor to the inaugural 1973 World Rally Championship.
By this time, the Lancia motor company had been sold to another new owner: the Fiat Group.
Fiat had saved the loss-making firm in October 1969, just a few months after they had acquired a major stake in Ferrari. In 1971, Fiat added Abarth to its ever-expanding portfolio.
As Fiat had their own rallying aspirations, there was inevitably a certain conflict between Abarth (which took over Fiat’s motor sport operation) and Lancia. Understandably, the parent company were not keen on two subsidiaries burning through cash to compete against one another.
However, Lancia’s recent results had been better than those of Fiat so, for the timebing, Cesare Fiorio’s outfit had the upper hand.
Although by 1970 the Fulvia’s greatest achievements were yet to come, the little front-wheel drive V4-powered Coupe was no longer in the first flush of youth.
This had not escaped the attention of Nuccio Bertone whose eponymous carrozzeria were looking to establish a relationship with Lancia.
Under the direction of head stylist, Marcello Gandini, Bertone was at the vanguard of a new wedge design movement.
To try and tempt Lancia into a collaboration, Bertone displayed the Stratos Zero concept at the Turin Motor Show in October 1970. Built with Fulvia running gear, it caused a sensation.
In February 1971, Nuccio Bertone and Lancia Chairman, Ugo Gobbato, signed a contract to develop a Stratos road car that would serve as the company’s next generation rally weapon.
The radical new Tipo 829 Stratos HF Stradale could not have been more different from the Fulvia. It used a mid-engined layout, Ferrari V6 power and was cloaked in one of Gandini’s most iconic wedge designs.
500 would need to be built to qualify for the Group 4 class.
The Stratos was the first car designed from the ground up to go rallying and started a new era of homologation specials.
A year after the Zero had wowed the crowds, a fluorescent red Stratos HF Stradale prototype (chassis 1240) was displayed at the 1971 Turin Motor Show. It was displayed with a Ferrari V6 motor installed even though at this stage Fiat were still in opposition to an engine supply deal.
In February 1972, Enzo Ferrari provisionally agreed to provide the 500 engines Lancia needed and Fiat finally came on board that December.
The 500 cars required for homologation were officially constructed between July 1973 and July 1974. However, it seems likely that not all the bodyshells were satisfactorily completed during this period as homologation was not granted until October 1st 1974.
The best estimate for the number of cars actually built is 492 along with ten spare bodyshells. All were left-hand drive.
The lion’s share of the production process took place at Bertone’s Grugliasco factory before final assembly was undertaken at Lancia’s Chivasso plant 40km away.
Chassis
Under the skin was a semi monocoque tubular steel spaceframe with integral roll cage and short 2180mm wheelbase.
Two fuel tanks with a combined 80-litre capacity were mounted either side of the engine up against the rear bulkhead.
Partially rose-jointed suspension was via double wishbones at the front and MacPherson struts with lower wishbones at the rear. Adjustable coil springs, telescopic dampers and anti-roll bars were fitted all round.
The 271mm diameter Girling ventilated discs were 22mm thick at the front and 20mm thick at the rear. Twin piston ATE calipers were fitted and there was no servo-assistance.
Campagnolo 14 x 7.5-inch magnesium wheels were originally shod with Michelin XWX or Pirelli Cinturato tyres.
Engine & Gearbox
Ferrari’s Tipo 236E dual overhead camshaft Dino engine was a 65° V6 with cast iron block and aluminium alloy head. It was mounted transversely in the chassis and displaced 2418cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 92.5mm and 60mm respectively.
The compression ratio was 9.0:1.
Three twin choke Weber 40 IDF 28/29 downdraught carburettors were fitted along with Marelli electronic ignition.
Peak output was 190bhp at 7000rpm and 166lb-ft at 4000rpm.
Transmission was via a Ferrari-supplied five-speed gearbox, single-plate clutch and ZF limited-slip differential.
Bodywork
Cosmetically, the Stratos was nothing like any rally car before or since.
Its stubby wedge profile had a continuous line from nose to tail and, to give the driver maximum visibility, Gandini added a wraparound windscreen with upswept side glass.
The front end was home to a gaping radiator intake above which were a bank of 56 vents to enable hot air to escape. Retractable headlights ensured the slimmest possible nose profile while further up, each front fender was an unusual flared blister to cover the wheel and tyre.
Engine cooling ducts were mounted on each sail panel and Gandini added his trademark slatted rear window for dramatic effect.
As per the rest of the car, the back end gave plenty of ground clearance. Simple off the shelf light clusters were fitted, the combined brake / indicator lenses having been mounted within rubberised mouldings that gave the Stratos one of its most distinctive features.
Similarly, the uneven height of the two exhaust pipes was another curious detail.
Fibreglass body panels were used throughout.
Interior
Inside, all six instruments were housed in a binnacle directly behind the four-spoke leather-rimmed steering wheel. A large 9000rpm rev counter and matching 250mkh speedo were located off to the right while five smaller gauges for water temperature, oil pressure, oil temperature, battery amps and fuel were on the left-hand side.
Four rocker switches and a toggle switch were also housed in the main binnacle which always came with a natural alloy fascia. The rest of the dash was trimmed with dark grey mousehair fabric.
The standard bucket seats had fixed backs and could only be adjusted fore and aft. Most seats came with alcantara suede fascias although some had black vinyl bolsters and a few were trimmed entirely in black vinyl.
Tan and black coloured alcantara suede was offered and the fluted roof panel was trimmed to match.
Carpet came in one of four shades: orange, blue, black or brown.
Plexiglas side windows could only be partially opened and were lowered by a manual slider on the door panel. The door panels themselves were untrimmed fibreglass and came with a storage bucket big enough for a crash helmet.
Rear visibility was practically non-existent and the pedals were heavily offset. The cabin was also cramped and poorly ventilated.
Weight / Performance
Lancia quoted a weight of 980kg, a 143mph top speed and 0-62mph time of 6.4 seconds.
Spoiler Pack
On November 1st 1974 (one month after the Stratos had been accepted into Group 4) Lancia homologated a two-piece matt black aero kit that comprised a large rear spoiler and a basket handle cockpit aerofoil. The majority of cars which had not yet been sold were subsequently equipped as such.
Competition History
Between November 1972 and September 1974 (before it was accepted into Group 4), the Stratos was extensively raced and rallied by the Marlboro-backed works team which normally had to compete in the Group 5 Prototype class.
In 1973, the Marlboro Lancia Italia squad picked up wins in the Firestone Rally, Tour de l’Aisne and Tour de France. Another six wins followed while still un-homologated in 1974, most notably on the Targa Florio.
The 1974 World Rally Championship was severely curtailed as a result of the Oil Crisis which played into Lancia’s hands. The calendar was reduced from 13 rounds to just eight, the last five of which all took place between October and November which enabled the Stratos to compete.
Lancia picked up three wins and a third. Sandro Munari won the Rally Sanremo and Rally Rideau Lakes and Jean-Claude Andruet took victory on the Tour de Corse.
Earlier in the year, Munari had also picked up a third on the Safari Rally with a Fulvia. As the opening three events had all been won by different manufacturers, Lancia accumulated enough points to win the 1974 World Championship. They finished on 96 points, Fiat were second on 69 and Ford third on 52.
In 1975, the now Alitalia-backed Lancia squad beat Fiat again when the Stratos won four events. That year, Peugeot were the only other manufacturer to win more than one rally.
A third successive title followed in 1976 when Lancia scored more than twice as money points as second placed Opel.
Although the Stratos was still the quickest rally car around, Fiat decided to put all their effort into the new, more marketable Fiat Abarth 131 from 1977. The Stratos took victory in Monte Carlo that year but Lancia finished fifth in the standings while Fiat took five wins and the championship.
In addition to three World Rally Championship titles and victory on the 1974 Targa Florio, the Stratos won the Tour de France five times while turbocharged Group 5 iterations took Giro d’Italia wins in 1974 and 1976.
The final win for a works Stratos was on the 1978 Giro d’Italia and the last of the model’s 18 World Rally Championship victories came on the 1981 Tour de Corse with Team Chardonnet.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Lancia - https://www.lancia.com & Fondazione Pirelli - https://www.fondazionepirelli.org/en/
