1976 Lancia Stratos HF “Stradale”

1976 – Lancia Stratos HF “Stradale” 

Chassis no. 829AR0*001959

French registration document 

French registration certificate 

“In the same ownership for nearly 40 years, in exceptional original condition” 

“In the same ownership for nearly 40 years, in exceptional original condition”

• The story begins in 1960: a handful of Lancia enthusiasts, nostalgic for the brand’s glory days and its racing team, the Scuderia Lancia, founded the ‘Club Lancia HF’ (standing for High Fidelity). It was not until three years later that the club established its own racing department to compensate for the company’s lack of involvement in competition: the “HF Squadra”. It was following the success of this small group that the factory officially returned to competition, first with the Flavia, then the Fulvia and Beta.
• Following the numerous financial setbacks in its history – the very same that led to its disappearance from the racing scene – Lancia was taken over by Fiat. Budgets changed, bringing with them the opportunity to create an innovative model once again… It was at the 1970 Turin Motor Show that Cesare Fiorio, co-founder of Scuderia Lancia HF, fell under the spell of Nuccio Bertone’s new prototype, the Stratos Zero. The design was unique, sleek and modern, and the project was powered by the Fulvia’s engine. The matter was settled: Lancia asked Bertone to adapt this concept car for the road, and Fiat offered the option of fitting it with the exceptional 2.4-litre Dino V6 engine.
• The result was unveiled in November 1971: the prototype’s design was slightly modified, with the addition of a brand-new panoramic windscreen! Rallying success was on the cards, with 17 World Championship victories and two titles, in 1975 and 1976. The road-legal version, dubbed the Stradale, hit the roads in 1973, causing an immediate stir amongst other road users! That is how the story between the Stratos and its current owner began, on a bend in the Alps: “I was at the wheel of my Ferrari Dino when a Stratos came hurtling past in the opposite direction, making a hell of a racket! That’s when the quest began: I simply had to have one.” It was not until a few years later, in 1987, that the current owner purchased #1959 from Chardonnet.
• The history of our example is traced thanks to historian Thomas Popper: delivered new in Milan in the elegant Midnight Blue colour scheme with a beige interior (most of which is still original), it arrived in France in 1982, before joining the current owner’s collection. A collector from the very beginning, he owned a myriad of Ferrari Dinos at the time, as well as a few Lamborghinis (Miura, Countach and Diablo, to name but a few…). In the early years, #1959 was used as it should be, for everything from leisurely rallies to those… more high-octane affairs! The car was already in its current configuration, painted red, with wide wings and Gr. 4-style wheels. Today, it presents itself to us in a unique original condition. The engine is still the original one, the body panels (doors and boot) have matching numbers, and numerous areas still reveal the original paintwork.
• Eligible for the finest events on the historic calendar, including the Tour Auto, the Stratos is an extremely rare car (fewer than 500 Stradale models) and exceptional to drive! Our example is among the most authentic, and could either continue in its current state or represent a unique restoration project on the current market… It is up to the future owner to make the difficult decision: to restore it to its original colour and configure it as a Stradale, or to opt for a Gr. 4 conversion and take part in the next Tour Auto! The choice is yours…

• Our story begins in 1960: a handful of Lancia enthusiasts, nostalgic for the brand’s glory days and its racing team, Scuderia Lancia, founded the ‘Club Lancia HF’ (standing for High Fidelity). It was not until three years later that the club set up its own racing department to compensate for the manufacturer’s lack of involvement in competition: the “HF Squadra”. Following the success of this small group, the factory officially returned to competition, first with the Flavia, then the Fulvia, and finally the Beta.
• Following the many financial setbacks in its history – the very ones that led to its disappearance from the racing scene – Lancia was taken over by Fiat. Budgets changed, bringing with them the opportunity to create an innovative model once again… It was at the 1970 Turin Motor Show that Cesare Fiorio, co-founder of Scuderia Lancia HF, fell under the spell of Nuccio Bertone’s new prototype, the Stratos Zero. The design was unique, sleek and modern, and the project was powered by the Fulvia’s engine. The decision was made: Lancia asked Bertone to adapt this concept car for the road, and Fiat offered the option of fitting it with the exceptional 2.4-litre Dino V6 engine.
• The result was unveiled in November 1971: the prototype’s design was slightly modified, with the addition of a brand-new panoramic windscreen! Success in rallying was assured, with 17 World Championship victories and two titles, in 1975 and 1976. The road-legal version, named the Stradale, hit the roads in 1973, causing an immediate stir amongst other road users! That is how the story between the Stratos and its current owner began, on a bend in the Alps: “I was driving my Ferrari Dino when a Stratos came hurtling past in the opposite direction, making an absolute frightful racket! That’s when the quest began: I simply had to have one.” It was not until a few years later, in 1987, that the current owner purchased #1959 from Chardonnet. 
• The history of our car is traced through Thomas Popper’s research: delivered new in Milan in the elegant Midnight Blue and beige colour scheme (most of the interior is still original), it arrived in France in 1982, before joining the current owner’s collection. A collector from the very start, he owned a myriad of Ferrari Dinos at the time, as well as a few Lamborghinis (Miura, Countach and Diablo, to name but a few…). In the early years, #1959 was used as it should be, for everything from leisurely rallies to those… more high-octane affairs! The car was already in its current configuration, painted red, with wide wings and Gr.4-style wheels. Today, it stands out to us in its unique original condition. The engine is still the original one, the body panels (doors and boot) have matching numbers, and in many areas the original paintwork is still visible.
• Eligible for the finest events on the historic racing calendar, including the Tour Auto, the Stratos is an extremely rare car (fewer than 500 Stradale models were built) and a joy to drive! Our example is one of the most authentic, and could either be kept as is or become a unique restoration project on the current market… It is up to the future owner to make the difficult decision: restore it to its original colour and bring it up to Stradale specification, or opt for a conversion to Gr. 4 and take part in the next Tour Auto! The choice is yours…

Est. €550,000 – €750,000