When it comes to homologation special racing legends, the Lancia Stratos could very well be considered the pinnacle.
In rallying, it isn’t uncommon for a road car to become a popular rally car, but sometimes, the other way around is better, cooler and, subsequently, more exotic. And that’s what the Stratos is; a specifically built rally car that was carried its racing pedigree on to the public streets completely legally.
The saga began in the late 1960s, when Lancia’s interest in rally racing was blooming, and the team behind the project decided to approach the situation for a different angle. So, instead of converting an already existing road car for racing, the team designed, configured and built a special rally-ready automobile that eventually was homologated for road usage.
The Stratos’ lines were sketched by Marcello Gandini, at Bertone, who designed a crescent-shaped windshield to provide maximum forward visibility and a low, wide body what would offer a low centre of gravity and excellent handling.
To top it off, the bold design was backed-up by a Dino Ferrari V6 unit, de-tuned to develop 192 hp in the HF Stradale – because the car seemed too dangerous in the hands of anyone else other than professional racing driver. So, as you’d imagine, one of the most extreme, rare, dangerous and stunning-looking Lancias ever made was expensive then, as it is now. Still, if you desire one with all your heart, this gorgeous blue example is offered for sale by Tominiclasics.
One of only about 492 Stratos ever built – no one knows exactly how many Stradale models were constructed, as the majority were designed for rallying – this 1976 model has 43,000 km (26,718 miles) on the clock, went through a restoration and is in top notch. In fact, Tominiclasics says it’s one of the few unmodified ones, that remained in an original. That’s why it costs $490,000.
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