Rally cars are typically based on modest compacts – or at least styled to resemble them. But there was a time when sports cars ruled the rally stage. And that time belonged to the Lancia Stratos.
Designed by Marcello Gandini for Bertone and powered by Ferrari, the Stratos was a mid-engined supercar on a short wheelbase – perfect for chucking sideways around corners and negotiating twisting country roads.
With the Stratos, Lancia won the World Rally Championship three years running from 1974 to ’76. With its winning record, exotic form, and fewer than 500 made, the Stratos remains a highly prized item among collectors and classic rallying enthusiasts. But don’t take our word for it.
This latest video from Praemio tells the story of one of rallying’s most iconic vehicles far better than we ever could – narrated by French former F1 driver Erik Comas, who is keeping the Stratos’ rallying spirit alive, more than 40 years since it originally competed.