We can all thank Manifattura Automobili Torino for finally bringing the “new Stratos” to production, with the term here used loosely as only 25 of those beautiful machines are going to be built.
MAT’s new Stratos is not exactly new, as the revived version Italian rally legend goes back at least to 2008, when car collector Michael Stoschek got Pininfarina onboard and started the development and construction of the car.
Also Read: Geneva-Bound New Stratos Pairs 430 Scuderia V8 With Manual Gearbox
The new Stratos uses the underpinnings and powertrain from a Ferrari 430 Scuderia, with the chassis getting cut in half, having a 200mm (7.87 inches) section chopped off and then welded back together to get the proportions right. The passenger cell was then stiffened up with the use of steel tubing while the suspension was tuned for the new Stratos specifically.
After finishing that first black example the new Stratos, Pininfarina aborted the project as Ferrari simply didn’t want the car to exist. Fast forward to today and Manifattura Automobili Torino, not only will make you one, but it will pair that flat-plane crank Ferrari V8 with a six-speed manual transmission.
The combination of the howling Ferrari V8 with the shorter wheelbase should mean that the new Stratos is more alert than the Scuderia it’s based on, bringing back some of that snappiness the original car is famous for.
Jason Cammisa returns to the YouTube’s car community on the Issimmi channel, delivering his feedback on the new Stratos and he has some things to say about it.