When design house Bertone knocked on Lancia’s looking for a new partnership, Lancia couldn’t resist the radical offerings. After a show-stopping concept, the duo worked together and presented the Lancia Stratos at the 1971 Turin Motor Show. Shortly after, the Stratos made its way onto the rally stage, winning the World Rally Championship in 1974, 1975, and 1976.
But sales weren’t exactly great, and today, it’s unlikely that you would see a Lancia Stratos on a rally track or even in city streets, as they have become exceptionally rare. There are, however, a few replicas that preserve the legendary driving experience of the Stratos, and Jonny Smith from The Late Brake Show got behind the wheel of one of them.
Johnny was given the keys to the Stratos by Kevin Johnson, alias the Miura Man. Kevin owns a series of mid-engine supercars that cost a small fortune but claims that the most enjoyable of them all the Stratos, which he justifies by saying it “has character, and is really good fun to drive.” Unlike the original Stratos, which contained the Dino’s Ferrari V6, this LB Specialist Cars STR replica draws power from a 3.0L V6 from an Alfa Romeo Busso that produces up to 220hp.
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Behind the wheel is where the Stratos becomes a real treat. You can forget about being pampered by things like power steering because Johnny explains the drive to be ‘physical’ thanks to its old-school stiffened steering. Couple that with some rigid suspension along with a beautiful engine note thanks to the V6 sitting a couple of inches behind your head, and you’ve got a car that demands your attention.
Sure, the replica comes with a few additional niceties, such as air conditioning, but that doesn’t take away the ‘Raw’ experience that you will get from driving this car.