1975 Lancia Stratos HF

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | St. Moritz, Switzerland | September 9, 2022

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Lancia Stratos HF, or commonly just the Stratos, was produced from 1973 through 1975 with just 492 examples were completed in that time. The car was intended for rally competition and succeeded wildly, winning the World Rally Championship in 1974, 1975, and 1976. A Stratos also won the Targa Florio.

It has a steel space frame wrapped in a Bertone-designed fiberglass body and features a 2.4-liter Dino V6 mounted transversely behind the driver. There’s also a mini-car-like 85.8″ wheelbase with very little rear overhang. The car is small and compact and, with just 188 horsepower, can still pack a punch.

The true era of the supercar wouldn’t dawn until the 1980s, but this car certainly deserves mention in the “early supercar” conversation. This particular example was mostly totaled by its first owner and rebuilt at a Lancia dealer with a replacement chassis. With that in mind, it is still estimated at $610,000-$715,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

1976 Lancia Stratos Group IV

Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 9, 2017

Photo – Bonhams

Okay, so maybe it’s not an actual Lancia works rally car sporting the most famous of rally car liveries, but it is a racing Stratos that has competition history that just so happens to sport that very same green and white Alitalia livery.

The Stratos was the first purpose-built rally car from a major manufacturer. Yes, at one time, Lancia was a major manufacturer (they are lucky to still be around right now, as the current top brass at Fiat seems to have completely forgotten that they exist). In order to race the Stratos, Lancia had to build road-going versions, which it did – about 400 in total. It was a supercar in its day, powered by the feisty 2.4-liter V-6 from the Ferrari Dino. Depending on engine tune, it can put out between 190 and 320 horsepower.

It might not seem like a lot, but the mid-engined, rear-wheel drive layout of this featherweight car makes it an absolute handful. I mean, the guys you see in old videos jumping these things over little humps on mountain roads are – and there’s no graceful way to say this – batshit crazy. At its limit (and on dirt or snow no less), this has to be one of the most difficult cars to drive that has ever been built.

This three-owner car has known race history back to 1993, so its unclear if it was built as a competition car from new, or converted from one of the homologated road cars. Either way, the owner picked the right paint job. It should sell for between $370,000-$480,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Not sold.