Very few cars built by Lancia grace the highways and byways of America, though all the ones that do are special in their own way. From early V4 engines to late-1980s and early-90s rally cars, Lancia put together a lineup of stellar vehicles that always pushed the boundaries of design and engineering.
But no Lancia was ever quite as radical as the Stratos HF Stradale, which paired an extremely wedge-shaped design with a minuscule wheelbase to create one of the most iconic shapes in automotive history—and one that is going up for auction by RM Sotheby's at Amelia Island in March.
Italian Heartbeat
The Lancia Stratos HF Stradale was built for rally racing, though its exterior profile was based on the Stratos Zero concept by Bertone that would go on to influence cars like the Lamborghini Countach. Mounted amidships in the production Stratos is a Dino V6 engine that produces sounds unlike anything on the road—hilariously, the transmission on rally examples featured gearings so narrow that they could oftentimes only top out at about 60 miles per hour.
Interior Amenities Nonexistent
As a homologation special limited to only 492 examples, the Stratos is more racecar than road-going production vehicle. The interior is spartan, tiny, and functional, including door pockets that are designed to hold the driver's helmet. The example in question benefits from a claimed two-year restoration process completed in 2017, including a refinish in blue and what the listing refers to as an interior "re-appointment" by Au-Temps-Tics-Auto of Montreal, Canada, that cost over $60,000.
Teensy Tiny
Whether or not potential bidders will think that the restoration is a plus or minus for this specific Stratos remains to be seen. Regardless, RM Sotheby's expects the final gavel price to land somewhere between $500,000 and $600,000 thanks to 40 years of documented ownership, an odometer reading of only 29,800 kilometers, and its numbers-matching chassis, engine, and body.
Sources: RM Sothebys