New Lancia Stratos – the Video

The old and the new - Lancia Stratos, that is.

We had lots of internet hoo-haa and speculation this summer that we were about to get the rebirth of the iconic Lancia Stratos, which we struggled to swallow. Even when we managed to grab a photo of the new Lancia Stratos out testing, we weren’t convinced this was a secret Fiat plan to revive the Stratos.

And of course, it wasn’t. The new Lancia Stratos was a toy for a rich man. A very rich man. Michael Stoschek made his not inconsiderable fortune in automotive parts in Germany and has a passion for the Stratos. So he’s flashed the cash and got the project to build a Stratos for the 21st century in collaberation with Pininfarina.

And what they’ve created is very impressive. Based on a shortened Ferrari F430 chassis Pininfarina has managed to create a car that just about avoids being a pastiche of the original Stratos. But actually, that was made easier by the dateles lines of the original (as seen in the photo above).

So if you’re of a certain age, and remember the Stratos as an object of desire, don’t bother cashing-in the pension to fulfil a teenage fantasy. There won’t be a production run, although it seems that Michael Stoschek is not averse to the idea of churning out a few more cars if someone with deep enough pockets comes along. But that’s ‘Deep enough pockets’ as in ‘I’m loaded’, rather than ‘I’ve sold the family car to get one’.

No matter how rich you are, it’s hard to resist an earner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG1Q5w2yqIk&feature=player_embedded

By Cars UK