Genuine period Group IV competition Stratos
Accompanied by its original Foglio Complementare
1980 & 1981 Rally del Carso e dei Colli Orientali competitor
Only five, fully-documented, owners from new
This Lancia Stratos HF Group IV
As with all non-factory
Lancia Stratos HF Group IV competition cars, this Stratos started its life as a
Stradale, completing production at Bertone on 23rd July 1974, before
returning to Lancia where it competed assembly in September 1976. Chassis
829AR0 001619 was originally finished in the same Bleu 2312 Stratos we see
today, with Lancia Classiche confirming the engine to be the original.
This Stratos was first
registered in Gorizia, Italy, in September 1976 and assigned the registration
‘GO 105327’, before being sold to its first owner, Roberto Mervic. The total
cost was 6,000,000 Italian Lire, with payment consisting of 5,000,000 cash and
one Fiat. Copies of the original ‘Carta Di Circulazione per Autovettura’
confirming Mervic’s ownership are contained within the impressive history file
accompanying this car.
Mervic was
a rallying enthusiast, and quickly sent his new Lancia to renowned Stratos
specialist, Claudio Maglioli. Having successfully raced a Lancia Fulvia for the
HF Squarda Corsa team at events around the world, including the Targa Florio,
Daytona 24 Hours, Sebring 12 Hours and the Nurburgring 1000 km it was a natural
progression for Maglioli to work on the technical development of all cars for
the Lancia Racing Department in 1971. Cars developed by Maglioli as Official
Test Driver at the works Lancia Racing Department included the Beta Motecarlo
Turbo Group 5, LC1 and LC2 Group C sports prototypes, 037 Rally Group B and
ofcourse the Stratos HF Group IV. Maglioli was an important component to the
development and success of the Stratos, which claimed three consecutive World
Rally Championships, and no fewer than 18 World Rally Victories!
Knowing it
was important to have the best preparation possible, Mervic took his Stratos to
Maglioli to convert it to Group IV specification, with the upgraded engine,
suspension, brakes, larger rear arches, wider wheels and tyres and competition
dashboard and interior.
Still
finished in its original Bleu, Mervic and 1619 made their competition debut at
the 1980 Rally del Carso e dei Colli Orientali, being supported by Scuderia
Gradisca. Sitting alongside Mervic was Igno Cargnel, with the pair being
assigned race number 5. Roberto Mervic had previously competed in rally events
with a Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130 TC and Ford Sierra RS Cosworth, but clearly
enjoyed the performance his new Lancia Stratos HF Group IV offered, finishing 2nd
in class and 4th overall in his debut event with the car.
For the
1982 Rally del Carso e dei Colli Orientali, Mervic and Cargnel returned, this
time wearing race number 16 and being supported by Scuderia Go Corse. Period
images from the event confirm the car to be wearing its competition
specification lamp pod, white and blue ‘coffin-spoke’ Group IV wheels and
flat-top Group IV dashboard. The car was also wearing large sponsorship from
S.V.A.G., an Italian home furnishings and DIY store. For the 1981 event, Mervic
and Cargnel finished 7th overall.
Maintaining
ownership through to 1982, Roberto Mervic sold the car to German, Konrad
Schmidt, owner of SMS Motorsport. Konrad Schmidt’s team, SMS Motorsport, worked
closely with the works Audi rally team in the late 1970’s during Audi’s foray
into the world of rallying. SMS was tasked with maintaining and rallying
works-supported cars in the German championship, and thanks to its wealth of
experience in rallying, the Audi works team listened and gained experience far
faster, often borrowing some of the SMS mechanics for World Rally events.
Working with drivers Harald Demuth and Armin Schwarz, SMS Motorsport claimed
four German Rally Championship!
Clearly,
this Stratos HF Group IV passed from one rallying enthusiast to another! During
his ownership, and having registered the car in Germany, Schmidt used the
Stratos for a commercial promotional video, whilst also attending the 1993 and
1994 Austrian Alpine Nostalgic Meeting in Lunz-am-see.
1999 saw
the Stratos receive both its FIVA Identity Card and Deuvet Vehicle Passport
before Schmidt sold the car to Peter Georg Guttenberger of Zirndorf, Germany. Having
lived in a garage with Guttenberger and not being driven despite being issued
German registration ‘FU-VC41’, this Stratos was then bought by another rallying
enthusiast, race and rally film producer, Helmut Deimel in Austria. Diemel had
been aware of this Lancia for many years during its time with Schmidt, and soon
engaged German Lancia Stratos specialist, Udo Sparwald to carry out a
restoration. As a result of his enthusiasm and connections in the print and
film world, Deimel arranged for this Stratos to be photographed and featured in
several magazines and websites.
In 2016,
this Stratos was bought by its most recent owner, an American collector who
returned the car once again to Udo Sparwald, this time for an engine rebuild.
High compression pistons and conrods, higher lift camshafts, larger inlet and
exhaust valves were fitted with the engine and crankshaft also being balanced. Power
is estimated at 270 bhp!
Later the
same year, the car entered the Lancia Stratos World Meeting in Biella, Italy,
before travelling across the Atlantic for the first time and displayed at The
Quail, A Motorsports Gathering in August.
For the
2019 Monterey Classic Car week, this Stratos Group IV was used and demonstrated
by our team, with both Max and Daniele enjoying the driving experience and found
the response of the car to be impressive.
All Lancia
Stratos HF Group IV cars are special, but to own a car converted by the
mastermind Claudio Maglioli, with period competition history, low and fully
documented ownership history and being presented in a condition such as this
car is extremely rare.
We chose to test this Stratos on California’s picturesque Highway 1, but where are you going to experience the intoxicating sound of this big-valve Ferrari V6 engine, or stare at the design of Italian genius, Marcello Gandini? Without doubt, this is one of the ‘must-have’ corner pieces for any collector, are you ready to take the keys from Max?
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