Short, stubby and simply unstoppable, the Lancia Stratos HF won a staggering 18 World Rally events and no fewer than three World Rally Championships. Its formidable performance can be attributed largely to Marcello Gandini, the design wunderkind who, working under the Bertone banner, single-handedly revolutionised the world of car design. The introduction of the Stratos in 1970 heralded the era of the ‘wedge’ and petrolheads simply had no idea what they were in for.

Arguably the very first thoroughbred rally car, no stone was left unturned by Lancia and Bertone’s designers and engineers in the quest for performance. The Stratos’ desperately short wheelbase (just2.18 metres) coupled with its 880kg weight meant it was positively nimble and direct. It took a skip-full of skill to master it, which explains why Sandro Munari ranks so highly in our list of great drivers.

For the heart of its new car, Lancia approached Ferrari, a company whose legend was forged around the power and reliability of its engines. A 2.4-litre six-cylinder ‘Dino’ engine was chosen and tucked transversely right behind the cabin. It produced a mighty 300HP in Corsa spec. And it sounded a rabid dog barking for its life. Crucially, the rallying rules of the time dictated that 500 road-specification cars were to be built in order to homologate a competition variant. In typically Italian fashion, Lancia didn’t manage to do that. It’s estimated that 492 Stratos HF Stradales left the marque’s Chivasso plant, of which this beautiful example from 1975 is one.

The production of this magnificent Stratos HF Stradale, chassis number 001916, was completed at Lancia’s Chivasso plant in February of 1975. Finished in Rosso Stratos over a black and ‘Havana’ interior.

Lancia first sold this Stratos to Switzerland, where it remained until 1988, when it was acquired by an Italian collector and returned to its native land. Long-term ownership studs chassis 001916’s history. The aforementioned Italian owner kept the car for seven years, and the next Italian custodian cherished it for over a decade.

This Lancia was sold to – and registered in - the United Kingdom in 2006 and was acquired by its current owner in 2008. In the 25 years since then, the car has seen seldom use though has always been stored at and fastidiously maintained by The Light Car Company in Oxfordshire. The condition of this Stratos beguiles with its versatility yet impresses with its overall mechanical vigour.

In spite of its rally roots, versatility is the Lancia Stratos’ trump card in today’s world. Among the most famous 1970s sports cars of them all, the Stratos is a go-anywhere, do-anything car – from concours competitions and historic road rallies to showing up modern supercars and your local cars-and-coffee meet.

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