4 Things You Didn't Know About The Lancia Stratos

1. Creation Of The Wide Radial Tyre

In 1974 Lancia and Pirelli worked together to create the wide radial tyre. The reason for this was the team were not happy with the performance of the standard tyre as it did not provide sufficient grip for the powerful 2.4 Ferrari derived V6 engine. The Stratos was designed with a large rear track to the larger Pirelli’s would sit comfortably. The standard Radial tyres would only last 10 kilometres around La Mandria and the racing slicks available at the time had a too hard compound. Pirelli created a wide tyre with a reduced sidewall height like a slick, but with a radial structure to fulfil the needs of the Stratos. This tyre also proved to be the basis of supercar tyres. The Porsche 911 Turbo went on to use the same tyre along with other supercars like the Ferrari 308.

2. Ahead Of Its Time

In Its day the Stratos was the most successful rally car ever and that record stood until the Lancia Delta Integrale topped it. The Stratos took three world championships in the 1974, 1975 and 1976 and 18 world championship victories. This is coupled by various victories around the world with the likes of Jolly Club, Grifone and Chequered Flag rally teams. With Lancia’s ability to convert road going homologation cars into Group 4 cars brought the team moe victories in regional events. Only Ford had the ability to get as many cars out on the stages but they were no match for the Stratos.

3. Not Just A Rally Car

Lancia also built two Group 5 turbocharged Stratos’s to compete in the newly formed Group % class. The car only entered 5 events but only finished two of them. In true Italian pedigree, it won both. These being the 1976 Giro d’Italia and the 1977 Giro d’Italia. One of the cars was destroyed in Zeltweg, when it caught fire due to overheating issues when the heat from the engine caught the lightweight body work on fire. The Stratos also gained limited success in 24 Hours of Le Mans, with a car, driven by Christine Dacremont and Lella Lombardi, finishing 20th in 1976. Rino Fabbri also companied his Stratos successfully in Italy with appearances at events like the Giro d’Italia.

4. The Dinosaur was still competitive

Since the Stratos was introduced at the end of the 1973 season it was immediately competitive despite some reliability issues. However these issues were fixed throughout the 1974 season and took its first win with Sandro Munari at the wheel at the Italians home event, the Sanremo. Who would have thought seven years later Markku Alen would be leading the 1981 RAC Rally. Unfortunately Alen retired after crashing out on the 20th stage of the rally. Bernard Darniche took the Stratos’s last victory at the 1981 Tour De Corse Rally beating the Audi Quattro. A true testament to the Lancia team at a time when technology was moving rapidly. Bravo Lancia, Bravo.