Photo: RM Sotheby’s
The 70s and 80s were a flourishing era for rally racing, and given that almost every car manufacturer wanted to take a shot at a world title, some of the wildest and most interesting cars ever were produced during that time. One of the legendary cars of that era, and of all times, really, is the Lancia Stratos.
With a design signed off by Marcello Gandini from automotive design house Gruppo Bertone and powered by a free-revving Ferrari engine, the Lancia Stratos was created from scratch with an ambitious aim, that of winning the newly instituted World Rally Championship (WRC). It was a rally racer through and through and took the rallying world by storm. The road version of the Stratos existed just because the manufacturer had to abide by the FIA Group 4 regulations.
Around 492 Lancia Stratos were ever built and one of them is now up for auction. The example in question is a unique 1976 Lancia Stratos HF (High Fidelity) that comes with an impressive road racing history.
The car was widely raced on track in the United States in various competitions between 1977 and 1984, including the 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, as well as Talladega, Road America, and Road Atlanta.
Nicknamed “The Duck” because of its bright yellow livery, the Stratos didn’t manage to take the podium, but was certainly enjoyable to race.
This particular example was bought by Oklahoma privateer Anatoly Arutunoff from the factory showroom in Italy in late 1976. And though he didn’t have the carmaker’s support, he wanted to compete with the Porsches in the under 2.5-liter class on the road circuits of North America. After its road racing exploits, the car got in the hands of its current Texas-based owner, who acquired it in 1986.
It is offered in as-raced condition, meaning it shows signs of age and wear and would need substantial recommissioning before attempting any track use.
Its unmistakable design with the wide windscreen and low nose allows for excellent forward visibility. It is powered by a mid-mounted Ferrari Dino V6 and comes with a research file and a selection of spare parts, including a set of OEM wheels, wiring harness, exhaust components, fuel tanks, as well as body panels and panel molds. Some of these parts were removed during the Lancia’s racecar conversion.
The 1976 Lancia Stratos is set to hit the auction block in August as part of RM Sotheby’s auction in Monterey, California.
Around 492 Lancia Stratos were ever built and one of them is now up for auction. The example in question is a unique 1976 Lancia Stratos HF (High Fidelity) that comes with an impressive road racing history.
The car was widely raced on track in the United States in various competitions between 1977 and 1984, including the 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, as well as Talladega, Road America, and Road Atlanta.
Nicknamed “The Duck” because of its bright yellow livery, the Stratos didn’t manage to take the podium, but was certainly enjoyable to race.
This particular example was bought by Oklahoma privateer Anatoly Arutunoff from the factory showroom in Italy in late 1976. And though he didn’t have the carmaker’s support, he wanted to compete with the Porsches in the under 2.5-liter class on the road circuits of North America. After its road racing exploits, the car got in the hands of its current Texas-based owner, who acquired it in 1986.
It is offered in as-raced condition, meaning it shows signs of age and wear and would need substantial recommissioning before attempting any track use.
Its unmistakable design with the wide windscreen and low nose allows for excellent forward visibility. It is powered by a mid-mounted Ferrari Dino V6 and comes with a research file and a selection of spare parts, including a set of OEM wheels, wiring harness, exhaust components, fuel tanks, as well as body panels and panel molds. Some of these parts were removed during the Lancia’s racecar conversion.
The 1976 Lancia Stratos is set to hit the auction block in August as part of RM Sotheby’s auction in Monterey, California.
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