Anyone above a certain age with an interest in motorsport will recognize Lancia Stratos as one of the most legendary sports and rally car names of all time. Well, now a bespoke sports car manufacturer from Italy called Manifattura Automobili Torino (MAT) is set to build a brand new Lancia Stratos that will be on display at this year's Geneva Motor Show next month.
This new model, which was first unveiled in 2010 in concept form, pays homage to the original Stratos, of which just 492 examples were produced between 1973 and 1978. The car will be produced in three different versions: a GT racer, a Safari version, and a third that MAT refers to as "a competent supercar for daily use." The Safari is more than likely going to be a rally-inspired model and a further throwback to the incredible motorsport heritage of the Stratos.
There are some pretty impressive people behind this reimagined Stratos as the car was commissioned by the rally enthusiast and billionaire chairman of vehicle parts supplier Brose, Michael Stoschek. And although the 1970s original was designed by Bertone, this one comes from the equally successful Pininfarina design studio.
Back in 2010, the original concept was based on a cut-down aluminum spaceframe structure derived from a Ferrari 430 Scuderia, and it also utilized the Ferrari's drivetrain. However, just a year later in 2011, Ferrari went as far as to block Pininfarina and "any other Ferrari-dependent suppliers" from producing the New Stratos, and that led to the car's designers having to look elsewhere for a car to base it on.
Nothing has been said yet about what engine will power the Stratos, but it has been revealed the engine in question develops 542 bhp, and images show a steering wheel with shift paddles that indicate an automatic gearbox. The 2010 concept had a Ferrari-sourced 4.3-liter V-8 that put out 532 bhp.
No price has been officially given for the new car, but to give an idea of what to expect, a price of somewhere in the region of £600,000 (US$827,700 or 676,000 euros at today's exchange rates) was being touted when the original concept was being publicized.
