Tag Archives: Stratos

Rally-Bred

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This is the unmistakable shape of the Lancia Stratos, designed by Bertone and powered by a Ferrari Dino V6, it was the first car purpose-built for rallying, winning the World Rally Championship three times consecutively between 1974 and 1976.

This lovely diorama by Flickr’s alex_bricks, who appeared here recently with his stunning 1988 Monaco Grand Prix scene, depicts a works Alitalia-liveried Stratos scything through a muddy forest.

Forced-perspective foliage and an array of mini-figures – including a driver and co-driver and some hardy spectators – add to the ambiance, and you can join them trackside c1975 via the link in the text above.

Lamenting Lancia

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As occasionally we do here at The Lego Car Blog, today’s post is a lament of Lancia.

One of the most innovative, technically advanced, and motorsport-winning car companies in history, Lancia have created some of the all-time great automobiles. Yet today they make only this. Which is probably worse than if they made nothing at all.

We’re heading back to the 1970s then, when Lancia made a whole range of wonderful (if poorly rust protected) cars, and this; the incredible Stratos HF.

Designed by Bertone (who pitched it to Lancia by just turning up and driving it underneath the security barrier), the Stratos was a mid-engined sports car designed for rallying. And rally it did, winning the World Championship three years in a row from ’74 to ’76. And unlike every other Lancia it couldn’t rust, being made from fibreglass.

Equally glorious (and rust-proof) is this spectacular replica of the Alitalia-liveried Stratos rally car, recreated brilliantly by Biczzz of Flickr. Beautifully-built bodywork, superbly accurate decals, and a replica Ferrari V6 ‘Dino’ engine underneath a removable rear clamshell make this a fine homage to Lancia’s glory years, and there more to see – including a lime green road-car version – at Biczzz’s ‘Lancia Stratos’ album.

Click the link above to go rallying in the mid-’70s, when Lancia were on top of the world.

Super Stratos Stradale

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The Lancia Stratos was not a good road car. Uncomfortable, unreliable, and almost comically badly designed, there’s a reason that Lancia are barely around today (and so sad is their current single offering it’d probably be better if they weren’t. What’s going on Fiat?!). However, the Lancia Stratos rally car was a very different matter…

Powered by a mid-mounted Ferrari V6 the Stratos won three consecutive World Rally Championships, in ’74, ’75 and ’76. It might have won more too, were it not for parent company Fiat switching their focus (and therefore funding) to their own brand in ’77.

Such results have made the Lancia Stratos a hugely sought after car, despite the road variants being pretty rubbish. A better bet (and probably better built) is this Technic version from James Tillson, which recreates the Stratos brilliantly in Lego form.

Like the real car the front and rear bodywork opens, revealing the transversly-mounted V6 engine, working suspension, and functioning steering, with remote control delivered by Power Functions motors and a third-party BuWizz bluetooth battery.

There’s more to see of James’ Technic Lancia Stratos in both Stradale and Group B specification on Flickr and at the Eurobricks forum – take a look via the links in the text above, plus you can read our review of the BuWizz bluetooth battery that controls and powers it by clicking here.

My Other Car’s a Porsche

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We were very excited when we previewed LEGO’s 42056 Porsche 911 GT3 RS set, and then a bit disappointed by it. Which is a shame, because it’ll still rightly go down as one of the greatest Technic sets released so far.

Nevertheless 42056 is a set that many builders can improve upon, and that’s arguably what newcomer pleasedontspammebro of Flickr has done with this excellent mid-’70s Lancia Stratos Stradale HF B-Model built entirely from the pieces found within the set.

Underneath the well-proportioned exterior which includes opening doors and front and rear clamshells is a working drivetrain consisting of a transversely mounted V6 engine, 5-speed gearbox, all-wheel suspension and functioning steering.

Suggested by a reader there’s more to see of the Lancia B-Model on Flickr via the link above, where you can also find a link to instructions so can build your very own Stratos from your 42056 Porsche 911 GT3 RS set.

Alternatively you can take a look at an Audi R8 B-Model featured here previously, but whichever you chose to repurpose your 42056 set for, make sure you dismantle it the right way…

Lancia Stratos – Picture Special

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We like the Lancia Stratos very much here at TLCB. Styled by Bertone, powered by Ferrari, and winner of three back-to-back World Rally Championship titles, few cars can match the pedigree of Lancia’s incredible 1970s sports car.

The two gorgeous models shown here both come from James Tillson, and they’re amongst our very favourite creations of the year so far. Underneath the wonderfully replicated bodywork is a full mechanical Technic Supercar chassis, featuring all-wheel independent suspension, working steering, opening doors and front and rear clamshells, a transversely-mounted V6 engine, a working 4-speed gearbox and pop-up headlights. There’s also some absolutely beautiful decal-work giving the models fantastic period authenticity.

There’s lots more to see of both the Alitalia and +1 Racing Stratoses at the Eurobricks discussion forum and via James’ Flickr photostream – making the trip to view the Lancias’ full gallery is recommended hugely! We’ll see you there…

Ice Cool

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Lancia may be a shadow of its former self reduced to making ugly Chrysler knock-offs, but there was a time when owning a Lancia was seriously cool. The legendary Stratos was one of the brand’s highlights, winning the World Rally Championship three times and remaining a rally winner until the mid 1980s, a full decade after its launch. This neat remote control Lego ice-racing version comes from Flickr’s Peter Blackert and was suggested to us by a reader – see more at the link above.

Let’s Tesselate

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The 1970s were a decade entirely made up of straight lines. Preferably three of them joined by three corners. This Lancia Stratos HF Zero concept car follows the rules of ’70s car design to the letter. It’s been built by newcomer Heiko Ruutel of MOCpages and you can see more here.

Seventies Sensation

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This is one of the greatest rally cars ever made. It won the World Rally Championship in 1974, ’75 and ’76 – dominating the sport before the arrival of all-wheel-drive – and it featured an engine built by Ferrari. It is of course the bewitching Lancia Stratos.

Fewer than 500 original Stratos’ were built, and rumour has it that the first was built by the legendary coach-builder Bertone using a friend’s Lancia Fulvia as a base, in which he simply turned up at the Lancia factory one day to rapturous applause.

This lovely remote controlled Technic version of the Stratos was designed and built by TLCB favourite Piterx. It looks the business, which of course all Lancias should*, but the real question is can it rally? Watch the video below to find out!

YouTube Video:

*Apart from the modern ones it seems, which are either amongst the ugliest cars ever conceived, or are Chryslers with Lancia badges stuck on. Come on Fiat, you know you can do better.

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