Chassis No. 1863
Engine No. 135c/0005364
Transmission No. 001403
Few competition cars have so completely epitomized their sport as the Lancia Stratos HF. While the Stratos is rightly celebrated for its unparalleled dominance in rallying-from before its homologation and long after its official retirement-Lancia's Group 4 offering was formidable on the racing circuit as well as the rally stage. In period, the Stratos contested premier sports car events and championships worldwide, from the 24 Hours of Le Mans to the IMSA GT Championship.
Such is the case for this 1975 Lancia Stratos HF, whose roots lie on Italy's most demanding road courses. Originally specified in Azzurro Stratos over a black stretch faux leather interior, this example was built in January 1975 and delivered new to Rome in April of the following year according to its included build sheet from Stellantis Heritage's Centro Storico. Its Cronologico from the Automobile Club d'Italia shows two local owners before the Stratos was purchased by privateer racer Francesco Marchese in March 1979 and converted to Group 4 specification. Just six months later, Marchese entered it in the 1979 Coppa Inter-Europa, with an official entry list and photos on file showing the Stratos in action at Monza on the 2nd of September. The car was last registered in March 1985 before it was acquired in March 2004 by Alessandria-based Lancia Stratos expert Piero Gobbi. Known in rally circles worldwide for keeping the Stratos competitive in private hands for decades, Gobbi acquired an FIA Historic Technical Passport that August, and quickly jumpstarted the Stratos' rally career. Now clad in a Marlboro Lancia-Italia livery and with Gobbi primarily at the wheel, this example participated in more than 30 historic rally events across Europe, including the Corsica Historic Rally, Rally del Corallo, and Rallylegend; participating in events as recently as 2017. It was sold to a private caretaker in 2018 before passing to the consignor in 2020, entering a curated collection of fellow renowned rally cars in France with regular services from French Stratos specialists Daunat Classique.
Despite a continuous history from new, as with many competition cars that were used “in action” in period, the chassis number was most likely restamped long ago, likely from a racing shunt and subsequent necessary body repairs conducted at one point during this car's wide-reaching competitive career.
This 1975 Lancia Stratos HF is furnished with a comprehensive history file including its 2004 FIA Historical Passport and subsequent FIA documents from 2018, certificate from the Registro Storico Lancia, Lancia Certificate of Origin, Italian registration documents, and historical photos of it competing in 1979.
Clad in the instantly recognizable Marlboro livery while boasting both period competition history and a revived rally career under the care of the Lancia Stratos' foremost authority, this example will surely make its next caretaker the star of any prestigious historic rally event as it has for the past 20 years.
Documents: French Certificat d'Immatriculation
- Fuel
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- Transmission
- Exterior Colour
- Number of doors
- Interior Colour
- VIN Code1863
