Touring Superleggera Senior Designer Modernizes the Lancia Stratos Zero Concept



From the Buick Y-Job of 1938 to modern one-offs such as the BMW Concept i4, there’s something in there for everyone as far as exterior styling is concerned. However, concept cars are not made equal.


The Stratos Zero stands out as one of the most outlandish concepts ever produced, preceding the Stratos HF by a year or so. Marcello Gandini went all out with his wedges when designing the futuristic mid-engine supercar that had little to do with the rallying legend and homologation special.

Los Angeles-based collector Phillip Sarofim owns this piece of Lancia history, powered by a V4 from the Fulvia instead of a Ferrari V6 as you may find in the engine bay of the production model. To this day, the tangerine dream is considered both eye candy and an oddity thanks to “chocolate bar” seats, the raked canopy, and the side-opening triangular engine cover.

Taking inspiration from the original, automotive concept artist and designer Matteo Gentile paid tribute to the Stratos Zero with a rather spectacular rendering. Understandably, the senior designer at Touring Superleggera made a few changes to the body as well as to the smallest of details.

Typical of an Italian concept from an Italian designer, the honeycomb-pattern wheels with center locks are complemented by Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes and extremely grippy tires. What’s not so typical is the choice of rubber shoes, namely Michelins instead of Pirellis.

Some things, however, were left pretty much untouched. The transmission, for example, can be easily seen thanks to the shape of the carbon-fiber aerodynamic diffuser. Higher still, two upper intakes are complemented by a pair of rear-quarter intakes that feed fresh air to the powerplant.

If Lancia and Ferrari had a similarly strong connection today as they did back then, the engine would most likely be a twin-turbo V8. The 3.9-liter mill from the Roma or the 4.0-liter lump from the SF90 Stradale with plug-in hybrid assistance would be more than adequate, don’t you think?

At the time of writing, Lancia is an Italy-only automaker with only one model on sale – the Ypsilon. The only thing that’s new about the supermini for 2020 is 12-volt mild hybridization in the guise of a 1.0-liter engine.



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