2022 LB Specialist Cars Stratos STR – Auction Car of the Week

First things first let’s address the elephant in the room before we get too involved here. This Stratos STR is not a real Lancia Stratos, obviously. This mere triviality matters not, however, because most of us, sadly, could never afford an actual Lancia Stratos. That’s if we could even find one as less than 500 were ever made. You might as well set up camp outside the rocking horse lavs because you’ll have just as much chance with that particular idiom, too.

The good news is this stunning and accurate representation of that iconic Italian wedge is a fraction of the cost of a genuine Stratos and arguably just as much fun to drive, if not more so. Let’s face it, this is as close as most of us will ever get to owning a genuine example of that most pointy of rally legends so put your prejudices aside and drink in the absolute vision that is this LB Specialist Cars STR recreation.

You can read all about the original Stratos in our The Homologators article so we won’t go over already covered ground here. Instead we’ll focus on what makes this Stratos STR so very special and so much more attainable for us mere mortals without the likes of Swiss bank accounts and tax dodging know-how.

As we have already mentioned, this car is perhaps not for the purists but to dismiss it as a mere replica would be doing it a huge disservice. Let’s look at the engine for starters. It may have the same number of cylinders as the original car’s Ferrari Dino motor but the powerplant nestled within this Stratos STR is a very different beast. Now, the Lancia nerds out there will be up in arms at this point but as far as legendary engines go the Alfa Romeo V6 Busso nestled under the rear deck of this car is up there with the best of the best, and we will die on that hill.

This gleaming, 3.0-litre symphony of an engine has been rebuilt by Bournemouth based Alfa specialists Auto Lusso. Not only that but it has also been fitted with a solid flywheel from a 2.5-litre V6 care of the 156 which has been perfectly balanced to the engine by balancing gurus Vibration Free at Bicester. The result is a perfectly tuned engine that produces around 220bhp, which when combined with the car’s teeny size and low fibreglass curb weight makes for an incredibly spicy experience indeed.

All of that perfectly produced power is controlled though and makes its way to the rear 9×16” 5-spoke Coffin alloy wheels via a refreshed six-speed gearbox with GTA internals and a Quaife ATB differential. Handling is taken care of by standard LB Specialist cars suspension with double wishbones up front and a strut type rear set up connected to aircraft grade billet alloy uprights. Damping is provided by Gaz Gold coil-overs and front and rear anti-roll bars. So earlier, when we said this is arguably more fun to drive than the original, we really did mean it.

The interior is a much more modern and comfortable affair than the cars of the ’70s, too. With a heated windscreen, switchable air-conditioning and a reversing camera, not to mention a more sizeable luggage space, this STR is also a far more usable proposition.

This is more akin to a restomod than a replica and LB Specialist Cars say of the platform, and we quote: “The STR is a re-imagination of the iconic 1970s Lancia Stratos. Our mission is to produce the STR in such a way that it pays homage to the original Lancia and therefore maintains all of the visual presence and character of the genuine Stratos but is engineered and advanced in a way better suited to this millennium”.

Well we certainly think this particular Stratos STR exemplifies that statement. We want it, you want it and we want you to have it because it deserves to be driven and enjoyed to the fullest, so head on over to the listing for the full run down and all of the pictures and then get bidding. You’ll likely never own a legitimate Stratos but we think this would be just as rewarding. Still possessing that unmistakable silhouette but dragged well and truly into the 2020s this Stratos STR really is an incredibly exciting proposition.