The return of Lancia’s legendary Stratos
In the Seventies the Lancia Stratos was the coolest car on the planet. The reborn version is stunning.
Raw, claustrophobic and designed to race without compromise, the original Lancia Stratos was not the ideal car in which to do the school run or potter to the shops, says Simon De Burton in the FT's How to Spend It. However, regulatory requirements decreed that at least 500 road-legal examples of the car had to be made. In 1976, the Stratos became the "coolest, quickest, funkiest [and] most outrageous-looking motor on the planet".
This is one of those cars that doesn't just accelerate; it beams itself down the road, says Jason Barlow on Top Gear. "You are at Point A; now you are at Point B. The bit in the middle is pulverised." This is a one-off car that is "stunningly well realised, a hunk of gorgeous carbon-fibre fashioned into a shape that drags the original Stratos into the 21st century". The slight downside on top of the half-million-pound price tag is that to have a Stratos built, you have to provide MAT with a Ferrari F430 to gut first.
Price: £487,000 (plus Ferrari F430 donor car);Engine: V8, 4,308cc, petrol;Power: 542bhp at 8,200rpm;Torque: 383lb ft at 3,750rpm;Top speed: 170-205mph;0-60mph: 3.3 seconds.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
Sarah is MoneyWeek's investment editor. She graduated from the University of Southampton with a BA in English and History, before going on to complete a graduate diploma in law at the College of Law in Guildford. She joined MoneyWeek in 2014 and writes on funds, personal finance, pensions and property.
-
Review: Eden Roc Cap Cana – fun, sun and golf in the Caribbean
Travel Eden Roc Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic offers everything from relaxing by the pool to a world-class golf course
-
Reeves delays cash ISA reform, but savers are not out of the woods yet
The chancellor has reportedly delayed plans to cut the cash ISA limit, which were set to be announced at Mansion House on 15 July, and will take more time to consult with the industry