New Lancia Stratos: Full Tech Specs and Performance Figures Plus Presentation Video

The PR people behind the New Stratos project continue to slowly reveal additional information about Pininfarina's one-off supercar. This time they released the full tech specs and performance figures. 

Based on Ferrari F430 Scuderia underpinnings, the retrotastic Stratos packs a considerable punch. It measures 4.1 meters in length and tips the scales at just 1.247 kg (2.749 pounds) with the weight distributed 44% in the front and 56% at the rear. Power-to-weight ratio is 2.3 kg/hp, thanks to the 4.3-liter V8 engine, which churns out 540 hp and over 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque. That’s 30 ponies more than the Scuderia’s stock powerplant.


The New Stratos rides on 19-inch alloys, shod in 265/30 front and 315/30 rear Dunlop Sport Maxx tires. Stopping power is provided by 398 mm front and 350 mm rear Brembo brakes.
Pininfarina’s test team wasn’t able to properly put the new car through its paces due to bad weather, so the performance figures announced are preliminary. Even so, they’re pretty amazing.

The sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) is claimed to be just 3.3 seconds and, pushed further, the Stratos can reach 200 km/h (124 mph) in an equally impressive 9.7 seconds. The engineers plan to introduce a new rear axle, which will reduce top speed to 274 km/h (170 mph), but will also further improve acceleration values.
For the complete spec sheet check out our gallery below.

By Csaba Daradics

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Proton Shows Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X Lookalike Concept of Inspira with 240HP Turbo Engine

The 2010 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show at the Putra World Trade Centre in Malaysia saw local automaker and owner of Lotus, Proton, revealing a host of concept models including a sport prototype of the recently launched Inspira called the Jebat. Needless to say, it's clearly inspired from the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X.
As you may remember, the Inspira is a rebadged Mitsubishi Lancer sedan and is the result of an OEM collaboration between the Malaysian automaker and Mitsubishi Japan. However, we're not so sure if Mitsubishi had this in mind when it was signing the agreement with Proton.
In any case, the Jebat study, which could very well lead to a similar production model, features a wide body kit with blistered wheel arches and splashes of matte black paint all around the car. Power is provided by a turbocharged 4-cylinder MiVEC engine producing 237HP (177kW) at 6,000 rpm and 343Nm of peak torque at 3,000 rpm.

No word if the pseudo-EVO (that does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?) comes with the real EVOs four-wheel drive system, but Proton has announced that the Jebat completes the standard 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint in 5.6 seconds and tops out at 232 km/h or 144 mph.

Via: Proton and CBT

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Fiat's Split Into Two Groups Results in New Logos

In about a month's time, on the 1st of January 2011, Italy's Fiat will have completed the separation of its truck and tractor business from its car making operations. The split will result in the creation of two separate groups; Fiat SpA with a clear focus in the automobile sector, and Fiat Industrial SpA incorporating the firm's truck, commercial vehicles, agricultural and construction equipment, and related powertrain divisions.
 
In a brief announcement today, the Italian giant published the logos of the two newly formed groups. Fiat SpA, which will include the Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia brands as well as the firm's 20% minority stake in the Chrysler Group LLC, will be identified by a logo displaying the word Fiat in tall, condensed blue lettering on a white background.
In contrast to the Fiat SpA logo, the Fiat Industrial SpA group, which will incorporate Iveco trucks and Fiat Powertrain Industrial and Marine as well as CNH Global NV (CNH), a subsidiary of Fiat Netherlands Holding N.V., gets a logo with burnt gold lettering on a blue background.
The new logos, designed by Robilant Associati, replace the Fiat Group logo adopted by the company in October 2005.
Following the demerger of the two groups, Fiat SpA and Fiat Industrial SpA will be listed separately on the Milan Stock Exchange with each company operating with their own management teams and boards of directors.

VIDEO: Ferrari CEO Luca di Montezemolo Drives the New Stratos

After Pininfarina presented the New Stratos to the car's owner Michael Stoschek, the Italian design house invited Ferrari head-honcho Luca di Montezemelo to take it for a spin around the Fiorano circuit in Maranello.

According to the project's official website, Mr. di Montezemolo was very impressed with the New Stratos, openly praising it with exclamations such as "bellissima" and "congratulazioni". And that's not all, as the Ferrari CEO called his technical director, Roberto Fedeli, and suggested he should also take a look at the car.


Chief test driver Dario Benuzzi was next behind the wheel, pushing the new Stratos to its limits. With more than 40 years of experience in calibrating sport and racecars, Benuzzi concluded that the rear axle becomes a bit "agitated" during high speed cornering, but it can be "cured" by a bit more toe-in on the rear wheels.


Then again, given that the New Stratos is based on the F430 Scuderia's underpinnings, we weren't expecting anything but words of praise from the Ferrari brass. The next meeting with the New Stratos will take place at the official press unveiling at the Paul Ricard Circuit, in France in about a week's time.

By Csaba Daradics

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Pininfarina Hands Over One-Off New Lancia Stratos to its Owner

In what could be one of the happiest days in Michael Stoschek's life, the German millionaire who commissioned the creation of a modern-day Lancia Stratos, took delivery this week of the one-off Italian supercar from Pininfarina's headquarters outside of Turin.

All in all, it took two years for the Italian design firm and coachbuilder to complete the project. Pininfarina's engineers and technicians built the New Stratos almost from scratch, using the platform and mechanical hardware of a Ferrari F430 Scuderia as a base. In the process, they tweaked and modified the Prancing Horse model's chassis as well as its V8 powerhouse.

Even though the car has been handed to its rightful owner, Pininfarina said final output and performance figures will be announced at a later date.

This isn't the last we'll be hearing of the New Stratos as in two week's time, the Italian supercar will be presented to the international press at the Paul Ricard Circuit. Until then, check out the photos below from the delivery ceremony at Pininfarina's plant or click here for a video of the car filmed during the development phase.

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1970 Lancia Stratos Zero: Birth of a legend [Photos & Video]

The Lancia Stratos is a rally legend and one of the most iconic sports cars of all time with legions of fans. One of those fans, German businessman Michael Stoschek, even went as far as commissioning Pininfarina to build a one-off modern-day iteration of the Stratos based on the hardware of a Ferrari 430 Scuderia.

But not many people know that the first spark that ignited this firestorm was a Bertone concept. Enter the 1970s Stratos Zero prototype. It all started when Bertone had the idea to mount the Fulvia's 1.6-liter V4 engine on a new base. This is how the Stratos Zero concept car was born, a 3.58 meter (141 inches) long and just 84 cm (33 inches) tall prototype envisioned by Marcello Gandini, the same man responsible for the designs of the Lamborghini Countach and Miura.

The Fulvia's 115 hp (86 kW) V4 was centrally-mounted in a lowered position and the suspension and steering elements had to be radically redesigned due to the concept's revolutionary line.

Featuring a myriad of geometrical shapes and razor-sharp edges, the Stratos Zero also boasted a number of unconventional solutions, such as the double side windows, unique front and rear lights and access to the cabin by opening the front end of the vehicle. Basically, the driver could "walk up to the driving seat".

Steel was used as the prime material for the chassis and some body parts, combined with lightweight fiberglass panels. A small box behind the powertrain acted as a boot, while bins in the interior served as storage for helmets. It's as if someone already knew that the Stratos name would become a rally legend…

The Zero was first unveiled at the 1970 Turin Motor Show and almost instantly became a design milestone. Today it is one of Bertone's most admired projects.

By Csaba Daradics

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Pininfarina's Lancia Stratos Supercar: New Engineering Details Emerge

The automotive industry was taken by surprise a few months ago when it was revealed that German businessman, Michael Stoschek, commissioned Pininfarina to build an one-off successor to the legendary Lancia Stratos HF, based on the Ferrari F430 Scuderia. Now, new technical data emerged about this very special model.

Like its predecessor, which was built around the Ferrari Dino V6, the new Stratos also uses Ferrari DNA. While few donor cars are better than the F430 Scuderia, engineers behind this project heavily modified and even customized all of its components.

Work started on the chassis, which was shortened by 20 cm (about 8 inches) and fitted with an FIA-certified roll cage. Thus, the structural rigidity was greatly increased and engineers also shifted the center of gravity towards the front of the car, improving handling characteristics.

Despite the added weight of the 55 kg (121 lbs) cage and 28 kg (62 lbs) air conditioning unit, the builder's say the New Stratos is actually 80 kg (176 lbs) lighter than the donor car.

Next up were the dampers, which come with electronic calibration, adjustable from the steering wheel like in many professional racing cars. The springs were modified too, as specialists worked out the optimum camber and toe values.

The new Stratos rides on 19-inch wheels, shod in Dunlop Sport Maxx tires (265/30 front, 315/30 back), and uses high performance Brembo ceramic brakes. There are no detailed technical specifications on the engine yet, but the 4.3-liter V8 has received a new control unit and exhaust system, so peak power is likely to be higher than the stock F430 Scuderia's 510HP.

The interior is entirely built using aluminum and carbon fiber, with the racecar-sourced steering wheel taking center stage. It has paddle shifters attached to it, which control the 6-speed transmission capable of shifting gears in less than 60 milliseconds.

The new Stratos will be thoroughly tested in the coming weeks. We'll be back with updates, as the project goes on.

By Csaba Daradics

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