I‘ll always (hopefully) have the memory of the first time I ever saw a Stratos. I can’t recall how old I was, probably around ten, standing in a forest in Yorkshire, waiting, waiting, getting a bit bored ( I was at the “are we there yet?” stage).
I heard it before I saw it, echoing through the trees, crisp, sharp exhaust bark, driver sending the revs soaring skywards through the gears, then it seemed to be moving away again as it grew quieter. Then a few seconds later, much louder, it bursts into view, rear snaking as it slows for the downhill hairpin left. Big big slide, traditional Scandinavian flick and blasting off into the forest. The whole thing probably only took 20 seconds, but it’s one of those moments, like opening the box of my Corgi JPS Lotus 72, that forms your future in ways you never realise until decades later…..
Years later, I saw a Stratos in action at Harewood Hillclimb, in fact a whole brace of them at an owners event, the best example in my view being a beautiful bright red Group 4 car owned by Christian Meneef with the full headlight pod and bright yellow magnesium alloys wearing sticky slicks. He was driving well and saved a few tenths of a second at the aproach to the final bend by hanging 10,750rpm on it to avoid a gearshift. Sounded fantastic.
Move on more than a decade and I’m working at the Goodwood Press Day and There’s a wonderful Alitalia coloured car driven by none other than Sando Munari himself. Another memorable day.
So when I first hear that there’s a new Stratos, I’m dismayed…. Why? Because I love those memories and I’d hate to see the name sullied by a bit of badge engineering to make a profit. However, from what I’m hearing, there;s no need to worry. The shots we’re seeing and the story appearing elsewhere is an exciting one. Wealthy philanthropist funds production of a worthy successor is the story, it seems.
At first, it was talked of as a one-off project for the mystery funder’s collection, but now, Racing Deal and other sources are reporting that there may be a short production run and now there’s a website set up to give more details of the project at New Stratos. Engine is a Ferrari V8, but other then that, they’re being a little tight lipped right now, but I’m sure time will reveal more. Now form an orderly queue at the end of the street….
Have you got any Stratos memories? And what’s your thoughts on New Stratos? I’d like to hear them.
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A ferrrari V8 in a shell likely made of carbon fibre is likely to be the provervial “pocket rocket”.
You’ve got a great pic of the new Stratos ,sadly looks like the pop up lights have been taken away but the body is suprisingly true the original.
I’d say back in the day truimph based their popular TR7/8 models on the Stratos.
The price tag will be an eye opener for sure,but if the car is designed and built properly,and it sounds like it will be this car will be a real supercar contender.
It’s actually incredible over such a period of time how there are only very subtle changes in the body remaining startling true to the original,a testiment surely to how good the original design was.
The short body and large wheels ought to the make this new Stratos a real drivers car on twisty roads.
Thanks for getting the pic I never saw one of the originals in the flesh but like most boys of the time wanted a stratos.