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You know that feeling? The one you get seeing that certain car parked along the street or driving by in a blur? The feeling so jarring, like you just got punched in the gut by something so elegant, striking, or foreign? At that moment you just can’t help but stop, collect yourself, and stare.
This happened to me recently while shooting the beautiful Lancia Flaminia Super Sport. When I first laid eyes on it sitting in the owner’s garage, I got that feeling and even let out an audible “oomph” as I absorbed its beauty. I am a fan of Zagato’s styling and embrace their subtle and simple design philosophy embodied by the Flaminia. I found it hard to take my eyes off it as we filmed throughout the day.
It also happened on another shoot when a garage door opened and I found myself face to face, staring at a blue Lancia Stratos. The Stratos’ design is so wild and foreign that it looks completely inappropriate in a garage, more like you wandered into NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and are looking at the next Martian rover. Judging by bystanders’ reaction upon witnessing the Stratos casually rolling around New Jersey’s streets, I know I wasn’t the only who felt like this car was about to blast off. At moments like these the only thing you can do is stop, collect yourself, and stare.
What car hits you like a punch to the gut?
Whenever I see an old or interesting car on the road, I usually stop and think about it, but one struck me so hard that I literally hung out the window of my dad’s car just to take it in: The Datsun 240Z. Going down a freeway in northeast Ohio, you don’t expect to see many sportscars, but this thing blew past us and I was just awe struck. “WHAT WAS THAT?!” So, dad floored it and we caught up to them. The 240Z might not seem special, but if you really look at it, it embodies everything right about sports cars. From it’s long nose to it’s short, cammed tail, it’s as classically correct as a Ferrari Daytona; this one even had the rare Sublime Green color scheme.
It might not be the fastest or the greatest, but it does a good job at just about everything. From winning SCCA titles, to conquering African Rallies. The 240Z has it’s place in history and it’s probably the whole reason I got into cars to begin with.
Matthew, I was at the same exhibition, remember it well. The 33 Stradale is such a stunning shape, I had to tear myself away to look at the other cars on display. I must have wandered back to the 33 at least half dozen times. It surprises me that there isn’t a replica/kit car available, as per the Stratos.
Anybody who’s heard of the Stratos can tell you what it is, but I can see why you wouldn’t get it.
There really is no point of the Stratos, other than that Lancia wanted to win WRC rallies. The wheelbase is uncontrollably short, the engine is an unreliable Ferrari engine designed by Dino, the Bertone body (although unforgettable and stunning) doesn’t really follow any form, flow, or function, and anyone who’s been in the cockpit of a Stratos can tell you that they should’ve seen a chiropractor afterward.
What makes the Stratos so incredible, is that it’s not only one of the 1st supercars, but it’s the only supercar ever to participate in rally racing. Not only that, it one the World Rally Championship 3 years in a row! That single car won the WRC Championship more than any other company has throughout their entire history. To boot, if you really look at it and take it in, you really can’t not look at it. The shape, lines, and just… presence of the Stratos is breathtaking. As said in Petrolicious’s video of the Stratos, it looks like it’s from another planet. The way it culminates all of it’s qualities together makes it simply fantastic.
Oh I won’t call you a blockhead, but you gotta see one in person, because it still looks like nothing else before or after. Then as Jake said, you know all its achievement, you know all the fear and loathing stories about it, and you’d see that it’s got more presence than smiling Joe Pesci with a baseball bat all ready for action – speaking of which, Stratos is also just about the size of Joe Pesci, it’s so incredibly compact. Beautiful it isn’t but it sure is beautifully poetic.
I was driving home on the highway a couple of years ago in my Alfa GTV6 that then was my current summer car. I saw a red flash in the mirror and passing me was a Ferrari F40. I was struck. It looked like a jet fighter that just had landed on the road. I raised my speed to keep up with the pace of the red car but I had no chance. Never seen a car with that presence sins then. What a remarkable car!
While i do agree a Lancia Stratos would be a nice punch in the gut 😀 I have always felt the 1967 big block Corvettes where a nice punch in the gut as well. Not only is a visual punch to the eyes you get the stop in your tracks moment as well. Also its a literal punch when you step on the gas..its like a double whammy!!..The Jag E types are another car that will stop you in your tracks as well. Plus you cant forget the lamborghini countach with its outrageous styling and bellow of its v12