Wednesday 24th August 2011

The Stratosferica: KTM Meets Lancia Legend

Yes, it is as weird as it sounds...

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Question: How do you get hold of a Lancia Stratos, when you have the funds neither to buy an original, nor to create your own version with the help of Pininfarina a la Michael Stoschek?

Well, you could go the traditional replica route and get a Hawk Stratos.

Or you could follow a more - er - eccentric path and get yourself the car you see in these pictures and videos.

It's called the Stratosferica, and to get it you have to equip yourself with a KTM X-bow (no mean feat if you're buying used as you'll see from our man Silversixx's story) and take it to Italian carrozzeria Montenergy, who will make it look like this for the princely sum of 12,000 euros (£10.5k).

And if you fancy a bit more poke, you can also get the engine tweaked up to 310bhp...

 

 

[alexpa]

Looks better than the x-bow.

standard x-bow looks so awkward

[robsco]

[AdamPT]

now that is something special. I would love one of these in the fantasy garage

[harryowl]

I'm guessing there's a good reason why there's no full frontal shot?

[piefacemate]

Not entirely sure what to make of that, but looks like an absolute weapon!

[Chris71]

What a strange idea.

I do quite like the quasi-Stratos retro looks, but you could get a very close replica made by someone like Hawk for way less than the cost of a new X-Bow, if that's what you wanted. To me the appeal of the X-Bow is its zaniness, if it's just a rolling chassis hidden under a replica body, surely you could get something fast and reasonably well screwed together elsewhere?

[chris2010]

cannot see how to get in, no doors?

[rob.e]

That looks epic, and I think a better effort than the scuderia based car IMO.

That video though - WTF!?

[smash]

harryowl said:

I'm guessing there's a good reason why there's no full frontal shot?

There is indeed...

Edited by smash on Wednesday 24th August 14:07

[Frimley111R]

I can't work out if it looks great or ste.

[harryowl]

smash said:

harryowl said:

I'm guessing there's a good reason why there's no full frontal shot?

There is indeed...

Edited by smash on Wednesday 24th August 14:07

[Beefmeister]

Great idea, but WTF is with that promo video?! Filming some pictures on a wall?!?!

They do realise you can make a video out of some images, and it actually looks good, don't they?

[cookie1600]

Owwww that's a beasty. Needs the front end sharpening up a bit like the original, but it could be real Stratos quick and you wouldn't be so scared worried about hooning it around on a track day.

[smash]

harryowl said:

smash said:

harryowl said:

I'm guessing there's a good reason why there's no full frontal shot?

There is indeed...

Edited by smash on Wednesday 24th August 14:07

Jeez.. "There is indeed..." - as in "Yes, there's a good reason why there's no full frontal shot - because it's blatently obvious it's rougher than the Tin Man's bks from this" and not as in "There is indeed a full frontal shot and here it is" when clearly it's not!

[Ozzie Osmond]

I think the X-Bow with a windscreen is due out next year. IMO it will substantially increase the chance of finding customers. Some sort of rainproof cover would also seem a good idea even if only suitable for modest speeds.

Don't like the idea of a fixed roof though.

[filski666]

is that video just some kid looking at the posters on his wall or what?

Car is ugly...but I kind of like it............

[British Beef]

alexpa said:

Looks better than the x-bow.

I agree, but not a difficult achievement!

The downside is the additional weight of the bodywork and fixings (+100-150kg im guessing), which kind of betrays the object of the original car.

With the Hawk Stratos you can also fit the lovely sounding Alfa 3lt V6!

[Some Gump]

I don't get it.

Take 1 interesting car that heavily relies on aero.

Rebody in an ugly format, that sort of looks like a 70's icon if you have cataracts. In doing so, destroy aforementioned USP in step 1.

Profit?

[Fluffsri]

I like it

[Stu R]

I can make any car look almost as crap as that for far less than 10 large.

Waste of a perfectly good XBow.