What are the chances of this happening? Two Lancia Stratos road cars, both red, both in North America, both being auctioned by classic car auction specialists. And on the same day. Both are very original cars, imported by their respective owners at different times as personal imports, the Lancia Stratos never actually being offered for sale in the USA. Bonhams are selling the 1972 ‘barn find’ car just below, or scroll further down and see the RM Auctions 1975 Statos also being sold this next few days. So which one?
Bonhams 1972 ‘Barn Find’ Unrestored Stratos
This car was personally imported into the USA by a British citizen living in California. He drove it regularly, often commuting in it from San Francisco to Santa Barbera before business commitments led to the car being parked up. totally unrestored, the car is exactly as it was parked in June 1998 with 51,000kms on the clock. It will need re-commissioning, but once done, it will be a superbly original Stratos.
Bonhams comments “The Stratos has not been started or run since that time but on a recent inspection by Bonhams specialists, the body appeared to be in very sound condition and it is mechanically complete. The odometer read 50,116km (31,072 miles) at the time of inspection and the Lancia showed all factory delivered finishes and details, with the exception of the seats, which had at some point prior to 1982 been reupholstered in leather in place of the original cloth, along with an aftermarket gear shift knob. The required German-language data plate is in place as is the California ‘Bureau of Automotive Repair’ sticker in the door jamb attesting to its Federalization on import, as none of these cars were officially brought into the US.
A total re-commissioning would be required before the car is run again, and it would not only be prudent but absolutely required that all mechanical systems be thoroughly rebuilt and refreshed before beginning to safely exploit the performance capability of this supercar.”
RM Auctions 1975 Stratos
Probably in nicer condition that the Bonhams car, this one has had some restoration in it’s lifetime, but still a very original car with a long and continuous ownership history, it has had a colour change quite early in it’s life from Lime Green to the red it’s finished in today. RM Auctions description comments, “Manufactured in January of 1975, this Stratos is one of the 492 “Stradale”-specification production versions. Believed equipped with the factory Sparco racing seats and five point harnesses it sports today, it was first sold to Renato Fossi, of Bergamo, Italy. By 1982, it was registered to Alessandro Seghi, of Ferrara. In 1984, it was sold to a Swiss gentleman, Arthur Honneger. While residing in Europe, the Stratos was repainted red from its original hue of lime green. The current owner purchased the car directly from Mr. Honneger’s Swissco Auto, of Key Largo, Florida, in 2001, by which time the Stratos had already received its purposeful body modifications in the style of the competition “Corse” version.”
Which one would you choose? An unrestored car, still with the dust in the tyres from it’s last drive, or a highly polished car, still with good provenance, but ready to go right now, on the button. Don’t be silly, just buy the pair.
Images via Bonhams and RM Auctions
