The New Stratos — Jason Cammisa on the Icons

Jason Cammisa is back — not only driving the MAT New Stratos, but explaining what made the original Lancia Stratos a legend. Learn what makes this carbon-fiber supercar even better than the Ferrari F430 it’s based upon — from its Pininfarina design to its extensive wind-tunnel testing and development. The Stratos story begins in 2002 when Chris Hrabalek, Lancia enthusiast, created an homage car for his senior project in automotive design at the Royal College of the Arts. One of the backers of that project, German billionaire Michael Stoschek, wanted one. Hrabalek and Stoschek teamed up with Pininfarina Special Projects, spending untold millions to develop the New Stratos. Based on a Ferrari F430 but shortened by 8 inches in the wheelbase, the new car wears carbon-fiber body panels and no fluff. It weighs 110 pounds less than the 430 Scuderia — the lightweight version of the F430. This New Stratos has a 6-speed gated manual transmission. Modifications to the Ferrari V-8 bum