At the 2005 Geneva Auto Salon, Automotive Designer and Stratos Enthusiast, Christian Hrabalek, unveiled his new Stratos concept car, the Fenomenon Stratos.

The Fenomenon Stratos is a modern interpretation of the 1970 mid-engined Lancia supercar and multiple World Championship winner, the Lancia Stratos.

This new Stratos features carbonfibre and aluminium composite chassis unit, clothed in carbonfibre body panels, which are dramatic, but recognisably Stratos.

The Fenomenon Stratos is not just about retro design - it is a supercar for the developng world, engineered for on-road and dirt/rally stage use. The design is about tackling a real-world issue facing a real-world brand, and working that brand's assets to maximum effect.

Fenomenon Stratos in detail

The Stratos show car is engineered not only for use in the western world, but also in developing countries. Modern media and communications enable a huge percentage of the global population to be aware of supercars, but many enthusiasts - and potential buyers- live in countries whose road networks do not support modern ultra-high performance cars with their low ground clearance and limited suspension travel.

The Fenomenon Stratos, however, is at home not only on rough tarmac surfaces, but dirt roads too - just like the Lancia original. But, instead of being engineered for World Rally Championship compliance, a hugely expensive undertaking, the Fenomenon Stratos has been conceived as an on-road, off-road supercar for the developing world.

It's unmistakably a Stratos, but this is not a copy, a retro-impression, or a pastiche. Park it next to the original, and it makes the Lancia look dated. Though it share the 1970 car's startling proportions, it has a drama all its own.

The most un-missable difference is the split windscreen - a feature not seen since the 1940s. The bisected windscreen is more than a decorative flourish - the central pillar provides the hinge mounting for the doors which swing outwards, taking the windscreen with them.

Like the Lancia original, the Fenomenon Stratos is mid-engined, and makes a major impact with its unusual proportions - a direct result of its short wheelbase, broad track, and low height.

It is an exceptionally compact car, in contrast to most modern supercars, and promises outstanding manoeuverability and handling.

The Fenomenon Stratos has been conceived with a number of design features aimed specifically at enabling it to cope with the potentially challenging road conditions of developing countries. These include:-

•     An exceptionally robust chassis unit constructed from a composite employing a mix of carbonfibre abd aluminium, clothed in body panels made from carbonfibre.
•     Good ground clearance - essential for badly maintained roads, but also required for negotiating speed bumps commonly found in western markets.
•     Long suspension travel - again essential for safely negotiating pot-holed and rutted surfaces.
•     Dust-proofing of the cockpit and engine air-intake systems.

In contrast to the Ferrari V6 which powered the original Lancia Stratos, the Fenomenon Stratos will be powered by a compact longitudinally-mounted V8 and sequential 6-speed gearbox.

The coil-sprung suspension is double wishbone at all four corners.

 

Fenomenon Stratos Specification

• Powertrain

•     Engine - V8, mounted longitudinally
•     power - 425PS (419bhp) at 8500rpm
•     Torque - 373Nm (275lb ft) at 4750rpm
•     Transmission - 6speed sequential, with liited slip differential

• Body

•     Carbonfibre and aluminium composite chassis
•     Unstressed carbonfibre exterior body panels
•     Running Gear/Suspension
•     Suspension, front - double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar
•     Suspension, front - double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar, electronic traction control
•     Brakes - ventilated disc all-round, ABS anti-locking, electronic brakeforce distribution, emergencey brake assist
•     Steering - rack and pinion, hydraulic power assistance

• Dimensions and Weight

•     Length 3932mm
•     Width 1941mm
•     Height 1251mm
•     Wheelbase 2275mm
•     Weight 1000kg