1970
Lancia Stratos HF Zero
Complete guide to the 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero by Bertone, including specs, design details, engine, dimensions, history, restoration, ownership, and legacy.
What the hell was the 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero?
The 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero, also known as the Lancia Stratos Zero or Stratos 0, was a one-off, fully functional concept car designed by Marcello Gandini at Bertone. It debuted at the Turin Motor Show on October 28, 1970, and used a mid-mounted 1.6-liter Lancia Fulvia HF V4 engine with a five-speed manual gearbox. The car stood only about 33 inches / 84 cm tall, making it one of the lowest drivable concept cars ever built.
The Stratos HF Zero did not directly become the production Lancia Stratos, but it created the relationship between Bertone and Lancia that led to the later Lancia Stratos HF rally car, one of the most successful rally cars of the 1970s.
Category | Specification |
|---|---|
Full name | 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero |
Also known as | Lancia Stratos Zero, Lancia Stratos 0, Bertone Stratos Zero |
Year | 1970 |
Manufacturer | Lancia / Bertone |
Design house | Carrozzeria Bertone |
Designer | Marcello Gandini |
Debut | Turin Motor Show, October 28, 1970 |
Body style | One-off wedge-shaped concept coupe |
Production | 1 prototype |
Layout | Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive |
Engine | 1,584 cc narrow-angle Lancia V4 |
Donor engine | Lancia Fulvia HF / Fulvia 1.6 HF family |
Carburetion | Two twin-choke Solex C42 DDHF carburetors |
Power | 115 hp / 115 bhp, commonly listed at 6,000 rpm |
Transmission | 5-speed manual |
Front suspension | Independent, coil springs, vertical McPherson telescopic dampers |
Rear suspension | Independent, double wishbones, telescopic dampers |
Brakes | Four-wheel disc brakes |
Wheelbase | 2,220 mm / 87.4 in |
Fuel tank | 45 liters / approx. 11.9 gallons |
Reported top speed | About 120 mph |
Height | Approx. 840–846 mm / 33.1–33.3 in |
Length | Approx. 3,580–3,581 mm / 140.9–141.0 in |
Width | Published figures vary: 1,727 mm / 68.0 in to 1,840 mm / 72.4 in |
Seating | 2 |
Doors | 1 front-hinged windscreen/canopy-style entry |
Original color | Bronze / copper-orange metallic |
Chassis number | Commonly listed as C/1160 |
Build cost | Reportedly 40 million lire in 1970 |
Restoration | Fully restored in 2000 by Stile Bertone |
2011 auction sale | €761,600 at RM Sotheby’s Villa d’Este |
Known later owner | Phillip Sarofim |
Why the Lancia Stratos HF Zero Mattered
The Stratos HF Zero was not just another show car. It was Bertone’s most aggressive statement during the golden age of Italian wedge design. By 1970, Italian design houses were competing to create the most futuristic concept cars possible. Pininfarina had shown the Ferrari 512S Modulo earlier that year, and Bertone had already shocked the industry with the 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo. The Stratos HF Zero pushed that wedge formula even further.
Its height was the point. Bertone’s team reportedly began with a simple challenge: build the lowest car they could realistically make. The result was a working concept only about 84 cm tall, lower than the Pininfarina Modulo’s roughly 93.5 cm height.
From the side, the car looked less like a traditional automobile and more like a moving architectural object. The nose was almost flat. The windshield was sharply raked. The cabin was pushed far forward. The rear bodywork ended in a truncated tail with thin lighting elements, mesh detailing, and offset exhaust outlets. RM Sotheby’s described it as a shape that appeared carved from a solid block of metal.
Design: Marcello Gandini at His Most Extreme
The Stratos HF Zero was designed by Marcello Gandini, head of design at Bertone and one of the most influential car designers of the 20th century. Gandini’s design language can be seen across a sequence of radical Bertone concepts and production cars: the Alfa Romeo Carabo, the Lancia Stratos HF Zero, and the original Lamborghini Countach LP500 prototype. RM Sotheby’s specifically notes the stylistic continuity between the 1968 Carabo, 1970 Stratos Zero, and 1971 Countach prototype.
The car’s key design features include:
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Ultra-low wedge profile
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Bronze / copper-orange metallic finish
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One-piece flip-up windshield entry
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Retractable steering column for access
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Forward-mounted cabin between the front wheels
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Mid-mounted Fulvia-derived V4 engine
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Full-width ultra-thin front light strip
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Rear light strip with dozens of small bulbs
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Triangular rear engine cover with slats
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Sliding upper side windows
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Pop-up windshield wiper hidden under a trap door
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Side scallops with recessed mirrors
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Green Perspex instrument graphics
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“Chocolate bar” seat pattern later echoed in the Countach LP500
The front lighting was especially futuristic. The car used an ultra-thin full-width headlight strip backed by ten 55-watt bulbs, while the rear lighting used a ribbon-style strip with many tiny bulbs around the truncated tail.
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How Do You Get Into the Lancia Stratos HF Zero?
The Stratos HF Zero had no normal doors. Entry was through the windshield.
To get in, the driver lifted the windscreen, stepped over the front bodywork, and dropped into the deeply reclined cabin. A black rectangular pad at the base of the windshield acted as a step point, and the Lancia badge on that pad concealed the handle used to open the windscreen. The steering column moved forward as part of the entry process, giving the driver enough room to climb in.
Once inside, the driver sat extremely low and far forward, almost between the front wheels. The cabin was narrow, the seating position was almost horizontal, and the instruments were offset to the side behind the front wheel arch. RM Sotheby’s notes that the layout gave the driver little more than the road ahead and the sky above.
Engine and Mechanical Layout
Unlike many concept cars, the Stratos HF Zero was not just a styling model. It ran and drove.
The car used a 1,584 cc narrow-angle Lancia V4 engine from the Fulvia HF family. It was mounted behind the cabin, creating a compact mid-engine layout. The engine had two twin-choke Solex C42 DDHF carburetors and was paired with a five-speed manual transmission.
The Fulvia mechanical package was useful because it was small, light, and compact enough to fit inside the Zero’s extremely low body. RM Sotheby’s states that the engine, sub-chassis, and rear suspension came from a crashed Fulvia coupe, reportedly without Lancia knowing at first.
The front used short McPherson struts, while the rear used a Fulvia-derived double-wishbone arrangement. The car also had disc brakes on all four wheels. Cooling was handled by a rear-mounted radiator assisted by twin fans, with airflow directed by the slatted triangular rear engine cover.
Was the Lancia Stratos HF Zero Based on the Production Stratos?
No. The Stratos HF Zero came first. The Zero preceded the later Lancia Stratos HF prototype by about one year. The production Stratos was more practical, wider, taller, and designed for rallying. It used the Ferrari Dino V6 rather than the Fulvia V4. Still, the Zero was the car that opened the door between Bertone and Lancia. Gandini later said the first Stratos was intended to establish a bridge between Lancia and Bertone, and after that bridge was established, Lancia asked Bertone for a new sports car that could go rallying.
Lancia Stratos HF Zero Timeline
1970
Lancia Stratos HF Zero debuts at Turin Motor Show, shocking crowds with its 33-inch wedge form
1971
Bertone shows a more realistic Lancia Stratos HF prototype, now shaped around Ferrari Dino V6 power
1973
Lancia begins Stratos HF Stradale production, building the road cars needed for rally homologation
1974
Stratos earns Group 4 homologation, clearing the way for Lancia’s purpose-built rally weapon
1974-1976
Lancia wins three straight World Rally Constructors’ titles with the Stratos HF Group 4
The Famous Lancia Headquarters Story
One of the most repeated Stratos HF Zero stories involves Nuccio Bertone driving the car to Lancia headquarters.
According to RM Sotheby’s, Bertone personally drove the Stratos Zero on public roads to meet Lancia executives. When he arrived at Lancia’s racing department, the car was so low that it reportedly passed underneath the closed entrance barriers. The stunt helped get Lancia’s attention and contributed to the conversation that eventually led to the production Stratos project.
This story matters because it explains the Zero’s real purpose. It was not built to be sold. It was built to shock Lancia into noticing Bertone.
Interior Details
The interior of the Stratos HF Zero was as radical as the exterior. It had two seats, but almost no conventional cabin space. The occupants sat low, reclined, and tightly packaged between the front wheels and the engine bay.
Interior details included:
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Two-seat layout
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Deeply reclined seating position
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Retractable steering column
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Gallino-Hellebore steering wheel
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Offset instrument display
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Green Perspex graphics
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Integrated seat pattern
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Limited rear visibility
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Recessed mirrors in side scallops
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Small space for spare wheel and luggage behind the driver
RM Sotheby’s notes that the car’s rear-view mirrors were recessed into the side scallops and that a small overhead mirror was sometimes fitted for road tests.
Exterior Details
The exterior was pure wedge-era design. The car was not styled around traditional automotive proportions. It was designed as a single angular mass.
Important exterior features included:
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Bronze metallic bodywork
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Extremely low front nose
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Full-width front light strip
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Black step pad at the windshield base
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Lancia badge hiding the windscreen release
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Massive raked windshield
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Sliding side windows
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Triangular engine cover
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Rear slats for cooling airflow
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Truncated tail
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Full-width rear light strip
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Offset exhaust outlets
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Mesh rear grille
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Covered, sharply sculpted side surfaces
The original bronze finish was later changed to silver, but the car was restored back to its original bronze color during its 2000 restoration at Stile Bertone.
Restoration and Provenance
The Stratos HF Zero remained part of the Bertone collection for many years. In 2000, it underwent a full professional restoration by Stile Bertone in Caprie, Italy. During that restoration, the car returned to its original bronze livery.
In 2011, the car was sold from the Bertone collection at RM Sotheby’s Villa d’Este auction for €761,600. Later references and museum displays associate the car with collector Phillip Sarofim, and Petersen Automotive Museum credits the car as courtesy of Phillip Sarofim.
Public Appearances
The Stratos HF Zero has appeared at major concours, museum, and design events. Known appearances and references include:
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1970 Turin Motor Show debut
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Quattroruote road drive in Milan in 1971
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Long-term display in the Bertone collection
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RM Sotheby’s Villa d’Este auction in 2011
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Petersen Automotive Museum display
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High Museum of Art “Dream Cars” exhibit
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The ICE St. Moritz appearance
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Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance wedge concept class appearance
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Michael Jackson’s 1988 film Moonwalker
The car is also famous for appearing in the “Smooth Criminal” portion of Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker, where the character transforms into a futuristic vehicle visually based on the Stratos Zero.
Lancia Stratos HF Zero vs. Lancia Stratos HF
One of the most repeated Stratos HF Zero stories involves Nuccio Bertone driving the car to Lancia headquarters.
According to RM Sotheby’s, Bertone personally drove the Stratos Zero on public roads to meet Lancia executives. When he arrived at Lancia’s racing department, the car was so low that it reportedly passed underneath the closed entrance barriers. The stunt helped get Lancia’s attention and contributed to the conversation that eventually led to the production Stratos project.
This story matters because it explains the Zero’s real purpose. It was not built to be sold. It was built to shock Lancia into noticing Bertone.
Stratos HF Zero | Stratos HF / Stradale / Group 4 |
|---|---|
1970 Turin Motor Show | 1971 prototype; later road/rally versions |
Design statement and Bertone-Lancia bridge | Rally homologation and competition |
Marcello Gandini / Bertone | Marcello Gandini / Bertone |
1.6L Lancia Fulvia V4 | 2.4L Ferrari Dino V6 |
Mid-engine, RWD | Mid-engine, RWD |
Approx. 84 cm / 33 in | Much taller and more practical |
One-off prototype | Road and rally production |
None | World Rally Championship winner |
Inspired the Stratos project | Rally car that followed the Zero’s breakthrough |
Common Myths and Corrections
Myth
The Stratos HF Zero was the production Stratos prototype.
Not exactly. It came before the production Stratos and helped create the Bertone-Lancia relationship, but the later Stratos HF was a different, more realistic rally-focused design.
Myth
The Stratos HF Zero had a Ferrari Dino V6.
False. The Zero used a 1.6-liter Lancia Fulvia-derived V4. The later Stratos HF road and rally cars used the Ferrari Dino V6.
Myth
It was only a static show car.
False. It was a fully functioning prototype. It was driven on public roads, tested by Quattroruote, and famously driven by Nuccio Bertone to Lancia.
Myth
It had normal doors.
False. Entry was through a flip-up windshield/canopy system, with the steering column moving forward to allow access.
Why the Lancia Stratos HF Zero Still Looks Futuristic
The Stratos HF Zero still looks modern because it barely follows the visual language of normal cars. It has no traditional grille, no upright cabin, no normal hood, no conventional doors, and almost no decorative surfacing. Every part of the car is reduced into a wedge, line, vent, or plane.
That is why it remains one of the defining cars of the wedge era. The Zero helped prove that concept cars could be more than styling exercises. They could be moving design manifestos. It influenced the visual direction of 1970s and 1980s supercars, strengthened Bertone’s image as the most radical Italian design house of the era, and helped lead to the Lancia Stratos HF, one of the greatest rally cars ever built.
FAQ: 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero
What engine did the 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero have?
The Stratos HF Zero used a 1,584 cc narrow-angle Lancia V4 engine from the Fulvia HF family. It had two twin-choke Solex C42 DDHF carburetors and produced about 115 hp.
Was the Lancia Stratos HF Zero drivable?
Yes. It was a fully functioning prototype, not just a static design model. RM Sotheby’s notes that it was driven on public roads and tested by Quattroruote in 1971.
How tall was the Lancia Stratos HF Zero?
It was about 84 cm / 33 inches tall, making it one of the lowest drivable concept cars ever built.
Who designed the Lancia Stratos HF Zero?
The car was designed by Marcello Gandini at Bertone.
When did the Lancia Stratos HF Zero debut?
It debuted at the Turin Motor Show on October 28, 1970.
How many Lancia Stratos HF Zero cars were built?
Only one was built.
Did the Stratos HF Zero become the rally-winning Lancia Stratos?
It inspired the relationship and project that led to the rally Stratos, but the later Stratos HF was a separate design with a Ferrari Dino V6 and a more practical rally-focused body.
What was the top speed of the Lancia Stratos HF Zero?
The Petersen Automotive Museum lists the top speed as 120 mph.
What color was the Stratos HF Zero originally?
The car was originally finished in a bronze/copper-orange metallic color. It was later changed to silver, then restored to its original bronze finish in 2000.
Who owns the Lancia Stratos HF Zero today?
The car has been associated in recent years with collector Phillip Sarofim, and Petersen Automotive Museum credits its display as courtesy of Phillip Sarofim.
Media: 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero
Explore photos and videos of the 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero from every angle, including its ultra-low wedge profile, front-entry windshield, sharply cut rear bodywork, bronze Bertone finish, and compact mid-engine layout. This gallery highlights the details that made the HF Zero one of the most radical concept cars of the 1970s, from its thin light strips and triangular engine cover to its futuristic cabin and unmistakable Gandini proportions.
