Lancia teases new concept inspired by the legendary Stratos HF

The once-storied Italian marque Lancia currently sells only one car, an underwhelming hatchback called the Ypsilon that was launched way back in 2011. However, there are signs of life at the Stellantis-owned brand. They've teased a new concept, and from what we can see it looks to be inspired by the legendary Lancia Stratos HF.

So far all we have is a name, the Emozione Pu+Ra. However, the rendering that came with the announcement shows the back half of the concept with some unmistakable Stratos cues – dual round taillights, the flat and wide black spoiler, rear glass with striped shading that evokes the original's rear window louvers. 

Some of those cues, like the suspended taillight rings, stem from the Pu+Ra concept unveiled at November's Lancia Design Day conference. There, the company laid out its broad plans to restore the moribund brand to its former glory with — you guessed it — a full EV lineup. It unveiled the Pu+Ra Zero concept that was more sculpture than car, lacking what some would argue to be critical components such as doors, windows, and wheels. 

Lancia said the Pu+Ra name was an abbreviation of "pure" and "radical" (not plutonium and radium), and the Zero is a callback to the 1970 Stratos Zero concept. That particular Marcello Gandini wedge made a splash at the Turin Motor Show and remains to this day the most extreme of the many doorstop-shaped cars from the era. 

So if the speed form is analogous to the Stratos Zero, then this next evolution in the teaser should be analogous to the Stratos HF production car. Built for Lancia's rally efforts, the singular design won three consecutive World Rally Championships from 1974-76. Obviously the mid-engined layout of the Stratos HF is irrelevant to an EV, but Gandini's brutal blade was as unprecedented as the Miura he had designed for Lamborghini. In other words, the Emozione Pu+Ra should be a distilled and purposeful looker.

Lancia CEO Luca Napolitano calls the upcoming concept the company's "brand manifesto for the next 10 years." We shall see what that looks like when it's unveiled on April 15.

By Ben Hsu