The World Stratos Meeting 2000 was hosted in Rosenburg, Austria, just outside Vienna, by Christian Hrabalek on 17/18 June 2000.
Stratos Video now available for World Stratos Meeting 2000
The event was held to mark the start of the new millenium, and to celebrate 30 years since the launch of the original concept car at the Turin Motor Salon in 1970. Normally an exhibit at the Bertone Museum in Turin, Stratos Zero (as it is usually known) was shipped from Italy specially for this event.
Stratos Zero - the 1970 Concept Car
The event was attended by a great number of Stratos enthusiasts from around the world, many of whom brought their own Stratos in an attempt to make this the largest ever gathering of Stratos. From lunchtime on the Saturday, private Stratos started arriving at Rosenburg, and by late afternoon, a total of 15 private cars had arrived, which along with Christian's collection of 8 cars, plus Stratos Zero, this made a total of 24 Stratos all gathered together in the grounds of the beautiful Rosenburg Castle.
Everyone was delighted at the appearance of Sandro Munari, the Lancia Works Rally Driver, who did much of the early development of the Stratos, and took it to it's first win, in prototype form, on the Firestone Rally in Spain in 1973. Once the Stratos was homologated in October 1974, Munari took the Stratos to its first World Championship win on the San Remo Rally. He was also used the Stratos to help him to a string of three successive Monte Carlo Rally victories.
Sandro Munari, being interviewed alongside the ex-Safari Stratos.
Lancia still fondly remember the Stratos even today, and Lancia's Head of Design, Michael Robinson, who attended the event, stated that he asks all his designers to study the Stratos, and try and build into their current designs, the emotion and charisma which the Stratos embodies.
Michael
Robinson, Lancia Head of Design
Everyone was amazed by the number of Stratos on display, especially to see Christian Hrabalek's personal collection which had been enhanced by the acquisition of the Group 5 Racing Stratos from the Matusa Collection Museum in Japan, and which is now the largest and most prestigious private collection of Stratos in the world.
Christian's collection now comprises of 4 standard road-going Stratos (Red, blue, yellow, and green), a Group 4 Rally Car (in Pirelli colours), an ex-Works Safari Group 4 Car (Alitalia colours with wheel on roof), Group 5 Racing Car (Alitalia colurs with spoilers), the second Stratos Prototype (Wishbone rear suspension), and a wooden mock-up. Christian commented at the event, "I saw the wooden mock-up in Bertone's garden, and when I asked him about it, he said I could take it, .... if I could lift it!!!!!"
The World Stratos meeting had been timed to co-incide with the Viva Italia Rally - a classic car rally for italian cars which was visiting Rosenburg Castle for a time trial and rest halt. The rally participants were amazed by the display of Stratos in the castle's courtyard when they arrived.
On the following day, Sunday 18th June 2000, the Viva Italia Rally continued, and finished at the Chancellor's Tower in Eggenburg. Christian Hrabalek allowed some of the Stratos enthusiasts attending the event to drive several of the cars in his collection to Eggenburg to meet up with the end of the Viva Italia Rally, and the sight of all the Stratos next to the vast array of classic italian cars was a sight to be savoured by any motoring enthusiast.
Stratos Video now available for World Stratos Meeting 2000
