Which is the Cooler Rally‑Car Homage: MAT New Stratos or the Kimera Automobili EVO37?
Which is the Cooler Rally‑Car Homage: MAT New Stratos or the Kimera Automobili EVO37? originally appeared on Autoblog.
A legend reborn
Italian automaker Lancia produced legendary Group B rally cars in the ‘70s and ‘80s. The Stratos and the 037 were two of the most iconic. They won numerous rally victories between them and constituted the pinnacle of the rear-wheel drive rally car when the trend was moving to all-wheel drive. The Stratos was known for its short wheelbase, powerful engine, and superb dynamics in the hands of the right driver. The 037 became famous for its precise steering, responsive handling, and predictable behavior. They are both revered as two of the best rally cars of their era.
Passion for these two icons gave birth to two of the most impressive modern tributes, the MAT New Stratos and the Kimera Automobili EVO 37. Both reinterpret iconic Group B-era heroes in contemporary fashion and deliver superb engineering, top-tier performance, and stunning design, both with supercar price tags. Each model pays homage in different ways and provides different driving experiences. That said, which one is the cooler rally car homage? Let’s take a closer look.
Manifattura Automobili Torino (MAT)
The world had been waiting for the Stratos to return, if not to the World Rally Championship series, then to legal roads. The dream of a modern production Lancia Stratos was fulfilled by Paolo Garella, an ex‑Pininfarina special projects manager, who founded Manifattura Automobili Torino (MAT) in October 2014 in Rivalta di Torino. M.A.T. is a boutique Italian coachbuilder and engineering house that builds luxury vehicles and bespoke limited-production cars. The New Stratos was the brainchild of German entrepreneur Michael Stoschek, who commissioned Pininfarina to recreate the Lancia Stratos.
The 2010 New Stratos was a one-off, custom-built homage car using the chassis of the mid-engine, rear-wheel drive 2007 Ferrari F430 Scuderia. The chassis was shortened, and the project utilized the 458 Scuderia's powerful V8 engine. After the prototype was built, Ferrari decided not to take on the New Stratos for production, so there wasn't much traction to get the project off the ground beyond the single version created. Garella personally followed the special project and then made an agreement with Stoschek to bring the project to M.A.T. and build the car in limited numbers. The M.A.T. New Stratos debuted at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.
Kimera Automobili
Created as a motorsport team, Kimera Automobili was founded by former rally driver Luca Betti (a World Rally Championship driver between 2000 and 2013) in Piedmont, Italy, in 2008. By 2013, the company expanded into restomods, leveraging Betti’s deep passion for automotive heritage, especially ‘80s WRC icons. In 2018, Kimera began development of the EVO37, inspired by the Lancia 037.
This high-performance restomod had the right look to carry the Lancia 037 into the modern age, blending modern engineering with vintage rally style and DNA. Kimera went so far as to make sure the EVO37 was built in collaboration with engineers involved in the original Lancia 037 project. The Kimera Automobili EVO37 debuted in 2021 with a limited production of, you guessed it, 37 cars.
How the two cars compare
The New Stratos rally homage car is based on a heavily modified Ferrari F430 or F430 Scuderia with a significantly shortened wheelbase and a carbon fiber body. The New Stratos is both lighter and more agile than the Ferrari, though the naturally aspirated 4.3‑liter V8 engine from the Ferrari is used. MAT makes modifications to the engine, taking it from 503 to 540 hp at 8,200 rpm and over 383 lb-ft of torque at 3,750 rpm. The engine is paired with a six-speed sequential gearbox, although a manual transmission and clutch are available if requested. The car weighs 2,750 pounds thanks to full carbon-fiber construction and has a 44/56 front-to-rear weight distribution. The New Stratos will hit 62 mph in 3.3 seconds and top out at around 195 mph.
The basis for the EVO37 is the Lancia Montecarlos, whose chassis underpinned the Lancia 037. Kimera got its hands on as many as possible to build the new homage car, but that number hasn't been disclosed. The goal was to align the EVO37 with its predecessor as much as possible, but with modern modifications and even more roadgoing capability. The structure of the car is far more rigid than the original. The body is made from carbon fiber composite. The engine is a lightweight, all-new 2.15‑liter twin-turbo inline‑4 featuring both a supercharger for low rpm and a turbocharger for higher revs. Output is 505 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque mated to a six-speed manual transmission that drives the rear wheels. The EVO37 also has rev-matching and a mechanical limited-slip diff and weighs 2,425 lbs. Acceleration from 0-62 mph takes about 3 seconds with a top speed of 193 mph.
Rally‑cred & driving character
Designed as a tribute to the 1970s Stratos HF, MAT’s New Stratos emphasizes spectacular driving feedback and a purist’s naturally aspirated V8 engine driving the rear wheels. Critics consider it to be more of a car for twisty roads than for track duty due to its raw, visceral experience. The car’s manual transmission, short wheelbase, and razor-sharp handling combine for a communicative driving experience. There are no nannies such as power steering, ABS, or traction control, connecting it strongly to the original Stratos, all the while looking like a menacing tribute to the original. With just 25 bespoke units, it’s an exotic collector’s piece for those who have grown tired of high-tech supercars and straight-line speed demons. The New Stratos channels the spirit of the original car with excellence for an eye-watering price of over $600,000.
The EVO37 pays tribute to the Group B Lancia 037 visually and in its engineering philosophy, with rear‑wheel‑drive, rally-style manual shifts, oversteer‑friendly chassis, and throttle‑steer control. The twin-turbo engine gives low-end torque and high‑rev power, echoing the Delta S4 lineage. The suspension features forged double wishbones, with dual Öhlins dampers at the rear and a more compact coilover setup at the front. Braking is handled by Brembo for authoritative stops. Price? around $600,000.
Verdict: Which is cooler?
If your idea of cool is rooted in raw analog sensation, unmistakable looks, and the howl of a powerful and raucous, naturally-aspirated Ferrari V8 in a short-wheelbase road razor, the MAT New Stratos is your dream car. It’s high drama, high design, and full of old-school flair. You'd have to do a double-take to realize it's not the original. Even before the modern interpretation was birthed by MAT, the Stratos was considered to be one of the most beautiful rally cars ever made, a stunner in a crowd of less attractive, functional fare. The new one is even better.
One could easily say that the New Stratos ratchets up the visual flair of the original car, as well as the exclusivity. The interior is bespoke but in a purpose-driven way. It's less artistic than the EVO37's cabin, more brutal and straightforward, with zero resemblance to the original's very '70s styling. There isn't much in the way of color, but it's awash in gobs of Alcantara, aluminum, and carbon fiber. There's a lot of Ferrari going on in there, but the giant helmet bins in the doors are the most original (and the coolest) feature of the New Stratos' interior.
If it's rally-car accuracy you're hungry for—from chassis engineering to the interior—the Kimera EVO37 delivers. Everything about it is designed for speed, agility, and connection to the road. The cabin is cosseting and very driver-centric. The gauges are period-correct, and there's not much sound deadening. Even rearward visibility isn't great, just like the Lancia 037, and that's okay because you're only concerned about going forward...very quickly. Its twin-turbocharged engine, rear-drive layout, manual gearbox, and involvement of the original 037 engineers make it as close to a modern Group B rally car as you can legally drive on the street. The fact that it looks even better, more menacing, more purposeful than the original is a testament to Betti's commitment to making a legend into a true modern rally car.
The interior of the EVO37 is on another level. There's richly-hued Alcantara on the Lancia Delta S4-inspired seats, the dash, center stack, and doors. Carbon fiber shows up everywhere, including the center stack, steering column stalks, and the shift knob stalk. Rally-style analog gauges, the tall shifter, and every button and switch are impeccably crafted. The central tunnel structure also nods to its predecessor. It looks and feels more bespoke than the New Stratos, and it resembles a high-style retro rally car more than a modern supercar cabin, like the New Stratos. Aside from the materials quality and retro touches, it's a rally car at heart. Our vote is for the EVO37. It does the homage right, but it's still so deliciously original at the same time.
Final thoughts
Both cars are hugely desirable from a styling and performance perspective, while being rewarding to drive and beautiful to behold. However, it's the EVO37 that pulls ahead with its heritage underpinnings, Lancia engineering, brilliant interior, and impressive road presence. No one will mistake it for the original, but the connection is undeniable. Betti has captured everything wonderful about the Lancia 037 and created a masterpiece of modern automotive engineering and experience. It's the one we'd want in our garage over just about any car available today.
Which is the Cooler Rally‑Car Homage: MAT New Stratos or the Kimera Automobili EVO37? first appeared on Autoblog on Jul 24, 2025
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jul 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
