NAPIERSPORT CORSE: AN EVOLUTION OF A CLASSIC RACING CAR

To fully understand the motoring ideal embodied by the CORSE one must first look at the concept that inspired it.

Project ‘Stratosphere’ was born in 1970 as a concept car designed by Bertone to utilize the Lancia Fulvia running gear. In its original state it was never developed beyond a styling study, but at that time the Fiat empire was looking to find a car to replace the then ageing Fulvia as the group’s platform for world rally success, and so in 1972 after major design alterations and the fitting of the Ferrari V6 Dino engine, a no compromise sports racer, the Lancia Stratos was created. From the outset the Stratos was a winning combination of style and performance.  Victorious in the first rally it entered in 1973, it went on to dominate the international scene for the next six years, picking up the world championship for makes in three consecutive years between 1974 and 1976.  In the hands of privateers it continued to win rallies until 1982 when its homologation ran out, ten years after its conception.

As was the case with most works rally specials, only drivers of the highest caliber were able to derive the full benefit of the beautiful Stratos’s abilities. For although its levels of adhesion were exceedingly high, the on limit nervousness of the car combined with the rapidity with which it could swap ends, made for trips into the scenery a regular occurrence for anyone with less than lightning quick reflexes.  Progressive handling was not in the Stratos’s vocabulary.  Similar ‘interesting’ handling characteristics were found in the road cars and it soon gained a reputation as a car that would ‘bite back’.

Because of the Stratos’s short wheelbase and therefore agility, and despite its twitchiness, in the right hands it was a formidable rally weapon. However the same traits were found to be detrimental in circuit racing.  So in 1976 a longer wheel base, turbo engined Stratos was developed specifically for the track.  The body for the ‘Group 5 Silhouette’ Stratos grew radical aerodynamic aids in the shape of spoilers and wings, which gave the pretty Stratos an altogether more aggressive look. Sadly the ‘Silhouette’ was never fully campaigned but there is no doubt that if Fiat had provided the backing the ‘Group 5’ Stratos would have been a huge success.

For those lucky few who own a Stratos, they find themselves in possession of a car that even to this day is probably the most beautiful and evocative rally car ever made.  As a road car it rates alongside other Bertone classics such as the Lamborgini Miura and Countach for its abilities and road presence.

THE CORSE

The Stratos, although a magnificent car, had many shortcomings, so in designing the Corse we decided to improve on the original not just to replicate it ‘warts and all’. We also endeavored to produce a car where the construction would be straightforward and achievable in a reasonable length of time without the builder having any sophisticated engineering skills.

The Stratos had no separate chassis, whereas the CORSE is of a sophisticated semi­monocoque construction. The Corse chassis has been independently tested and found to have a torsional deflection figure of over 6,000 lb ft / degree, which is stiffer by a factor of two over the original.

The engine / transmission was mid-mounted in a rigid structure welded to the rear bulkhead, and this has been retained. The Corse has foam filled bulkheads, which reduces noise and much of the heat transfer associated with mid-engined cars.

The original engine was a Ferrari Dino V6.  The beauty of the Corse’s design construction is that the engine bay is large enough to accommodate virtually any transverse engine / transmission unit, even the Ferrari V8 can be accommodated.

The reduced weight achieved by using a complete fibreglass body (as opposed to having a center section of steel) means that far less power is needed to give a performance similar to the original.

The Stratos’s fibreglass sections were of a thin and flimsy construction, whereas the fibreglass panels of the Corse are of a heavier weight with the addition of Coremat non-woven fabric in certain areas for increased rigidity and strength. The body is in high quality GRP with the addition of Coremat where appropriate for added strength. It is unstressed to eliminate any star crazing and is finished to a high standard in a selection of colored gel coats, with return flanges on all parts to aid rigidity.

We have done away with the complicated setting up of the suspension and the constant re-adjustments originally necessary, by the addition of silent block rubber bushes. This makes the CORSE a more predictable car to drive than the Stratos.

The front suspension geometry has been updated and with our own design cast aluminum steering rack (no propriety unit was 100% suitable, so there was no alternative - we made our own), the handling characteristics now match the performance of the car. Because strut type suspension has limitations in its outright performance (no camber compensation in roll, widely changing roll centers, large track changes between bump and droop conditions, etc.) it was decided to incorporate the latest suspension design thinking and the latest propriety ‘hardware’. We have developed our own cast alloy uprights for both front and rear.  By using wishbone type suspension all round we have been able to match suspension characteristics front to rear (more linear roll center changes, equal roll couple, etc.) and produce a car with extremely high and predictable limits, which is a pleasure to drive fast.

Disc brakes have been retained all round and are controlled by a Tilton pedal box, using a split system with adjustable front / rear bias. The unique simplicity of the window raising mechanism has also been retained along with a full width boot. We have also been able to increase head and legroom so now the seating and control positions are vastly improved over the rather cramped and awkward positions of the original.

PLACING AN ORDER FOR THE NAPIERSPORT CORSE

Orders for the Napiersport CorseI are currently being taken. Deposits of 30% are required to secure your name on the production list. If you are interested in purchasing a Napiersport kit, please send us an e-mail or call us with your contact information and we will send to you all the necessary details. Please feel free to consult our Napiersport Corse FAQ to help answer any questions you may have.

A comprehensive build guide for the Napiersport Corse, which comes with a DVD of hi-res images, video and audio is available for $56 shipped in the U.S., refundable off the purchase of a kit.

MSRP: $22,990