Author: nocturnalbandit

The Lancia Stratos HF Stradale – A spaceship on wheels.

Is it a UFO? Is it a carpenter’s wedge? Is it a child’s toy? No, it’s a Lancia Stratos! 

Lancia Stratos - Jumeirah Beach Dubai.
Lancia Stratos – Jumeirah Beach Dubai.

The first time I laid eyes on a Lancia Stratos was in a 2010 issue of CAR magazine. The photos on the glossy pages displayed two Stratos. I would later learn that one of them was the Ferrari F430 Scuderia-based ‘New Stratos’, while the other was the real thing from the 1970s.

Sometime in early June, I was invited for a weekend morning drive in a 1976 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale, an invitation I graciously accepted. As I found myself on the way to meet the car, I realized I didn’t know what to expect from it.
Continue reading “The Lancia Stratos HF Stradale – A spaceship on wheels.”

Aircooled Heaven. The Porsche 911 2.7 RS.

A few weeks back, I had my first experience in an aircooled Porsche, a Carrera RS no less. Here are my thoughts. 

1973 Porsche Carrera 2.7 RS.
1973 Porsche Carrera 2.7 RS.

It’s 5 a.m. and I’m rubbing my eyes as the rising sun turns the sky into beautiful shades of blue and gold. I’m standing in a residential community in Dubai, waiting for a car. I haven’t gotten much sleep the previous night, so to say I’m excited is an understatement.

A few minutes later, a white Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS materialises before me, shattering the silence with its aircooled loping idle. The red font on the doors, the ducktail and the foglights all say the same thing; this car is anything but ordinary.

Continue reading “Aircooled Heaven. The Porsche 911 2.7 RS.”

Numero uno.

So here we are. The first blog post from the Nocturnal Bandit.

IMG_0213

Over the past few years, I’ve seen and learned a lot. My experiences with cars and otherwise, have influenced who I am as an individual and my interactions with others. They’ve taught me important lessons, while helping me to understand a number of things.

A lot around me has changed and I have changed with it. However, one thing has remained constant – my affinity for cars. It is with this vision in mind that we move forward. As I record my experiences with words and with light, I’d like to share them with you, the reader.

Continue reading “Numero uno.”