All posts in “hypercar”

Pininfarina Battista First Drive: Meet the 1,900-hp electric hypercar

MALIBU, Calif. — The all-electric Pininfarina Battista throws around some impressive numbers. Power output in the 1,900-horsepower neighborhood. A 0-to-60 time of less than 2 seconds. A range estimated to be 300 miles. A starting price of $2.2 million. All of that might invite the names hypercar or supercar, but that would imply it’s harsh and unforgiving. Instead, Pininfarina defines the Battista as a hyper GT, giving it the otherworldly power and performance of a hypercar while remaining comfortable enough to take on a road trip.

That’s a tall order for any vehicle, let alone the first car produced by a new manufacturer. After spending an afternoon with the Battista on some of our favorite roads above Malibu, we can definitively say that their boldness has paid off.

Automobili Pininfarina is the new manufacturing offshoot of the Carrozzeria Pininfarina design firm that has penned some of the most iconic cars in history. These include the 1947 Cisitalia 202, which is regarded as the first car that integrated fenders into the rest of the bodywork. Then there are icons such as the Fiat and Alfa Romeo Spiders (above right) along with the nouveau-classic Cadillac Allante. But it’s Pininfarina’s association with Ferrari that is most notable, including most of the 250 GT line (above left), Daytona, 512 BB, and wild 1980s Testarossa.

The Battista is named for Battista “Pinin” Farina, who founded Carrozzeria Pininfarina in 1930. A lot of its battery, chassis and motor componentry comes from Rimac, the nascent Croatian electric supercar maker that recently paired with Porsche to take over Bugatti.

The Battista’s exterior styling certainly has echoes of Ferrari, and really, can you think of a better compliment? As an all-electric vehicle, it doesn’t have the same kind of cooling and air intake needs as the gasoline-powered Ferraris and results in a cleaner and more elemental shape. The design is still aggressive as hell, but less shouty, and that plays well with the hyper GT positioning.

Once you pop the dihedral driver’s door, you’re greeted by a rather narrow passage between the dash and seat. Getting in takes a bit more stooping and maneuvering compared to conventional sports cars, but there are certainly exotics that are more difficult to access. Pulling the door down doesn’t take much effort, but you have to give it a strong slam to get it to fully shut, making it a strong candidate for soft-close doors.

The seats are firm and have excellent side bolstering to keep you in place when cornering. There are also more aggressive racing shell-type seats available, but in our estimation, unnecessary. Your feet can extend mostly straight ahead since front wheelwell intrusion is minimized. We haven’t even moved yet and the Battista is already fulfilling part of its hyper GT promise.

The cockpit is modern and minimal, with two horizontal touchscreens flanking the steering wheel and a phone-like display in the middle that displays speed and other primary information. Off to the sides, at the 5- and 7-o’clock positions, are two dials. The left selects drive modes and the right is the start button and gear selector. The cabin is cozy but not confining, and has a good amount of lateral space.

The Battista is already activated as we get in, a fact indicated by the subtle high-pitched whine and fan noises, much like a jetliner running on its auxiliary power unit as you find your seat. Foot on the brake and a quick spin of the right dial puts it in drive. A little pressure on the throttle and the Battista starts to roll forward on the gravel valet circle. Once on the broad, sweeping roads in the Santa Monica Mountains, it’s striking how well-mannered a 1,900-hp car can be.

We’re in the Pura (Pure) drive mode, which seems equivalent to a default comfort mode. It’s easy to drive, with no fear that you’ll accidentally overdo it and spin into a ditch. At the same time, it’s way more potent than most drivers will ever need. In this way, it’s as approachable as a 911 Carrrera 4S and we fantasize about an alternate reality where this is our daily driver.

The ride is stiff, but not punishing. There’s a lot of jostling over the pavement’s undulations, but the smart suspension keeps potholes from sending sharp jolts into your backside. You also hear every tire impact and slap over seams, along with the frequent ricochets of pebbles and debris off the undertray. There’s just enough harshness to remind you of its sporting potential and just enough compliance to consider driving it six hours somewhere.

Now that we’re acclimated, it’s time to turn up the performance. We skip the Calma (Calm) and Carattere (Character) drive modes, which equate to eco and individual modes, respectively. The Energica (Energetic) mode is what can be considered the sport mode. The ride gets firmer, the throttle response more immediate and the steering seems livelier. The synthetic driveline noises also get louder as you muster enough courage to give that pedal a proper stomp.

The Battista instantaneously obeys, launching forward with unstoppable determination. In a time when sub 3-second acceleration to 60 mph is considered increasingly normal, the all-wheel-drive Pininfarina still manages to impress as it’s estimated to hit 60 a whole second earlier. On the rougher sections of winding pavement, the suspension is just a bit too stiff. Mid-corner bumps will keep you alert and the larger whoops will have you thanking your racing school coaches.

Selecting Furiosa activates an equivalent race or track mode, unleashing the full power output and relaxing the driver assists. It’s every driving trope wrapped up in one. It goes to 11; face-warping acceleration; you’ll see the grim reaper and he’ll give you a thumbs up; pick your favorite exaggeration and it applies here. Off the line, the Battista launches hard enough that your vision gets blurry. There’s a slight side-to-side squirm that also indicates you have indeed found a limit and you should proceed at your own peril. It’s unyielding and unforgiving when provoked, and that’s precisely what we wanted on the high end.

The range of comfort and performance afforded by these drive modes is vast. The Battista does indeed warrant the new hyper GT classification. But it’s also so much more. The details could keep us yammering on for days, but we’ll try to pare it down to a few paragraphs.

The interior features an abundance of impeccable leather surfaces, and those hides are sourced close to the Cambiano, Italy, factory. They’re tanned using more environmentally friendly methods that somehow involve local olive leaves. There aren’t any vegan alternatives as Pininfarina says production of those materials have their own chemical drawbacks. The aluminum trim elements aren’t cast, they’re machined from solid billets. They’re attractive while not going as over-the-top as in a Pagani.

On the outside, the charge port is at the center of the tail, a move that Chief Design Officer Dave Amantea lobbied for and won. It keeps charging cables from being draped over the carbon fiber bodywork and is easily accessible. A Pf logo between that port and the trunk (yes, there’s a trunk) illuminates when charging and the outer frame of the badge shows the charge state so you can know with a quick glance how much juice is left.

The glass trunk lid is power deployed and closed. Its stepped floor makes it difficult to load even a paper bag full of groceries, but Pinifarina offers a custom set of luggage that fits perfectly and can be upholstered to match the rest of the cabin. The price? Try $20,000, or the equivalent of a new Nissan Sentra.

There’s even a pragmatic side to the Battista, as you can add a five- or 10-year maintenance program and extend the warranty coverage for the massive 120-kilowatt-hour battery pack to 10 years. Then there’s the Eterna program that offers a replacement body parts kit that is painted at the same time as your Battista. Take a moment to let that soak in because we’re already imagining the most amazing garage wall art.

As Paolo Dellachà, Pininfarina’s Chief Product and Engineering Officer was eager to point out, these programs enhance the ownership experience and also increase the value of the Battista. Considering production is capped at 150 examples and no two will be allowed to be identical (unless, we suppose, you buy two!), there’s no doubt it’s an instant collectible that should only increase in price. As a fully electric hyper GT, may also be more future proof than the current raft of internal-combustion supercars.

Trying to remain impartial and objective during this review is a challenge, but with a sub-orbital price of $2.2 million, most normal sensibilities are obliterated. This is one of those cars that have you questioning past life choices or pondering how much you could sell a kidney for (you can’t, it turns out). The few nitpicks are limited to the hard-to-shut doors, a distracting reflection from the dash top in the windshield, and the tedious infotainment screens that you have to use to even adjust the seats. These drawbacks are as easily dispatched as any vehicle trying to keep up with the Battista.

Related video:

Low Mileage 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder At Collecting Cars

Collecting Cars recently offered a practically new 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder in their global online auction platform.

The plug-in hybrid hypercar is one of only 918 units built. Under the hood of this gorgeous Porsche hypercar is a 4.6-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine with an electric motor for each axle. It can produce a total of 887 hp and 944 lb-ft of torque. The engine and rear e-drive motor are matched to a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch paddle shift transmission. The front axle is connected to the front e-motor with an electric clutch coupling, so it makes the hypercar an all-wheel drive.

Marketing materials claim that the 918 Spyder is said to run from 0 to 100 kph – roughly 62 mph – in just 2.6 seconds, and it can go from 0 to 200 kph – roughly 124 mph – in just 7.2 seconds. It has a top speed of only 345 kph or 214 mph. However, independent media tests that was made showed that it was even quicker, where a magazine even claimed that they were able to record the Spyder going from 0 to 60 mph in only 2.2 seconds.

The 918 Spyder has five driving modes including the E-Drive where the car only uses the front and rear electric motors so that it’ll have a ‘zero emission’ driving range of roughly 30 km or 18 miles.

The hypercar was delivered with a Platinum Silver Metallic finish, matched with an Onyx Black leather interior with Acid Green piping. The leather can also be seen on the door cards and steering wheel, and both also have the vibrant contrast color accent. The seat headrests have an Acid Green embroidery, matching with the color of the brake calipers.

As standard, the 918 comes with a two-piece CFRP roadster panel tops, Porsche Communication Management (CRM) with navigation and Bluetooth, and lightweight full LED headlights.

There is no known bodywork damage, nor is there any electrical or mechanical faults. No significant wear was seen on the black leather upholstery although there is some very slight wrinkling on the driver’s seat lower outer bolster. The paintwork is in exquisite condition.

It was during the recall when the example had its most recent documented service which was back in November 2018.

The sale would come with an original battery charger, spare reflectors, and indoor car cover.

The best part of this Spyder is that is has a very low mileage of only 966 miles from new, so the lucky winning bidder will get to drive home a practically new hypercar.

As of writing, the Porsche 918 Spyder has a bid of C$1,000,501 with the auction ending on Thursday, December 23.

Mazzanti Automobili: The New Evantra Pura

In the world of supercars and hypercars, it has become a bit of a gimmick that manufacturers will release a car, and then, a year or two down the road, release a special, limited, or track-only version of that car. This has happened with many manufacturers from all countries, around the world. There are a few manufacturers, however, that stay dedicated to a tight model line, and each car from that model line is the absolute best it can be at the time it was built.

Mazzanti Automobili, a specialist hypercar coachbuilder and producer in Italy, is one such company. In fact, their model line is exactly three cars: The Evantra Classic, the Evantra 781, and the Evantra Millecavalli R. That is, it was three cars until October 2021, when their latest hypercar, the Evantra Pura, was unveiled to the world. Designed and manufactured without compromise, this car is set to become the next great Italian limited edition collector’s hypercar, as you will soon see.

The History Of The Evantra

The Evantra model has always been at the core of Mazzanti Automobili’s design and engineering concepts, due to the fact that the initial boxed steel frame and chrome-molybdenum cage of the 2012 prototype proved to be extremely strong. Structural rigidity was key, due to the fact that the Evantra was always meant to be a comfortable but agile and sporty two seater coupe. After testing and proving, the base model, now known as the Evantra Classic, went on sale in 2013.

As part of the whole concept of a coachbuilt hypercar, each and every vehicle was built precisely to customer specifications. The bodywork could be made out of carbon fiber, hand-wrought aluminum, or pretty much any combination of both. Each interior was made to measure, with the driver’s seat made to fit the customer’s own unique body shape, in essence making each interior a one-off, one of the core values of being coachbuilt.

Evantra (Evantra Classic)

Mazzanti Evantra Classic

The original engine for the 2013 Evantra was a GM-supplied 7.0L V8 that was stripped down to the block and rebuilt by Mazzanti’s in-house engineering department. What resulted was a 701 HP V8 that sat directly behind the cabin in a mid-mount longitudinal position, passing power through a 6-speed sequential transmission. During prototyping and testing, however, those same Mazzanti engineers were able to extract a further 50 HP from the engine, meaning the 2013 production cars left the factory with 751 horses going to the rear wheels.

With a limited production run of five cars per year, this allowed each engine to undergo stress testing and fine tuning, making each engine, like the car, a one-off in terms of its tune and timings. As such, if you were to test an Evantra Classic on a dynamometer, you would get a number close to 751 HP, but each and every car would give you a different result.

Evantra Millecavalli

Mazzanti Evantra Millecavalli

With the success of the original Evantra, Mazzanti introduced the Millecavalli, a more hardcore version of the base car, in 2016. The 7.0L GM V8 was not only stripped down to the block again, this time it was bored out to 7.2L, had new pistons to match the boring made, and just for power’s sake, had two turbochargers bolted to it. The result is the 7.2L Mazzanti Twin Turbo V8, which produces a net 1,000 HP, with 885 lb-ft, or dead on 1,200 Newton-meters, of torque. 

This new engine was the basis of the Evantra Millecavalli’s name, as in Italian, Mille is “One thousand” and Cavalli is “horses,” meaning the car is literally named the Evantra One Thousand Horses. Its interior is again customized to each customer, but features a more track oriented setup, including a bespoke 6-speed sequential built only for the Millecavalli. This means that the dash provides only necessary information, and the materials are more suited to letting the driver focus on speed and handling, instead of out and out luxury.

Evantra 771

Mazzanti Evantra 771

In 2016, the next Evantra was revealed, the 771. This version was displayed at the 2016 Bologna Motor Show, and gained immediate attention. It shared the same basic lines of the Evantra, yet somehow flexed a bit more, was that little bit more aggressive, and spoke of the extra 20 HP from its 7.0 Mazzanti-reworked V8, so that it produced 771 HP. 

Mazzanti Evantra 771 Engine closeup
The engine of the 771, with its direct feed air shaft from the roof scoop

Special features of the Evantra 771 are that it came with special, Mazzanti-only lightweight wheels from OZ Racing, shod with 255/30R20 fronts and 325/23R20 rears Pirelli P Zero tires. MacPherson struts were installed in all four corners, giving the car exceptional responsiveness and ride comfort without diluting the hypercar experience.

Brakes were increased in diameter from the Evantra, with a 380mm rotor with 6-piston calipers in the front, and 360mm rotors with 4-piston calipers in the rear. The 771 was also the first Mazzanti to offer second generation carbon-ceramic brakes, offering fade-free performance without the grabby, jerky nature of the first generation carbon-ceramics offered by many supercar manufacturers in the mid-2000s.

Evantra 781

Rear view of the Mazzanti Evantra 781

As the Evantra 771 became more and more desirable as a hypercar, and due to the limited production of only five cars per year, the decision was made to switch the engine from the 7.0L Mazzanti-fettled V8 to another GM-supplied V8, this one being a 6.2L V8 based on the widely known LT2 Corvette engine. Of course, this engine was stripped down to the block and extensively reworked by skilled Italian engineers, and ended up producing 781 HP.

As well, the Evantra 781 changed the suspension from MacPherson struts to fully adjustable, independent double wishbone suspension at each wheel. This was done to give the 781 a more aggressive handling profile and increasing high speed stability in response to road surface imperfections.

Evantra Millecavalli R

Rear view of the Mazzanti Evantra Millecavalli R

The most recent Evantra, the Millecavalli R takes the already insane performance and handling of the Millecavalli and turns all the dials up to maximum. The 7.2L V8 was taken back to the Mazzanti engineers, and with a further boring and reworking of the tuning, is now a 7.4L Mazzanti V8 with a nigh unbelievable 1,121 HP and 892 lb-ft of torque. 

The biggest difference over its brother model is that the R receives a full aerodynamic package. This is meant to be the track-only version of the Evantra, yet because of it keeping the boxed steel and chrome-molybdenum frame and cage, it is fully road legal. Also, as part of the track-oriented nature of the car, special Michelin Sport tires are made for the car.

The New 2021 Evantra Pura

Front view of the 2021 Mazzanti Evantra PuraA totally reworked front aero package increases downforce without introducing any increased drag.

In Italian, the word Pura means “pure.” For Luca Mazzanti, the man behind the name of the company, it is something he has been searching for in his cars from day one. Not purity in the sense of design or shape, but purity in the way that the car feels around the driver. Let us remember that each and every Evantra is almost a one-off due to being customized to each client, and Luca wanted something for those that remember the days of three pedals, a manual shifter, and the connection that gave, the pure exhilaration, of being completely one with the machine.

The core of this search for the purest driving experience comes with the all-new 7-speed manual transmission designed for the Evantra Pura alone. Left behind are the sequential 6- and 7-speed transmissions of the other models, as they don’t give the same connection as a gated transmission, each shift accompanied by that mechanical feeling of the lever sliding home. The clutch has also been redesigned for the car, to give superb feel and allow the driver to slip it perfectly, with a move from a dual-plate clutch package to a triple-plate clutch.

Close up of the 2021 Mazzanti Evantra Pura badgeThe Mazzanti Automobili badge, denoting a handbuilt carbon fiber hypercar

The engine is borrowed from the Evantra 781, yet as with each model, has taken a trip through Mazzanti’s in-house engineering and tuning department. What has emerged is a 6.2L V8 with a bespoke supercharger, which feeds the dual-injection-per-cylinder engine with compressed air from even the lowest revs. This, in turn, helps the V8 produce 761 HP, but more importantly, 970 Nm of torque (about 715 lbs-ft). 

Close up of OZ Racing wheels for the 2021 Mazzanti Evantra PuraBespoke OZ Racing wheels made just for the Evantra Pura

This pursuit of driving purity is not only down to the engine and clutch, however. The body has been extensively lightened, and the aerodynamics have been reworked with the use of computer-aided fluid dynamic simulation. These simulations were carried out by both Mazzanti and their strategic partners who help design Formula 1 and Le Mans racing cars, giving highly detailed results that let the aerodynamics be optimized for the power and speed of the car.

Rear view of the 2021 Mazzanti Evantra Pura showcasing the spoiler and diffuserThe reworked spoiler and diffuser at the rear of the Evantra Pura. Also note the visible elements of the chrome-molybdenum engine support frame

The Pura is also the first Evantra that will not include any aluminum body parts at all in its construction. In pursuit of that pure driving experience, the car will be made of a special weave of carbon fiber composite that has immense torsional and structural rigidity, yet is so lightweight that this Evantra produces another first, that being its dry weight of 1,280 kg (2,822 lbs), the first car weighing under 1,300 kg.

2021 Mazzanti Evantra Pura headlights and front endHood vents both cool the radiators and create a flow of air over the windshield and roof of the Evantra Pura, helping feed the hungry supercharger and create a smooth pressure layer over the aerodynamics of the car

It is this combination of factors that has led to Luca Mazzanti bestowing the name Pura onto this model. The control of a light, single clutch with three plates. A gated 7-speed manual shifter with positive and solid feel. A lighter weight body, tuned aerodynamically to provide the possible handling and high speed experience. A V8 engine with a Mazzanti-designed supercharger giving the best sound and power, a bellow of 8 cylinders matching with the soprano scream of the twin screws in the supercharger housing.

Closeup of the Mazzanti Pura exhaustWe can just imagine what the bellow of the 6.2L supercharged V8 will sound like out of those exhausts, placed so that they help increase the Venturi effect of both the diffuser and spoiler to increase downforce

The result is the most pure Evantra made. It bolts to 100 KPH (62 MPH) in 2.9 seconds and pulls strongly to a top speed in excess of 360 KPH (224 MPH). It also carries the purest of partner parts, among them Brembo second-generation carbon-ceramic discs and calipers, Tractive Suspension shocks within adjustable MacPherson struts with spherical bearings, and a Brembo-Mazzanti ABS system that, on customer request, can have an ABS deactivation button fitted to the interior.

Of course, no interior will be the same, and Luca Mazzanti, with a little knowing smile, has no intention of showing the newly redesigned interior. This is because, as with all other Mazzanti’s, there will only be five cars made per year, and he wants to have something that only clients will see, which is their own customized interior. We can’t blame him, really, as that is part of what makes Mazzanti Automobili special: Each car is bespoke to its owner, and really, it’s up to that owner to choose what they like around them as they drive without having to share it with anyone.

2021 Evantra Pura Technical Specifications

Model 2021 Evantra Pura
Top speed >360kph / 224mph
0 – 60mph 2.9 seconds
Measurements  4325*1955*1225 mm
Wheelbase 2550 mm
Chassis

Boxed steel cradle + roll bar and engine and gearbox

support frame in chromium-molybdenum trellis

Weight distribution 43% front and 57% rear
Weight (dry) 1280 kg
Car body Carbon fibre
Engine (GM Block) 6200 cc V8 Supercharged
Power HP and Nm 761 hp – 970 Nm
Engine layout Rear / mid
Gearbox 7-speed manual (Mazzanti)
Clutch Single – 3 discs
Brake discs (Brembo) Carbon ceramic 380mm front + 360 mm rear
Brake calipers (Brembo) 6-piston brakes front + 4-piston rear
Suspension

McPherson – adjustable option

Suspension fitted with Spherical bearings

Shock absorbers  Tractive Suspensions
Tyre size 255/35/19 + 315/30/20
Traction Rear wheel drive
Seating 2 seats
Tank capacity 70L
Fuel consumption Combined cycle 12.4 lt per 100 km / 22.7 MPG

Low-Mileage 2015 McLaren P1 Hypercar Debuts At Collecting Cars

Collecting Cars U.S. auction platform recently put an extremely low mileage 2015 McLaren P1 hypercar in the market. With only 433 miles on the odometer, this practically brand new, extremely rare hypercar will be on offer until November 11, 2021.

The legendary British luxury automotive maker produced only 375 examples of this impressive model. The McLaren P1 has a top speed of 217 mph. It is capable of going from 0 to 62 mph in just 2.8 seconds, and it can also go from 0 to 124 mph in just 6.8 seconds.

2015 McLaren P1

Under the hood of the P1 is a combination of a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 engine that can produce 727 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque and an impressive 177hp/192 lb-ft electric motor matched with a seven-speed Graziano dual-clutch transmission with paddle shift. It has a maximum output of 903 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque.

This P1 was meticulously constructed using an exceptionally lightweight carbon fiber monocoque chassis that weighs only 199 pounds or 90 kg. The P1 was also given a lot of lightweight features like the carbon fiber body panels, ultra-thin glass, and carbon finishes. They also removed the carpets, and the cabin was left without lacquer as an additional weight saving feature. This resulted in an ultra-lightweight McLaren P1 hypercar that has a dry weight of only 3076 pounds or 1395 kg.

2015 McLaren P1

This P1 is equipped with an F1-derived active aerodynamics, Drag Reduction System (DRS), Instant Power Assist System (IPAS), and a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS).

For the interior, it was given carbon fiber racing seats with carbon black leather and Alcantara trim and Harissa Red stitching as accents.

The P1 has an “Elite Fire Black” finish with extensive gloss carbon fiber trim and contrasting red badge and brake calipers. It was equipped with Stealth wheels and Pirelli P Zero tires. Gloss carbon fiber was used for its bumpers, roof snorkel, door mirror and arms, side panels and ducts, rear wing, and rear clam insert.

As of writing, the bid for this exquisite hypercar is at $100,500.

‘Meet Isabelle’ – The Cryptic Message from De Tomaso Automobili

A few days ago, I received an email from the media team at De Tomaso Automobili. I am very skeptical about unsolicited mails but this time, my curiosity got the better of me and I tapped on the notification. The mail was mostly blank save for a video clip and a title that read, ‘Meet Isabelle – a love story, coming soon’.

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A Short Teaser

They had me at this point and I opened the video. The short 46-second clip began with the silhouette of a low-slung race car that bears a strong resemblance to the De Tomaso P72, the brand’s upcoming hypercar. I could barely make out the words, ‘Isabelle’ on the rear panel before the image flickered and disappeared.

The words, ‘iconic American sounds’ then appeared on the screen, preceding the sound of the aforementioned race car firing up its engine. The clip ended with a message to watch out for a film release slated for September 15, 2021.

Side view of the De Tomaso P72

I wondered if this was an announcement for a new hypercar? That is possible though unlikely, given that the De Tomaso P72 hypercar is yet to enter full production. Maybe a full reveal of the final production-spec De Tomaso P72 then?

It could also be that I was just overthinking things and De Tomaso Automobili had somehow ventured into film making and were going to release a movie titled, ‘Meet Isabelle’ on September 15, 2021, exactly as stated in the video.

Concept art of the De Tomaso P72 rear end

History of De Tomaso

In any case, that email did get me thinking about De Tomaso as an automobile brand in general and once I did some digging around, I discovered the carmaker’s journey has been a rather intriguing one indeed. The company was founded by the now-deceased Argentine-born Alejandro de Tomaso in Modena in 1959.

It started off producing prototypes and racing cars, including the race car used by the Frank Williams racing team in the 1970 Formula One Championships. Most of the initial funding came from de Tomaso’s brother-in-law. That changed in 1971, when Ford acquired an 84% stake in the company. However, the partnership quickly soured and Ford backed out 3 years later, returning its shares to the company.

Side view of De Tomaso Vallelunga

De Tomaso’s first road-going production car was the 1963 Vallelunga. The car, built around a lightweight chassis, was one of the first mid-engine cars in the world at the time. However, it was his next creation, the 1967 De Tomaso Mangusta, which really brought international recognition to the brand. Mangusta translates to mongoose in English and rumor has it that it was a very deliberate choice for the car, to show that it was superior to Carroll Shelby’s Cobra sports car.

You see, Alejandro De Tomaso and Carroll Shelby had a tumultuous relationship that culminated in the infamous 1965 Can Am conflict but that is a story for another time. The Mangusta was the brand’s first volume model and about 4oo units were built during a 4-year production run.

The cult classic, De Tomaso Pantera was next and would end up becoming the brand’s most popular car till date, remaining in production for over 2 decades, spanning 1971 to 1992. It was during this period that the carmaker also acquired the Maserati brand, overseeing the production of cars like the Maserati BiTurbo, Quattroporte III and colossal flop, the Maserati Chrysler TC.

The Struggles of De Tomaso Automobili

Unfortunately, De Tomaso Automobili was not without problems and a combination of poor management decisions, sub-quality products and financial hardships eventually brought the company to its knees in 2004 when it entered liquidation. In 2009, Italian business mogul, Gian Mario Rossignolo, acquired the De Tomaso trademark and founded a new company named De Tomaso Automobili SpA. Whatever plans he had for the company soon went up in a puff of dirty brown smoke when in July 2012, he was arrested for misuse of government funds.

The fate of the De Tomaso trademark and production facilities remained in corporate limbo until 2014 when an Italian court approved its sale to Hong-Kong based Ideal Team Ventures for a price of about $1.2 million. Under the new (and current ownership), the brand soon set about reinventing itself and at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed, De Tomaso unveiled its first modern creation – the De Tomaso P72, in commemoration of the company’s 60th anniversary.

Shelby De Tomaso P70

Future of the De Tomaso P72

The De Tomaso P72 pays homage to the original Shelby De Tomaso P70 race car and incorporates some styling cues from the ‘60s era vehicle. According to Norman Choi, the company CEO, the plan is to create a car that ‘evokes the spirit of Alejandro de Tomaso, the brand and the eras that the car represents.’

As the name suggests, only 72 units of the limited-series hypercar will be made. The car is expected to go into production late in 2022 and the company has promised that the final production-spec would largely retain the same profile as the prototypes that’s been shown at various exclusive car events all over the world. For now, the De Tomaso P72 has a base price of $1 million and the company is currently accepting ‘registrations of interest’ via its website.

Now, back to the video in my email. Given that the production date of the P72 is still some ways out, you understand why my earlier speculation about an upcoming new car reveal may not be as far-fetched. Here though, is one final twist to the puzzle. Alejandro de Tomaso was married to an American who shared his fiery passion for racing and automobiles in general. Her name? Isabelle De Tomaso. Make of that what you will.

A Look Back: The Holy Trinity Of Hypercars

If time travel were possible, going back to the middle of the first decade of the 2000’s and mentioning the word “hypercar” would have garnered you some very odd looks. In fact, by then, the word “supercar” was still only just about 20 years old, when the Porsche 959 and the Ferrari F40 had brought the term into the common vocabulary. Even then, it wasn’t seared into the mind until the greatest supercar of all, the McLaren F1, was made.

Yet, in 2021, we all know what a hypercar is. There were a few cars that started the term rolling around in the mind, like the SSC Ultimate Aero and the Bugatti Veyron, but it wasn’t until 2013 that what are now considered the holy trinity of hypercars were released, and the motoring world was irrevocably changed.

Three cars, from three manufacturers, all released in the same year, have come to define what it truly means to enter into the rare company of those vehicles labeled as hypercars. The McLaren P1, the Ferrari LaFerrari, and the Porsche 918 Spyder all broke through so many technological milestones and proved that a super-high-performance supercar could actually exist that a new term had to be coined for them.

But what were those barriers? What do we take for granted in today’s ultimate supercars that was revolutionary in 2013? And would we be where we are now, at the dawn of the EV hypercar decade, if not for these three masterpieces?

A Different Way Of Thinking: The Hybrid Movement

How Motorsports Helped Forge The Hypercar

The biggest thing that all three of the Holy Trinity brought to the table was the use of hybrid electric power to not save gas or make things quieter, but to boost performance and power. It seems almost comically ironic in 2021 that before the year 2010, hybrid electric assist in cars was scoffed at as being for environmentally conscious consumers and that if you wanted raw power and speed, you stayed with an internal combustion engine only.

2009 Japanese Grand Prix, Red Bull RB5 equipped with KERS unit, wikimedia
2009 Japanese Grand Prix, Red Bull RB5 equipped with KERS unit, wikimedia
Image Source: wikimedia

However, there was one area that a select few engine developers and car manufacturers were interested in using hybrid power in a different way. The FIA Formula 1 World Championship had changed throughout the first decade of the millennium from being all about speed and power, to being about speed, power, and sustainability. As part of this environmental lean, in 2009, the FIA allowed for a Kinetic Energy Recovery System, or KERS, to be used in F1 to allow for an on-demand boost of about 80 HP to the 750 HP provided by the V8’s used in the series.

This energy was often stored in batteries or capacitors, and was captured through regenerative braking, where an electric generator assisted the brakes on the rear wheels of the F1 cars. By nature, Ferrari, as the longest continuously running team in the sport, and McLaren, another long running team, started immediately thinking about how this technology could be used in a high-performance road car.

On the other side of motorsports, Audi, under the umbrella that is the Volkswagen Group, was a serious contender in endurance racing, and their 2006 to 2010 R10 and R15 TDI diesel was winning pretty much everything. The ACO, the governing body of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in conjunction with the FIA, announced that for the 2012 race, electrical hybrid assist was going to be permitted.

Audi R15 TDI

Since Porsche, another company under the VW Group umbrella, was actively developing hybrid systems for their road cars, especially the Cayenne SUV, some of their engineers were brought in as experts in hybrid systems to work out how to make the hybrid system be a performance assist, instead of being a fuel efficiency assist. This, of course, gave those engineers some ideas, and when they returned to Stuttgart, we can only assume a series of closed door meetings happened quite quickly.

The Development Of Performance Hybrid Systems

Porsche was the first to truly step into the field of using a performance hybrid system in conjunction with something close to a road-going racing car, with the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3-R Hybrid. Since Porsche GT3 and Cup cars are built off of the 911 Carerra platform, the engine is mostly the same across the cars, except a bump up to 4.0L and the replacement of internals with race-grade components.

Williams F1, in the meantime, had been developing a KERS system for the 2009 season, but ultimately ended up not using it. Porsche and Williams have historically been good partners, so when the German company wanted to put a hybrid into their race car, Williams were only too happy to use the 95% finished 2009 KERS with the 911 GT3-R.

The 911 GT3-R Hybrid officially debuted at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring in 2010, although it had raced as a wildcard in the VLN event a couple of weeks before the big race. It was a true four-wheel drive system, with the 500 HP 4.0L flat-six powering the rear wheels, and the 210 HP hybrid system, via two 105 HP motors, driving both front wheels. The car was instantly fast and, very importantly, very, very reliable. It raced for the rest of 2010 and all of 2011, and very rarely had any issues.

2002 Ferrari Enzo

During 2010, Ferrari had also started testing out a performance hybrid system, as they were in the planning stages of their “once a decade” special car for elite Ferrari customers. It had started with the F40 in the 1980s, the F50 in the 1990s, and the Ferrari Enzo (F60) in the 2000s. The upcoming F70 had no name yet, but it was known that it would, like the previous two cars, have a V12 in the middle of the car and be the ultimate expression of Ferrari performance and technology.

At the same time, McLaren had been impressed with the on-demand hybrid power of KERS in F1, and in 2010 tasked their internal skunk works, McLaren Special Operations, with investigating how to use that system in a road car. They were also tasked with talking to the McLaren Formula 1 Team to integrate other parts of F1 tech into the car, including a Drag Reduction System (DRS), and an Integrated Power Assist System (IPAS), which McLaren was developing for the 2011 Formula 1 system.

The Realization Of Performance Hybrid Power

From those development launches in 2010, all three companies immediately started to design, prototype, and refine their thoughts into three very distinct applications of the performance hybrid system.

Porsche 918 Spyder engine and engine cover

Porsche focused their development on using two electric motors in conjunction with a detuned version of their prototype Le Mans engine from the Porsche RS Spyder, which was their Le Mans testbed before they eventually developed the Porsche 919. The 4.5L V8 produces 600 HP on its own, and mounted to the transaxle, an electric motor provides 154 HP and also serves as the KERS recovery system. The front axle is powered by a 127 HP electric motor only, and an automatic electric clutch decouples the motor when it is not needed.

Porsche 918 Spyder

In this way, the Porsche 918 Spyder was designed as a primarily rear-wheel-drive supercar, with the ability to suddenly jump from 600 HP through two wheels, to 875 HP through four. The 918 prototype and eventual production car also accelerated like a bat out of hell, with 0 to 60 times under 2.3 seconds and clearing 0.62 miles (a standing kilometer, as Germany uses metric) in under 18 seconds at 184 MPH from a dead stop. The 918 Spyder can also be run entirely on the electric motors, and has a manual deployment mode where the driver can request extra power at any time.

Ferrari FXX

Ferrari had a wonderful testbed already in place with their FXX program based on the Ferrari Enzo. The original FXX prototype was refitted with a new version of the 6.0L F140B engine from the Enzo that had been bumped to 6.3L and had a prototype Hybrid-KERS (or HY-KERS in Ferrari’s internal notes) attached. Where Ferrari differed from Porsche was in that they only used the hybrid system on the rear of the car, and at that, only between the engine and the transmission, which was mounted as a transaxle.

Ferrari LaFerrari

What was to eventually become the F140 FE 6.3L V12 produced a monstrous 790 HP, with the HY-KERS producing 161 HP. The F70 was officially named the LaFerrari (literally “The Ferrari”) and used the hybrid to burst power to the wheels during gear shifts and deploy on wide open throttle to boost acceleration. Unlike the Porsche, there is no manual deployment mode for the hybrid system in the Ferrari, as they want the driver to be focused entirely on the act of driving and the experience, not fiddling about with little buttons.

Ferrari LaFerrari F140 FE V12 engine

McLaren’s primary realization of the performance hybrid powertrain sat in between the two others for its P1 supercar. Like the Ferrari, it uses only one motor on the transaxle, and like the Porsche, has a manual deployment mode and electric-only mode. It also has the smallest engine of the three, a 3.8L V8, but compensates with two turbochargers boosting the engine to 727 HP. The hybrid motor adds 177 HP, for a combined total of 903 HP, and all of it through the rear wheels.

McLaren P1

Of the three, the McLaren has the most Formula 1-like deployment system. It uses the hybrid power to effectively “torque-fill” the powerband. During initial acceleration, as the turbos are spinning up, the car is using mostly the hybrid to get going. Once on the turbos, the hybrid then uses a special Integrated Power Assist System (IPAS) as originally planned, bursting the power during gear shifts, and boosting to the full 903 HP when the ECU detects wide open throttle. The McLaren also has a command-DRS system, that if the ECU and computers detect the car is stable enough, will flatten the rear wing out of the airstream, using pure downforce over, under, and through the body of the car to keep it stable.

McLaren P1 tail out

Even then, however, the McLaren P1 was considered the most wild of the three. Famously, during an episode of Top Gear where the P1 was driven on the Spa-Francorchamps race circuit, even a gentle application of the throttle had the rear end squirming. It led to Jeremy Clarkson labelling the car as “The Widowmaker,” and despite any potential negative connotations that may have brought with it, McLaren actually embraced the label, with those that wanted their cars painted black having the option of choosing either a metallic black or, unofficially, matte “Widowmaker Black.”

Enter The Hypercar

All three cars were unveiled at car shows, and all three cars had their order sheets filled almost instantly. McLaren, through McLaren Special Operations, presold all 375 of their production cars while they were still prototyping the final version to recognized special clients. Ferrari sold all 499 of their production cars to invited customers that were selected manually for their loyalty to the brand and their willingness to buy Ferrari cars in their top specs. Porsche had the most open sales system, with half of their 918 units being offered to preferred clients, and the other half being sold through expressed interest registrations, and interviews with those who signed up to see who would best suit their car.

Ferrari LaFerrari in showroom

The release of all three cars also brought the reality of near-1,000 HP supercars into the spotlight. Before the three, the only car that had come close was the Bugatti Veyron, seen as a technical exercise by Volkswagen to show off their might. And at that, they needed a W16 engine with four turbochargers and a whopping ten radiators just to keep the thing from melting. By comparison, the “hybrid high-performance supercar” realized the dream of Veyron-like speed and power, but without needing nearly $3 million to get it.

Porsche 918 Spyder

Yet, “hybrid high-powered supercar” is a bit of a mouthful. No one can really pin down the exact moment that the term hypercar was attached to the Porsche, Ferrari, and McLaren, but the most common theory is that someone shortened the label to “hi-per-car,” and with a single letter changed, it became “hypercar.” In terms of official terminology, the most commonly accepted definition is of a supercar that is extremely powerful, limited edition, and has a cost near or over $1 million.

The Future Of Hypercars

McLaren P1

2013 was a momentous year because of the birth of the term hypercar, as well as the release of the three cars that ultimately came to define the term. It was a concorde moment, a fixed point in time, a bridge once crossed never to be crossed again. We, as automotive enthusiasts, had gone from admiring extremely high performance supercars to admiring technological powerhouses with a brand-new moniker for them.

The reality of the present day, in 2021, however, is that fuel prices are going up, and may never come back down. We also know, through some very complicated math done by some of the most brilliant minds on the planet, that we will eventually run out of petrol-style fuel in this century. When a hypercar gulps down fuel to flex its speed and power, this can become a bit of an issue.

This is why, over the past 15 years, the idea of alternatively fueled performance cars, and even fully electric performance cars, have started to become reality. And it is motorsport that has brought us to this reality once again.

The FIA World Endurance Championship, from 2021 onwards, has replaced the top-level Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1) class with the new Hypercar class. This new class was brought about to allow smaller manufacturers and those with smaller motorsports budgets a very open set of rules to race with.

2022 Peugeot 9X8 Hybrid Hypercar

Under these rules, there are minimum and maximum height, width, power, and downforce regulations, but unlike the previous LMP1 class, there is no limitation on how to achieve those numbers. This has already led to some amazing designs, such as the SCG 007 Corsa and the Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar.

FIA Formula-E 2020 World Championship Spec car, from
FIA Formula-E 2020 World Championship Spec car, from
Image Source: fiaformulae.com

The FIA also took a risk in 2014 by announcing a new Formula racing series, Formula Electric. Known as F-E or Formula-E, this series uses battery powered, semi-open-wheel cars to race around tight street circuits without a drop of petrol being used. It had a rough go of it in Gen 1, when battery and motor technology was still being developed, but ever since Gen 2 started in 2018, it has quickly gained popularity.

In fact, as of 2020, the FIA gave Formula-E world championship status, meaning that drivers for the series now need to qualify for an FIA Platinum license, one step below the Super License needed for F1. As well, 2022 will see the new Gen 3 car, which has a new power unit developed by Williams Advanced Engineering (a subsidiary company of Williams F1), and Spark Racing Technology, who built the Gen 2 car.

Energica Ego Corsa Superbike
Energica Ego Corsa Superbike
Image Source: motogp.com

Even then, the FIA wasn’t finished, and their sister association, the FIM, wanted in on electrification too. As of 2022, the FIA World Rally Championship will be using hybrid powertrains, and this year, the inaugural season of FIA Extreme-E off-road truck racing launched. In 2019, the FIM, the governing body of both World SBK and MotoGP, launched the Moto-E series, using fully electric superbikes manufactured by Energica in Italy.

2022 Lotus Evija

So it should be no surprise, then, that the most recently announced and most desired hypercars out there are fully electric. Cars such as the Rimac Nevara and the Pininfarina Battista have massive power, range equivalent to a petrol-powered hypercar, and they also fit the definition of being limited series and near or over $1 million. These electric hypercars are also reaching stratospheric power numbers, with the Lotus Evija hypercar being the first production hypercar to break 2,000 PS, or 1,970 HP equivalent.

Bugatti has already announced that it is highly likely that their next hypercar after the Chiron will be either a massively hybrid car, with most of the power generated by electrification with a high performance, small engine included, or fully electric. This is on top of their recent partnership with Rimac, forming the Bugatti Rimac partnership, and giving VW a 35% ownership stake in Rimac. Hyundai and Porsche have also invested in Rimac, both gaining about 10% of a stake, so there is definite interest in performance EVs.

2022 Koenigsegg Gemera

Koenigsegg is already making a massively hybrid hypercar, the Gemera, which uses a tiny 3-cylinder twin turbo engine producing 600 HP tied together with a crankshaft hybrid motor providing 400 HP to power the front wheels, and both rear wheels powered by individual 500 HP electric motors. This gives the 2+2 Gemera coupe 1,700 HP combined, and it can go 1,000 km (621 miles) on a single tank of E85 biofuel.

There is no shortage of exciting news about electric hypercars and massively hybrid supercars these days. Much like 2013, 2021 and 2022 promise to be the years we look back on in 2031 as the unofficial start of the electric super-vehicle revolution, and with almost every single supercar manufacturer now on board what is known as “The Green Promise,” you can be certain that big things, new technologies, and amazing cars using breakthrough ideas are still to come. Hypercars are here now, and they are here to stay.

2014 Koenigsegg One:1 Megacar

The only thing we honestly need to worry about is what the next label will be, but we think Christian von Koenigsegg has already coined it when he unveiled the One:1. That term? “Megacar”

Mazzanti Automobili: One of Italy’s Best Kept Secrets

Earlier this month, we here at Supercars.net were lucky to be invited by Mazzanti Automobili to watch an introduction to the brand livestream. Presenting the stream were Guy Jenner, CEO of HWM, the UK’s oldest Aston Martin and Supercar dealership, and Luca Mazzanti, CEO and founder of Mazzanti Automobili. However, before we pass along the amazing things we learned, we should introduce Mazzanti Automobili to those who may never have come across them before.

Founded in 2002 as Faralli & Mazzanti by co-founders Walter Faralli and Luca Mazzanti, the original company was focused on restoration of classic high performance cars, while also gaining experience in design and development of modern supercar ideas. This experience and appreciation of the classic sports car style led to the F&M Antas V8 in 2006, a design concept that evokes the lines and timeless beauty of the early years of the Italian berlinetta coupes with long hoops and sloping tails, with a plush cabin in between.

In 2010, Luca and Walter split the company into two units, with Farelli Restauri continuing the classic car restoration business, and Mazzanti Automobili becoming a supercar and hypercar developer and manufacturer. The next year, in 2011, the Mazzanti Evantra was premiered after 3 years of design work, with the help of Zsolt Tarnok.

This production supercar, which in light of the new classification that came about around 2018 is now considered a hypercar, is highly customizable by each client, and production has been limited to only five per year since 2013. This brings exclusivity to each car and client, as well as leveraging the coachbuilding and customization skills of Mazzanti Automobili to make the interior of each car, in a literal sense, tailored to fit each driver individually, to their tastes and requirements.

The numbers that are attached to the car are also quite impressive. Weighing in at just 2,866 lbs fully wet, it is powered along by 701 HP and a tarmac shredding 625 lb-ft of torque, all generated by a naturally aspirated 7,011cc GM V8, which Mazzanti has specially modified in-house for the Evantra. Connected to a six-speed paddle shift semi-automatic transmission, the Evantra will reach over 220 MPH, and clears 60 MPH in a hair over 3 seconds. However, a multitude of engines are now available, from a modified 6.4L GM V8 in the Evantra Pura, to a modified 7.4L GM V8 with a twin-turbocharger system in the Evantra Millecavalli, giving it insane power over 1,000 HP. And for the Millecavalli R, that power is raised even further so that the “R” may reach speeds of over 250 MPH.

Mazzanti Evantra Rear ViewNow that you are familiar with Mazzanti Automobili and their superb Evantra hypercar, let us delve into the “fireside chat” between Guy Jenner and Luca Mazzanti. While this will not be a full transcript of the entire chat, we will be highlighting certain questions and answers that we felt would give you the best introduction and insight into Mazzanti Automobili as a whole.

———–

Guy Jenner: So Luca, I’ve browsed the Mazzanti Automobili website but it’s not often you get the opportunity to talk to the founder of a hypercar manufacturer – how would you best describe what Mazzanti is all about?

Luca Mazzanti: You know, I’ve been involved in cars all my life; first starting in our family business here in Tuscany in 1990 straight from school – we did repairs and upgrades for many types of sportscars in this period. And later I was involved in what you might call restoration and refurbishment of classic sports cars to a very high standard, even total rebuilds, with our partner Walter Faralli. These 15 years really were the foundation period for Mazzanti Automobili and for sure it put a lot of pressure on our family, this period.

———–

3 different customer customizations of the Mazzanti Evantra MillecavalliThis introduction right at the start of the livestream resonated with a lot of us here at Supercars.net. For some of us, the love of cars big and small came through the experience of that love with family. When your father likes to rebuild engines, he’ll obviously share that with you. When your mother is a part-time racing driver, she’ll obviously want you watching her win at the track. 

The same can be said about Luca, who joined the family restoration, repair, and upgrading business right away. Getting hands on at an early age allows for the love of design, the appreciation of shape and flow, and the learning of all the intricacies that go into making real sports cars to be absorbed into his own design style. Of course, this could only lead to great things in the future.

—————

Guy Jenner: So, the Evantra project, that’s the program that gave rise to the stable of cars Mazzanti has on offer today? What did you want to achieve with that?

Luca Mazzanti: Really, it came as a progression out of the Antas to the Vulca and then to Evantra where we now have three versions, the Evantra Pura, the Evantra 781 and the Millecavalli. If you look at the shape and styling of each car, you can see they have a common link, a heritage so to say. And as a small manufacturer you are always thinking about how to make your cars different from everyone else so that this is your edge. 

For us it is a combination of the racing experience that comes with hypercar performance but also the quality of the driving experience. There are many supercar manufacturers out there trying to be the fastest car or the most horsepower and so on, and while the Evantra can hold its own in this company, we don’t think this alone is enough.

—————Mazzanti Evantra door and interior

Luca makes the excellent point at this part of the stream, about five minutes in, where he recognizes that in the supercar and hypercar spaces, there really is a war going on about being the most powerful, the fastest accelerating, the highest speed car. Look at McLaren and Ferrari, for example, one upping each other with each new model release. McLaren released the 720S, Ferrari fired back with the 812 Superfast, and so on.

So what sets the Evantra apart?

————–
Guy Jenner: …We see more and more that customers are looking for driver involvement rather than simply chasing performance (in supercars).  It is not how fast you go but how you go fast.  Would you agree?

Luca Mazzanti: Absolutely! Too many manufacturers produce a stripped back, almost ‘brutal’ experience so they can get a little extra performance. And if we have a customer who really wants this, we can provide it, as indeed we have done in the past. But the drive becomes uncomfortable, even very uncomfortable. 

Many hypercar owners keep their cars in the garage and only come out very rarely, maybe only once a month for a couple of kilometres: they like owning the hypercar but they don’t enjoy driving it. That’s what we focus on. Making the experience something that encourages the owner to want to drive their car.

————–Mazzanti Evantra interior

This is, to borrow the word from Luca, brutally true. Take, for example, the astonishingly fast Lotus Evija, a fully electric hypercar. Being typically Lotus, weight savings in the Evija are at a level even many German engineers would consider to be slightly beyond normal. In the cabin, where the owner involves himself or herself with the act of driving the car, there isn’t even a full dashboard, and the seats are carbon composite with the absolutely thinnest layer of comfort foam that can be reasonably gotten away with.

It may be an absolutely mental experience to drive a 2,000 HP car that weighs a little over 2,300 lbs, but it wouldn’t be comfortable for the longer cruise that an owner might actually want to go on, to get the car to a Concours d’Elegance or some such event. 

Further on in the chat, Luca also had a follow up as to what his ultimate design goal was with the Evantra…

——————-

Guy Jenner: And where does the customer sit in all this? Why would they want to buy a Mazzanti as opposed to an Aston Martin or a Lamborghini or the others?

Luca Mazzanti: Look, everything we do is for the customer – I always believe we should give the driver the opportunity to re-engage with their car as one of their most valued and cherished possessions, as they did in the golden age of motoring. And we achieve this by inviting them to be part of the team throughout the production process from when they first come to Pontedera, when I sit with them in an Evantra and get to know them, what they like and what they don’t like, through to sign offs on the designs and customisation through to the handover. In fact, we are building in the opportunity for customers to name their cars in the same way that a century ago, every Rolls Royce that was built was given its own name.

——————Mazzanti Evantra with all panels openBy owning the process from customer visit, through design and development of their specific car, to individual sign-offs, through to handover, Mazzanti Automobili is following the example of several great manufacturers and people at the dawn of motoring. Rolls Royce started this way, with classics such as the Silver Ghost and the original 1938 Wraith. Ettore Bugatti made many a car this way for his most premium and favored customers, such as the Kellner Coupe, and the Type 57SC Atlantique Coupe

This is why some of the Evantra’s in the introduction seemed to have unusual names, as they were one-off’s built for just one owner. This level of coachbuilding and premium customization for each and every customer, using a team of 15 highly skilled people in Pontedera, Italy, is why Mazzanti is one of Italy’s best kept secrets.

And if you were wondering if there is enough passion in that small team to make the best driver’s hypercar, this is the transcript from the end of the livestream, which shows just how much it means to Luca Mazzanti to be building the Evantra.Mazzanti Evantra 771 Edition—————–

Luca Mazzanti: Well, it doesn’t end there: in some ways we are not selling a car but a lifestyle, and this is something we are expanding right now so that customers can join us in Tuscany, and in due course at our other locations around the world, for events focused around the cars that are also social events.

The new Mazzanti Racing Club for friends of the company is very much aimed at enabling all our supporters to get involved with what we do. We want owners and their family and friends to join us at some of the events we appear at and to feel part of the Project.

Guy Jenner: And how about technology for customer support, how do you see that?

Luca Mazzanti: Yes, very important – we’re in the 21st Century now!

So, we are rolling out this year our Virtual Reality offering which will enable customers and dealers to join us in Pontedera from the comfort of their own homes, so to speak. I really think this will be a game changer.

Also, although we have a fly-in maintenance team, we are already able to connect online to our cars and this enables us to diagnose most issues remotely, identifying servicing requirements and so on.

Guy Jenner: And how has this translated into sales?

Luca Mazzanti: So far we are at 15 cars sold including 11 in the Evantra range, all hand-made-in-Italy, and we currently have 5 in production. But we have a limit of 20 cars for each model, so we are constantly looking at ways to make changes so we are different from our competitors. Right now we are planning the racing version of the Millecavalli – the “Millecavalli R”.

Guy Jenner: And pricing?

Luca Mazzanti: In the current range the Evantra Pura is offered at €1.0 million for track and €1.3 million for road while the 781 which has a more ‘grand touring’ character is €1.5 million on the track and €1.8 million on the road. The Millecavalli is currently only in a track version and is €2.4 million.

——————

Want to know more about these amazing hypercars? Visit Mazzanti Automobili to learn more.

Peugeot Unveils The 2022 9X8 Prototype Hypercar Racer

Peugeot has over the past couple of years, after the prototype hypercar class was announced for the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship, been teasing and revealing little bits here and there about their contender.

2022 Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar

2022 Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar
Today, however, in a massive press launch event, the covers have been pulled back and the new racecar, dubbed the 9X8, has arrived on the scene. The car will be powered by a combination of a 2.6-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 pushing out 680 HP via the rear wheels, and a 200 kW, 900 Volt axle-drive motor putting the equivalent of about 270 HP through the front wheels.

2022 Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar

2022 Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar

It is an awesome-looking beast, a low, sleek, slippery car that just screams aggression and speed, ready to pounce and claw its way through the field like the Lion that is Peugeot’s badge. And, for the eagle-eyed, it seems to be missing something found on almost all other race cars.

2022 Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar

2022 Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar

Indeed, through some intensive collaboration between Rebellion Racing and Peugeot, as well as countless hours in computer-aided fluid dynamic simulations and good, old-fashioned wind tunnel testing, the 9X8 does not have a traditional rear wing.

2022 Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar

2022 Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar

Instead, using a complex and confidential “system of aerodynamic features,” the 9X8 will go wingless. It is shaped and molded to develop almost the entirety of its downforce across the body surfaces of the car, in conjunction with ground effects through the underbody, and the rear “scoop,” as it is called, is there to create as smooth a surface as possible for the air coming over the car to create a venturi effect to aid with the air coming under the car.

2022 Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar

2022 Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar

However, as Peugeot Motorsports Director Jean-Marc Finot puts it, “Don’t ask how, though! We have every intention of keeping that a secret as long as we possibly can!”

Deadmau5’s McLaren P1 to Hit Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas June 17-19

Barrett Jackson Las Vegas is kicking off tomorrow and its docket of automobilia is impressive. Up for sale is a stunning 2015 McLaren P1 owned by renowned DJ, record producer, and musician Deadmau5

This hypercar P1 bears chassis #236 and has only 3,177 miles on the odometer. The two-tone paint scheme is finished in Dark Blue and Black with a black Alcantara interior accompanied by white inserts in the seats. Production was limited to only 375 units, so this would be considered a rare find aside from its celebrity-owned status. 

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The McLaren P1 sits among the legends from the early 2010s that made up the ‘hypercar’ category. Sporting a mid-mounted 3.8L twin-turbocharged V8 and an electric motor, the P1 puts down a combined 903hp and 723 ft-lbs of torque. The electric motor was not only to provide the added fuel economy commonly found in hybrids but it also helped negate the lag found on turbo-equipped cars.  

Deadmau5 McLaren P1

The McLaren P1 launches to 60mph in just 2.8 seconds and has a limited top speed of 217mph. All while also providing you the ability to maintain a 34mpg fuel economy, you can additionally change the climate control settings using the infotainment touchscreen or listen to your favorite house DJ. 

Deadmau5 McLaren P1

The Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction lineup is nothing short of spectacular and this special hypercar is no exception. To check out the full docket of automobilia going to auction, you can check out the Barrett-Jackson website.  

2022 Rimac Nevera: An In-depth Look

Introduction

At this very moment in time, if any of us were asked to write down a list of countries renown for producing supercars (or hypercars), it would likely turn out to be a redundant exercise. After all, almost everyone would come up with essentially the same answers; surely you’d have Italian stalwarts – Ferrari and Lamborghini – in the mix along with Porsche, McLaren and Bugatti. Fewer would make an argument for the more mainstream brands to be included, with the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and heck, even Nissan, all proving in recent times that they too possess the wizardry to create some of the best performing automobiles on the planet. An even smaller (and more gear-headed) group than that, would not let us forget about “boutique” automakers such as Koenigsegg, Pagani and Hennessey.

Rimac Automobili

Ladies and gentlemen, all of that is about to change; here enters a new challenger whom hails from Croatia. The company known as Rimac Automobili – founded by its namesake, Mate Rimac – is a relatively small hypercar producer based in the Western Balkans. With a population of just 4 million people and no history of whatsoever when it comes to automobile production, Rimac is a bit of an enigma. However, the country is no stranger to seemingly improbable events. Not many people are aware, but Nikola Tesla – one of main the pioneers of electricity as we know it – also came from this part of the world.

To what degree this fact has influenced Mate Rimac and his company to focus on exclusively producing electric vehicles is up for debate, but this whole story is at the very least, a serendipitous one. Ironically, this could also give Rimac a more legitimate claim to commercializing the name of “Tesla”, though it doesn’t appear that Mr. Rimac is too concerned about getting into a bureaucratic joust with Elon Musk. Declaring war on who can produce a better electric car, though? Game. On.

Rimac has actually been around since 2009, and only recently showcased its first finished product to the world (much more on that below). Prior to this, the company has been hard at work perfecting their new electric hypercar and had unveiled two concept cars along the way – first the C_One, followed by the more production-ready C_Two. These were by no means audacious or far-fetched prototypes produced to generate little more than some fanfare and a few deposits from the wallets of billionaire prospective owners.

They were a solid, working proof of concept that showed Rimac was on to something – something game-changing. Even the old boys club took notice, with the likes of Porsche – who recently increased their stake in the company – and Hyundai pouring significant investment into Rimac. This alone tells us how important Rimac’s work is (and will be) to the broader automotive landscape, and is not just a one-off glamour project like so many other cars produced by smaller automakers. There’s no doubt that the R&D – particularly as it pertains to battery technology – from this project is being shared with the big guns, in exchange for their funding.

Nevera

Yeah, so naming your car the ‘Nevera’ is a bit of a weird one to English speakers. In fact, it’s an ominous (if not humorous) name which beckons any variation of “dad joke” in the essence of “2.4 million dollars!? I Nevera liked electric cars anyway!” It also has the potential to be cannon fodder for Tesla’s occasionally combative (i.e. Elon Musk tweets) marketing strategy. Pun vulnerabilities aside, understanding the origins of the name will help things make a lot more sense; the Nevera is named after an electrically-charged storm which often occurs on Croatia’s Mediterranean coastal line.

Rightfully so, as the Rimac Nevera is powered by four electric motors and has already proven itself to be a world-beater – and not to a detriment to the world itself (quite the opposite actually). Living up to its name, the zero emissions hypercar has certainly created a storm by repeatedly humiliating the Ferrari SF90 in a drag race and setting new production car records in the process. ‘Nevera’ is for the most part, just the new official name for the C_Two rather than a vastly more superior variant of it, although production versions will be delivered with some final tweaks and refinements.

As an automotive outfit Rimac might be small on scale, but it is the complete opposite when it comes to its impact. This car is going to redefine the hypercar, which to this point, has already been redefining what an automobile could and should ought to be. Limited to a production run of only 150 units, the Rimac Nevera is the next and most obvious step forward in this evolution. If you’re clinging to any reservations you might have about a future with EVs, the Nevera is here to put an end to that.

Performance & EV Drivetrain

Although it is not the first EV to be powered by 4 permanent magnet electric motors, the Rimac Nevera does come with its own unique electric drivetrain design. By strategically placing a pair of 200 kW electric motors in front and another two 500 kW electric motors in the rear, the engineers were able to give the rear-biased Nevera an ideal 48:52 (front:rear) weight distribution. However, a deeper inspection reveals more intricacies in the design, as the planetary gears for each of the 4 wheels are purposed in such a way that the Nevera is also optimally balanced from left to right as well. Genius.

It’s probably a good thing that this Rimac was built with a predisposition to exhibit ballet-like agility, because it’s going to need all the grace in the world to tame all that’s brewing within. In combination, all of the 4 electric motors can generate up to 1,914 hp (1.4 mW) and 1,740 lb-ft of torque (2,360 Nm). This allows the Nevera to absolutely annihilate the popular 0-60 mph benchmark in just 1.85 seconds, with an equally impressive 1/4 mile time of just 8.6 seconds – good enough to make it the fastest production vehicle ever made, by some margin. Top speed is stated as 258 mph (412 km/h).

Amongst a variety of systems marshalled by its supercomputer of an ECU, is an incredibly advanced torque vectoring system which is responsible for distributing power to the wheels in both a safe and performance-optimized manner. The Nevera is equipped with a pair of single-speed gearboxes; one located at the front, the other in the rear.

Battery & Range

No matter how insanely quick this car is, it would actually account for very little if its battery range made the driving/owning experience more of a novelty, rather than one with some semblance of practicality. I mean, what use would 1,914 hp be if you had to break a sweat about whether you’d manage a round-trip to the Whole Foods 5 mins away on a full charge? Thankfully, these fears should be put to bed almost as quickly as the Nevera can do 0-60 mph, with Rimac claiming an impressive range of 340 miles (550 km) WLTP. 

Now, don’t expect this type of range if you’re regularly hooning the car around town or on the race track. Regardless, for a car of this nature, it’s still more than most people would’ve expected. How does it manage this feat? Well for one, the Nevera is equipped with a massive 6,960-cell 120 kWh battery which sits low (in an ‘H’ shape) under the car’s flooring. This battery architecture was all designed and built in-house by Rimac – and if it sounds familiar, that’s because the Porsche Taycan uses the same design, which it also derived from Rimac.

Chassis

The Rimac Nevera tips the scales at around 2,150 kg, so while it’s not necessarily heavy for an EV, it’s certainly a bit stout compared to the typical supercar or hypercar. In otherwise normal circumstances, that would make the Nevera’s large frame more burdensome to accelerate, difficult to slow down and a chore handle. But it’s pretty clear that the Nevera is no ordinary automobile and it demonstrates exactly none of the aforementioned shortcomings. Despite the extra weight to lug around, the Nevera’s drivetrain and battery design contribute to a 48:52 front-to-rear weight distribution, which is at least on par with contemporary hypercars. Like other EVs on the market, it too benefits from having much of its weight sit near the ground and inherently possessing a low center of gravity.

In terms of good ol’ nuts, bolts and sheet metal (oh, and carbon fiber), the Rimac Nevera is also as advanced as things can get in that area.  The chassis is made entirely of carbon fiber, which Rimac claims, makes it the most rigid production car ever made. They’ve gone on to specifically state that it is about twice as solid as a Lamborghini Aventador; at this point, it would be a big ask to doubt them on this, especially when considering that it features a bonded roof, integrated battery housing and rear subframe as part of the design.

As for braking, the Nevera is equipped with massive 390 mm Brembo carbon-ceramic brake discs and 6-pot calipers. Per standard EV functionality, the hypercar also benefits from regenerative braking (which, surprise, surprise, Rimac also claims is the most effective of its kind). This not only equates to greater stopping power, but also a higher level of battery charge being restored from braking. An electro-hydraulic brake booster simulates the undulations of a more traditional braking system to give drivers all the feedback they need with regards to when to brake, and how much pedal force is required. Rimac has also stated that the forces from regenerative braking alone, are sufficient enough for “one-pedal driving” in most normal driving circumstances, though I’d suggest refraining from using this technique for anything other than demonstrative purposes.

Control Systems

We understand that the Nevera’s main ECU is actually comprised of 77 smaller computers which are programed to obey millions of lines of code. It’s responsible for controlling anything ranging from torque vectoring to active aerodynamics, and even self-driving capabilities. The Nevera also comes with a number of driving modes. Range and Comfort mode are probably what you’d be using for civil excursions around town, while Track and Drift mode are pretty self-explanatory – particularly when it comes to how soon you’ll need to throw on a new set of tires. There are also 2 Custom modes which will allow drivers to punch-in more individualized settings, while Sport mode would probably be the most centrist on the presets spectrum.

The aforementioned torque vectoring system has a special name: Rimac All-Wheel Torque Vectoring. R-AWTV is able to process 100 calculations per second, which ultimately allows the system to be both extremely predictive and responsive in its adjustments. This translates to an optimal cohesion of safety, comfort and handling precision, regardless of whether the car is being driven at the limits on the race track, or well within its potential on the city streets. Steering is also fully assisted, by an electric motor, fittingly. While not necessarily the most natural nor analog feeling steering system you’ll put your hands on, it is perfectly harmonized with the Nevera’s overall drivetrain and chassis setup. Each driving mode provides a different level of “involvement” in this regard.

Rimac is working on an “AI Driving Coach” program, which should be ready before the first examples roll off the production line. This system uses, as its name implies, an artificial intelligence which guides drivers while they’re on a race track. Using visual and audio aids, the AI will give drivers real-time tips on how to improve their lap times. An “augmented-reality” racing line will even be available for a select group of renown international race circuits. Awesome.

Design

The Rimac Nevera’s overall design philosophy is deeply rooted to aerodynamic and performance principles; it is anything but a gaudy and non-functional showpiece. It does present a contemporary silhouette as far as the mid-engine hypercar template is concerned, but as is the case with the rest of the car, the devil is in the details. Naturally, pictures will do the most justice when it comes to describing the car’s appearance, but I am obliged to at least attempt doing as much using less-than-a-thousand words.

After all, fitting a massive “H-shaped” battery within the confines of such a sublimely proportioned car must have been no easy feat. Especially when considering that its aerodynamic efficiency is over 34% better than that of the early C_One prototype. Carved in the right mold then meticulously positioned, are a combination of diffusers, splitters, fenders, wheel-arches and bumpers, which form the Nevera’s body shape.

At the front of the car is an intricate bumper with a carbon fiber splitter; one of the essential components of the Nevera’s active aerodynamics. Air intakes are strategically located to increase air-flow and provide cooling for the front brakes and electric motors. The bonnet features a large vent to allow trapped air to escape, while also improving downforce over the front wheels. Like most other exotic cars, the Nevera also features rear-fender intakes which draw-in air channeled by the car’s deliberate side profile. Instead of feeding air into a throttle body or a pair of turbochargers, they are used to cool the battery and electric motors in this particular application.

A retractable rear spoiler and motorized rear diffuser – both of which can move independently of one another – complete the active aerodynamics system. Speaking of that, this system – when toggled into the high-downforce mode – can increase downforce by up to 326% compared to its low drag setting. One of the most notable styling cues of the Nevera is its use of “butterfly” or “gullwing” doors, which were engineered in such a way that getting in and out of the car is not as difficult compared to previous applications of this design.

Interior

It would be easy to forgive Rimac, if not applaud them (hardcore enthusiasts usually endorse spartan-ism), should they have sold us short on the interior, but that was never going to be part of the Nevera’s blueprint. In no uncertain terms, the cabin is an exciting mixture of high tech amenities and quality refinements; the car’s interior serving as a largely blank canvas for bespoke customization based on the customer’s tastes. This means that any choice of seat materials, carbon fiber pieces, colors, etc. are at the behest of the buyer.

What is uniform across every build is the use of rotary knobs throughout the driver’s control panel. One of those knobs allows the driver to toggle between the 7 driving modes, while other knobs control functions such as traction/stability assists, front/rear power distribution, and the sound system volume. Rimac also supplies a proprietary infotainment system on the Nevera, which displays pertinent information on its graphical user interface. This is projected through LCD screens; the one closest to the passenger provides real-time data including torque distribution, g-forces and other performance-related tidbits, while the more central unit is your typical infotainment hub which controls features such as navigation, climate control and audio. Telemetry from each driving session can even be downloaded and analyzed on a computer.

The Nevera needs to be an absolute Einstein of a car to compute all of this simultaneously, and central to all this genius is the car’s use of the latest version of NVIDIA’s Pegasus operating system. This helps to process information from the multitude of inputs the Rimac uses to collect and make sense of data – this includes no fewer than 12 ultrasonic sensors, 13 cameras and 6 radars. Not to mention, the car will indeed be equipped to handle autonomous driving and will also be coming with the aforementioned driving coach feature, meaning that AI is at the core of the Nevera’s overall functionality. This thing puts Teslas to shame, not just in terms of performance, but also as it pertains to being a so-called “tech car”. Incredible.

Pricing & Availability

Rimac will be limiting production of its Nevera EV hypercar to just 150 units worldwide. Each example will start at around US$2,400,000 and will go up from there based on how bespoke-y the customer decides he or she would like to be. As is the nature of such automobiles, there is a general and unspoken consensus that all units have already been matched with a buyer, and that the Nevera won’t really be “for sale” in the way that most people are familiar with.

Verdict

Top Gear

“The first true pure-electric hypercar is a sensation, as is the company that makes it.”

Full article 

carwow

“Put quite simply, the Rimac Nevera is the most exciting electric vehicle on the planet. It’s phenomenally expensive, but its performance is out of this world.”

Full article

Car and Driver

“Hypercars like the Nevera aren’t for everyone, but there’s no denying its significance as the moment a battery-powered car toppled the Bugatti Chiron.”

Full article

Image & Video Gallery

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Hongqi S9 Hypercar

Hongqi was launched back in 1958, which makes it the oldest automotive manufacturer in China, and at the 2021 Auto Shanghai show they show us a peek into the future, not only with a three-seater limousine with no steering wheel, called the L-Concept, but also the latest evolution of their S9 Hypercar, a car this will go into production as we speak.

The Hongqi S9 prototype was shown at the 2019 IAA in Frankfurt, as the ultimate sports car, designed by Walter de Silva, if that name rings a bell, it should. Walter de Silva was the former Volkswagen Group design chief, and he took over from Luc Donckerwolcke at Lamborghini back in 2005 when de Silva was Head of Design for the Audi brand group, he designed the stunning Miura Concept and the unique Lamborghini Egoista, he is now working for the Silk-FAW joint venture, which helped Hongqi with the development of the S9.

This probably explains why the styling for the S9 looks European from most angles, in fact, the 99 units Hongqi intends to built are rumored to be assembled in Modena, with production to start in 2022, you can now lock in your order for this 1,400hp hypercar with its sleek lines, exposed carbon fiber and butterfly doors.

“The Hongqi S9 brings to life the dreams of those who design and drive it,” says Walter de Silva. “With people who seek exclusivity in mind, my team and I designed this forward-thinking hypercar, linking functionality and aesthetics that looks toward the future.”

There are some interesting styling details to be found on the Hongqi S9, for instance, the headlights combine an air intake to draw cooling air onto the hybrid powerplant, but the most interesting item they mention are the smart electrochromic windows that vary in tint intensity, how cool is that you can make the windows darker so the airconditioning doesn’t have to work so hard to cool the interior … and it looks amazing too.

Power comes from a Hybrid V8 engine that should deliver 1,400 hp (1,044 kilowatts) and propel the car from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 1.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 250 mph (402 km/h), on pure battery power the Hongqi S9 should be able to travel up to 25 miles (40 km).

Street legal LMH from Glickenhaus?

For the 2021 edition of the 24h of Le Mans, Glickenhaus Racing already has a car on the test track, called the SCG 007 LMH, and they intend to enter two of these next-generation hypercars into the most famous endurance race in Europe … but things got even better, Glickenhaus also has at least one customer put in an order for an SCG 007 LMH too, so we might be seeing three or more of these cars battle it out on the Circuit de la Sarthe in late August this year (the initial date for June has been postponed due to COVID 19).

There is a Prologue for the 2021 FIA WEC championship on the famous Belgian track at Spa Francorchamps in late April (26-27), but at this point, it is uncertain if the SGC 007 LMH will be present at the prologue with all the restrictions and regulations in place worldwide these days, the first actual race in the 2021 World Endurance Championship is the Total 6 Hours of Spa Francorchamps on May 1.

In a recent Instagram post by Glickenhaus we learned something really interesting … aside from the SGC 007 LMH race cars they will be building, the intention is to also offer a limited production run of 24 street-legal versions, called the SGC 007S, it will be closely related to the race car, but come with all the requirements for it to be allowed on the open road, initially for the US market, but Glickenhaus is thinking about making it meet regulations for other markets too.

Glickenhaus calls it a “once in a lifetime chance” to obtain a race car for the road, and he’s thinking about a three-seat configuration for the cockpit, with the driver in the middle … now where did we see that before? But it gets even better, while the race car is powered by a 3.5-Liter, twin-turbo V8 engine that has to be limited to 680 hp to comply with FIA WEC regulations, there is no limit set for a street version … and for the SGC 007 Stradale they list a massive 1,400 hp … in a 2,800 lbs car!

The Glickenhaus SGC 007S will come with aerodynamics almost identical to the LMH race car, the intention is you can just drive your SGC 007S to the track on street tires, pull into a pit box and raise the car on its own, onboard air jacks to fit racing slicks so you can to lots of laps on the track, only to come back into the pits, replace the tires with the threaded once for the street … and drive home, all while enjoying bespoke Traction Control, ABS and even ESC.

But there is one catch … Glickenhaus requires all 24 SGC 007S to be ordered in advance, at US$2,300,000 each, with a deposit, before they even start on the first chassis, with a delivery time of two years, starting when the 24th order is signed and paid for … so taking delivery of your SGC 007S might be a while.

It seems Glickenhaus already has three signed orders for their SGC 007S, only 21 more to go … and in case they don’t reach their 24 car goal, the deposits are refundable … and all this before anyone has even seen a 3D render on how the street-legal SGC 007S will look.

Kincsem Hyper-GT

New digital luxury brand Kincsem has appointed CALLUM, led by Ian Callum CBE, recently named GQ’s Car Designer of the Year, to deliver the design of an all-new electrified hypercar.

Kincsem is digital-first in every facet and truly without constraint. Hungarian founder Tibor Bak’s vision is to fuse the world’s best talent with the latest technology to develop beautifully designed, high-performance products. From finance, agile manufacturing, and A.I. design the brand is pioneering the integration of digital in every aspect. Bak is bringing all of his considerable industrial experience and skill to innovate new and previously untapped partnerships and methodologies to deliver the brand’s diverse product portfolio, of which the Hyper-GT is the first launch.

“The story of Kincsem the horse is the inspiration behind the brand; the ethos behind her training was pioneering and as a result, her achievements remain unsurpassed. Our pioneering approach to digital technology allows us to create without constraints and place the individual at the center of the design process. Our customers will experience new levels of dynamic personalization that has never before been possible,” comments Tibor Bak.

“The Kincsem Hyper-GT, designed by Ian Callum, will bring together new modes of digital integration into development, design, manufacture, and ownership. The possibilities presented by the new augmented, digital age enable us to help our customers enter a ‘flow state’, which athletes call The Zone, offering a level of dynamic personalization and control that has never before been possible”.

Kincsem, the world-famous Hungarian racehorse was unbeaten over a career of 54 races. The new Hyper-GT applauds her legacy by creating just 54 UK-manufactured luxury vehicles. These feature a revolutionary high revving F1-derived hybrid powertrain, with delivery commencing in 2023.

Eclipsing the options for customer personalization currently available, the Hyper-GT will introduce a new ‘Personal Engineering’ experience for each owner in a car combining driver responsiveness with zero-emissions capability. Price is yet to be confirmed but will compete at the highest echelons of luxury automotive.

The CALLUM appointment is the first of a number of high-profile partnerships to be announced that draw on the pinnacle of design, engineering, and production talent across the globe. CALLUM’s inclusion brings an unrivaled pedigree to the project, due to be unveiled in full in late 2021, and the new car represents an empowering and open brief for the design team.

“With Kincsem, we have that rare privilege to not only create a beautiful car but also form a design language for an innovative luxury brand,” says Ian Callum, who leads the CALLUM design team.

“Refreshingly, Kincsem has said there are no rules, enabling us to pose the question ‘If we could do whatever we wanted, what would we do?’. That’s one of the most invigorating opportunities for any designer. The team at CALLUM is extremely excited to start work.” 

The Kincsem ethos of unrivaled customer involvement will manifest across multiple products, services and experiences as the future unfolds. This will include the launch of a luxury performance SUV featuring the same drivetrain and Personal Engineering possibilities as the Hyper-GT.

Arrera Automobili SD+

We’ve heard about Arrera Automobili before, and unlike what the name might suggest, this isn’t a company locate in Italy, Qendrim Thaqi is from Albania, and he introduced his Illyrian Pure Sport project late last year, in December 2020, a car that would become the first Albanian supercar built to international standards, with a 6.2-Liter V8 engine delivering 850 hp … top speed should be 375 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in only 2.7 seconds.

But it seems the Arrera Automobili Illyrian Pure Sport got stuck in the 3D render stage for now, as Thaqi now set his sights on the SD+ … with even more radical styling and a monstrous powertrain, just note both the Illyrian Pure Sport and this new SD+ are both designed by Thaqi himself.

For the Arrera Automobili SD+, Thaqi was inspired by Formula One cars, especially in terms of aerodynamic efficiency, perhaps that’s why there is a rather narrow rear wing on top of the vertical fin at the rear.

The intention is to build the Arrera Automobili SD+ completely from carbon fiber to keep the weight down, power will come from a bespoke 7.0-Liter V8 90-degree engine built by Wolfgang Kizler just for the SD+, Arrera lists 1,800 hp (1,342 kW) of power with 1,500Nm (1,106 lb-ft) of torque on normal octane fuel.

This engine combined with the low weight of 1,230kg (2,712 pounds) should propel this Albanian hypercar to a top speed of over 500 km/h (310 mph) making it the fastest car in the world, and that’s also where the name SD+ came from.

The ‘S’ stands for Skanderbeg, an Albanian military commander, while the ‘D’ comes for the Roman number 500, for the top speed this car should reach … but it gets even more interesting with the ‘+’ sign, Thaqi added that because he wants to be even faster than 500 km/h.

At the moment we only see a few virtual renders of what should become the Arrera Automobili SD+ later this year, an interior is visible thanks to a mostly glass roof, but nothing about pricing or production numbers has been published.

Let’s first see an actual production prototype being tested with that 1,800 hp V8 engine reaching anything near 500 km/h, and then Thaqi can talk about pricing.

On Display: Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport

Images & Words: Makenzie Shattler

Recently, Supercars.net had the opportunity to get a private viewing of none other than a 2021 Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport while on tour from its birthplace, Molsheim, France. The private viewing was held at one of Canada’s must-see luxury dealerships: Grand Touring Automobiles of Toronto, Canada. 

Thank You, Grand Touring Automobiles!

Established in 1974, Grand Touring Automobiles was at one time Canada’s only dealer to house all major British vehicle brands. Since that time they have become one of Canada’s greatest Luxury dealerships. They are Toronto’s Luxury OEM dealership to Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, Jaguar, Karma, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Polestar, Rolls-Royce, and Volvo. 

The Exterior is So Bugatti Chiron

The Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport has a powerful presence, which is personified in the “Pur” beauty of this hypercar. It’s hard to tell that Bugatti put design after the performance with the 2021 Chiron Pur Sport. Seeing Bugatti’s two-tone Agile Blue with exposed carbon fiber up close gave me a feeling of “Pur” adrenaline. The longer I stared at it, the less I cared about the millions of dollars worth of Rolls Royces and Aston Martins a few feet away.

The changes Bugatti made were eyecatching but their interviews assured that it was strictly to improve the Chiron’s agility and emotion demanding performance, I beg to differ. The design cues added to the car looked as if Jean Bugatti himself was overlooking the Pur Sport’s development.  

Beautiful Aero

The first thing you notice when you walk towards it is that the Chiron Pur Sport includes large front air intakes, a rear wing that spans 6.2-feet, and a massive rear diffuser that have all been added to improve downforce. Every piece of carbon fiber on the car is perfect. The hood venting, front bumper/spoiler with two mini scoops added, every weave of carbon on this car was finished to the highest standard. 

Pur Sport Rear
Bugatti also included a beautiful 3D-printed Titanium exhaust tip on this car for additional weight reduction. But to that point, it was printed with an edge thickness of less than 2.5mm, this made it require the two coping rings on the very tips of the exhaust to meet safety standards.  

I did find myself sitting and staring at magnesium wheels featuring carbon-fiber fins for quite some time. Those fins by the way are there to assist in removing heat from the brake along with controlling turbulence surrounding the wheel arches. The wheels’ barely noticeable negative camber of 2.5-degrees makes the Pur Sport extremely agile when cornering. After sitting so close to these gorgeous works of art it was tough to look away, but there was a lot of real-estate to cover on the Pur Sport.   Chiron Pur Sport Wheel

The ‘Pur’ Philosophy

Bugatti has absolutely nailed the design as the French supercar manufacturer also kept the “spine” on the Pur Sport, reminiscent of one of my favorite cars, the Bugatti 57SC Atlantic. They have also stayed true to their “form follows performance” philosophy though it looks amazing on its own without glancing at the Pur Sport’s incredible performance specs.

Bugatti has only produced 60 examples of the 2021 Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport and this makes it not only rare but something that must be seen to appreciate and I did just that. The photos featured in this article, have captured the emotion of the Pur Sport along with its agility, through my eyes. 

Chiron Pur SportThe sticker price on this limited edition hypercar will put you out 3 million euros or roughly $3.6 million USD, and after seeing it, I think it’s worth every penny. 

After spending so much time walking around the Pur Sport, it was difficult for us to leave but all great meetings must come to an end. Grand Touring Automobiles is sure to have something special roll into its showroom soon and when it does, so will we.

Technical Specifications

Though a Bugatti is often envisioned as a top speed-only type of hypercar, the Chiron Pur Sport sheds a whole new light on Chiron’s capabilities. It has a decreased top speed of 217mph though it maintains the original Chiron 8.0-liter, quad-turbocharged W16 engine capable of 1,479 horsepower to the wheels and 1,180 foot-pounds of torque. It also maintains a 7-speed automatic transmission that has been overhauled with shorter gearing to increase its acceleration.

The Pur Sport’s total weight is 1,945kg, down 50 kilograms over the standard Chiron. This is thanks to weight-saving upgrades to the wheels, titanium brake plates, and lightweight exhaust tips. It contains an all-wheel-drive system that stays perfectly grounded with specially developed Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. 

For the Pur Sport, Bugatti has changed quite a few things gearing it towards a circuit track instead of an airstrip such as shortening all seven gears to improve its elasticity by 45% and giving it a zero to 60 time of just 2.3-seconds. The Pur Sport’s W16 engine was also given a 200-rpm redline increase to 6900-rpm. This gives the Pur Sport a huge advantage over the base model when it comes to racetrack performance.

Specs & Performance

Powertrain  
Engine 8 Liter W16
Power 1479 hp @ 6700 rpm (1103 kW)
Torque 1180 lb/ft @ 2,000 rpm (1599 N·m)
Fuel type Premium
Transmission 7-speed automatic
Drivetrain AWD
Vehicle type / Category  
Vehicle type Coupe
Category Exotic
Assembly Molsheim, FR
Fuel efficiency / Autonomy  
City 35.2 L/100km
Highway 15.2 L/100km
Combined 26.2 L/100km
Autonomy 381 km
CO₂ emissions 613 g/km
Equipment  
Infotainment  
Apple CarPlay compatible not available
Android Auto compatible not available
Steering / Suspension / Brakes / Tires  
Steering rack and pinion, electric assistance
Front suspension independent, double wishbones
Rear suspension independent, double wishbones
Front brakes Disc
Rear brakes Disc
Front tires P285/30ZR20
Rear tires P355/25ZR21
Safety  
Seat belts 2
Dimensions / Weight  
Length 4,544 mm (179″)
Width 2,038 mm (80″)
Height 1,212 mm (48″)
Wheelbase 2,711 mm (107″)
Front track 1,749 mm (69″)
Rear track 1,661 mm (65″)
Weight 1,945 kg (4,288 lb)
Capacities  
Passengers 2
Trunk 44 l (2 cu ft)
Fuel tank 100 l (22 gal)
Towing capacity N/A
Performance  
Power to weight ratio 567.0 W/kg
0-100 km/h 2.3 s (manufacturer)
80-120 km/h 4.4 s (estimated)
Top speed 350 km/h (217 mph) (manufacturer)
Braking distance 31 m
Warranty  
Base warranty 2 years/50,000 km
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Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus shows its new ‘dog of war’ — the 007 LMP1 hypercar

Early in 2019, Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus (SCG) sent out a “state of the union” of sorts. In addition to laying out the status of the company’s projects, it also painted a picture of what was in store for the future. SCG set goals to race the Baja Boot at the Baja 1000 in the stock SUV class, race the 004 GT3 and GT4S at the 2020 24 Hours of Nürburgring, and race its 007 hypercar at the 2020/2021 World Endurance Championship and Le Mans. At the time, only initial renderings had been released of the 007, but today, we get our first glimpse of the near-finalized design. 

Dressed in red with white details on its nose and tail, this is the SCG 007 LMP1. James Glickenhaus posted the photos to social media with the caption, “Cry Havoc And Let Slip The Dogs Of War.” He also added “3L TT V6,” which reveals that the car will be powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine. Interestingly, the wheels and colorway seem to be nods to Alfa Romeo, which does offer a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 in the Giulia Quadrifoglio.

We had previously believed the car to be a hybrid, but that is now unclear. In the March release, SCG said it had been developing a new powertrain with the same team that created the hybrid KERS system for the P4/5 Competizione. Official specs were not detailed, but the road versions of the race car were tipped to have an 800-horsepower engine, plus a 200-horsepower hybrid setup that is “similar to the system we use on our LMP1 car.” However, SCG’s Facebook has now posted reports that the car will have the TT V6 and nothing more. Additionally, in an Instagram reply, SCG said the car would have 750 horsepower “as allowed by rules.” 

SCG said in a different social media comment that the car will be ready for testing in July 2020. We’ve reached out to SCG and will update with more information as it comes.

$3.4M Pagani Huayra Roadster BC debuts with more power, more weight than the coupe

Once the Huayra Roadster BC digitally debuted in the mobile racing video game CSR2, Pagani wasted no time dropping the official photos and details on the new supercar in full. Not content with simply releasing a warmed-up topless version of the Huayra BC, Pagani reworked the design, structure, and performance of the car to create a new experience. The car is priced at about $3.4 million, and only 40 will roam the earth.

Pagani calls its BC models “tributes to scientific research, beauty, and uniqueness.” They enhance the already impressive Huayra supercar by reducing weight, increasing power, increasing aero, and adding unique details that set it further apart from the increasingly crowded pack of specialty performance vehicles on the market. Of course, to build a performance Roadster, adding weight is expected, as well. The Roadster BC weighs in at 2,756 pounds (1,250 kg), which is significantly less than the 2,976-pound regular Huayra coupe and 2,922-pound regular Huayra Roadster, but heavier than the 2,685-pound Huayra BC coupe. 

Pagani makes up for the weight difference by adding more power to the Roadster BC with a bespoke unit developed by Mercedes-AMG that Pagani calls “completely new.” The Mercedes-AMG-sourced 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 in the BC coupe was rated at more than 750 horsepower and 738 lb-ft. The Pagani twin-turbocharged V12 in the Roadster BC is rated at 791 horsepower at 5900 rpm and 774 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 rpm. That power is sent to the rear wheels through a seven-speed XTrac transverse automatic transmission with an electro-mechanical differential. The supercar also wears a new titanium six-pipe exhaust setup with two extra outlets from the catalytic converters. 

The Roadster BC is made to carve hard corners, too. Underneath, it has a monocoque made of ultra-light and super-strong carbo-triax HP62 and carbo-titanium HP62 G2 with front and rear tubular steel subframes. The suspension is set up with forged aluminum alloy independent double wishbones, helical springs, and electronically controlled shock absorbers. It sits on forged monoblock aluminum alloy wheels (20-inch in the front, 21-inch in the back), which are wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires (265/30 in front, 355/25 in back). Pagani claims the Roadster BC can handle more than 1.9 g of lateral force during constant running, with peak readings of up to 2.2 g. 

To achieve such performance, the vehicle needs to slip through the air, keep cool, and stay grounded, so Pagani gave the Roadster BC some new bodywork. It features a redesigned wing, tweaked inlets, and a new aerodynamics kit. Pagani claims it generates up to 1,102 pounds of downforce at 174 mph. 

Pagani lists the price for the Roadster BC, of which only 40 examples will be built, at $3,435,934 (3,085,000 €) plus VAT. It is scheduled to make its global in-person debut at the 2019 Pebble Beach festivities.

The 2020 Lotus Evija: a 2,000hp EV That Starts at $2.1 Million

Lotus, the storied British car brand best known for its Elise and Evora sports cars, unveiled the ultra-exotic Evija earlier today. In addition to giving the much-teased “Type 130” a proper nameplate, the Evija is also notable beyond the grandeur that its specifications provide: the all-electric hypercar is also the first car released by the brand since its purchase by Geely Automobile Holdings a year ago.

And what a car it is.

Big Numbers

Lotus has been hyping the Evija, going as far as saying that the Evija will be a mind-blowing supercar. That’s a direct quote from Lotus CEO Phil Popham, by the way. In 2019, you only successful blow minds with number and specs that keep (ultra-rich) enthusiasts jaws glued to the floor.

In that respect, Lotus isn’t playing around. The Evija really is something incredible.

Claimed 2020 Lotus Evija Specifications

Horsepower 1,973 hp / 1,471 kW
Range 250 miles
Time to full charge (w/ 350kW charger) 18 minutes
Time to full charge (w/ 900kW charger) 9 minutes
Target curb weight 3,700 lbs / 1,680 kg
MSRP $2.1 million
  • 1,973 horsepower / 1,471 kW
  • 250-mile range
  • 18-minutes to fully charge (with a 350kW charger)…
  • … 9-minutes to a full charge on an 800kW charger
  • Target curb weight of 3,700 lbs (1,680 kg)
  • A pure electric 4WD drivetrain

Sadly, the only small number tied to the Evija is its production cap, which is pegged at 130 examples.

Target Performance Specifications

You’d be correct to think that the power behind the Evija would push it to be capable of some amazing things, and according to Lotus, you’d be right.

0-60 mph Under 3 seconds
0-186 mph Under 9 seconds
Top speed “In excess of 200 mph / 320 km/h”

2020 Lotus Evija Side Profile2020 Lotus Evija Side Profile

As you can see, the Evija is no joke of an electric hypercar. In many ways, it’s lived up the hype from the company’s CEO. The car features two electric motors to achieve its power output, and the battery is placed in the middle of the car where a typical internal combustion mid-engine car would have its beating heart, meaning this helps with weight distribution. 

The electric motors are sourced from Integral Powertrain Ltd, and feature a helical gear ground planetary gearboxes that are extremely slim. The gearbox and motor are all packaged together into one cylindrical unit for each drive unit, meaning it’s all quite compact and lightweight. 

An Exterior Design Like No Other

Looking at the Evija is one thing. The car features a seriously beautiful design, but it’s about more than looks with this car. The model features curves, creases, and vents unlike any other car on the road. At the rear of the Evija, there are dramatic Venturi tunnels through each rear quarter. This not only directs airflow properly but provides a dramatic look for the Evija that is unexpected and more than welcome. 

2020 Lotus Evija2020 Lotus Evija

According to Russell Carr, Design Director, Lotus Cars, the company looked a Le Man’s race cars use airflow. It’s not just about getting air to push the car in one direction. “We studied how Le Mans race cars use airflow creatively to go over, under and around the vehicle, but also through it,” Carr said.

The Evija is the first car to feature a single-piece carbon fiber chassis that weighs just 284 pounds. That’s insanely lightweight. The vehicle sits a mere four inches above the ground. The car also features active aerodynamic elements including an integrated air diffuser that extends from the B-pillar to the rear of the car. There’s also an active rear spoiler that is flush to the rear of the car whenever it’s not in use. 

2020 Lotus Evija top down view

2020 Lotus Evija top down view

Additionally, the car features no side mirrors further reducing drag. Instead of side mirrors, the car gets cameras placed in the front wings of the car. There’s also a camera built into the roof of the car providing a rearview for the driver. Images from these cameras are displayed on three different cameras inside the car. 

A Motorsports-Inspired Interior

The interior of the Evija is minimal, futuristic, and driver-focused. The cabin features a special “floating wing” dash. This is just one of the elements that give the car a futuristic feel on the inside. The doors of the car are two dihedral doors. These doors feature no door handles and can be operated by the key fob. 

Inside the cabin, you’ll see more carbon fiber than you know what to do with. The car features two seats that feature a thin metal band that has the words ‘For The Drivers’ engraved on it. 

2020 Lotus Evija interior2020 Lotus Evija interior

Lotus sought to feature the perfect balance between a track car and a road car on the inside of the Evija. This means the car has a minimal, driver-focused interior design but with plenty of what you expect in a road car. There’s a single large screen in front of the driver that has everything you’ll need. 

The seats are trimmed in thick Alcantara-finished pads and offer adjustment. The steering column is adjustable for both rake and reach and features a unique race-car-like design. Three-point seat belts are standard but Lotus will provide four-point harnesses if wanted.

In the center of the dash is the drive mode selector, which can transition the car from Range, City, Tour, Sport, and Track. The differences between the modes should be pretty self-explanatory. Within the infotainment system of the car is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as connection to the cloud for over-the-air updates for the car.

In addition to all of this, Lotus is offering customers the chance to wholly personalize their cars. The company is offering marquetry-style badging for all of the Evijas. Lotus can inlay metal elements into the carbon fiber keeping the meal inlay flush with the surface of the carbon fiber. This allows for unique customization opportunities.

As we said above, the company plans to only build 130 examples of the car. Each one will run $2.1 million and demand a deposit of $310,177. That’s a lot of money, but this is a car like no other. 

Veneno Roadster, One:1, One-77, LaFerrari, P1, Veyron headline 25-car Bonham’s auction

Bonhams is holding a no-reserve auction in fall 2019 that includes some of the most valuable and sought-after supercars of the past decade. The lot of 25 beautiful collector items includes a Lamborghini Veneno Roadster, a Koenigsegg One:1, an Aston Martin One-77, a Ferrari LaFerrari, a McLaren P1, and a Bugatti Veyron. The collection, which was seized from a corrupt politician from Equatorial Guinea, is valued at roughly $13 million.

If selling off future classics that are still in their infancy as collector items seems strange, it’s because this is not a straightforward situation. These cars will be sold off by the State of Geneva, not a person. The collection was previously owned by the vice president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang, but the cars were seized when he was placed under investigation for money laundering and unfair management of public interests.

These 25 cars, which were located in Geneva, were first sequestered in fall 2016. A trial court ordered them sold off, and the money earned from the sales would be invested in social programs that benefit Equatorial Guinea. And so, Equatorial Guinea is about to see an influx of cash, as every vehicle is valued in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars.

Supercar Collection Auction

The rarest might be the Koenigsegg One:1. One of only six remaining, it has 371 miles on the dial, and is valued at roughly $1.8 million. The Lamborghini Veneno Roadster, one of nine in the world, is a close second. It has 202 miles logged, and is valued at about $5.1 million.

The Aston Martin One-77 is another rare bird. It is example No. 35 of 77, holds a 7.3-liter V12 engine, and is valued at about $1.4 million. A McLaren P1, Ferrari LaFerrari, and Bugatti Veyron 16.4 round out the top of the list. The remaining cars are not fully detailed, but they include examples from Mercedes-Maybach, Bentley, Maserati and Porsche.

The auction will take place on Sunday, Sept. 29, at the Bonmont Golf & Country Club near Lake Geneva. For more photos and information, visit Bonhams.

The Greatest Supercars of the 1990s

The Golden Era – Homologation, The Big Mac and the Rise of the Everyday Supercar. Your Ultimate Guide to the Best Supercars from the 1990s

This is our first in a series of posts about the awesome cars of the 1990s. In this post we curate the best supercars from the 1990s, an era stacked with exotic masterpieces. Some of the defining features of the 1990s supercar era includes the amazing McLaren F1 and the revelation that was the Honda NSX as well as the spirit of competition amongst top manufacturers in prototype racing that created some awesome limited run homologation specials for the road.

The high performance supercar market went from niche to mainstream in the 1980s. Supercars like the Lamborghini Countach, Porsche 959 and Ferrari F40 had collectively wowed car fans the world over in the late 1980s and with Wall Street humming and the global economy in good shape, the appetite for exotic cars only grew going into the early 1990s. As the 1990s started, many pundits wondered however whether we had already reached peak car. After the extraordinary supercars of the eighties, many supercar manufacturers entering the nineties asked “how on earth do we follow that?”

It is impossible to talk about the 1990s supercar era and not mention the impact of the mighty McLaren F1. McLaren came along in the mid-90s with the ultimate supercar, the McLaren F1. The F1 did not just beat the other supercars at the time, it blew them away so convincingly that it wasn’t until the Bugatti Veyron came along more than a decade later that its acceleration and top speed records were beaten. It was Gordon Murray, the former F1 engineer and his obsession with weight savings and attention to detail that redefined what a supercar could be. It was like no other supercar before it (or like any other since), a car that redefined what it meant to be a supercar.

At the other end of the spectrum was the Honda NSX. It came along in the 1990s and shook up Lamborghini, Ferrari and Porsche. Here was a major manufacturer known for small compact Honda Civic cars who created a supercar that was easy to drive, was fast and agile and didn’t break down. Anybody could drive it. It forced all the sports car makers to get better and ushered us all into the world of the everyday supercar. Speaking of everyday Supercar, the 1990s saw the 911 Turbo genuinely scare the top players with more than 400 horsepower, all wheel drive and astonishing performance in a daily driver.

On our list of the best 20 cars, no less than six cars raced. In fact, five of the cars on our top supercars of the ‘90s list were expressly built to race and are known as homologation specials. Carmakers had fully embraced the “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” mantra in the early 1990s and channeled vast amounts of money into trying to find racing glory. Racing homologation rules (stipulating that road-going versions of cars had to be manufactured for homologation) inspired automakers to produce these machines. The FIA GT1 class therefore produced some of the best race cars of the mid-1990s and (thanks to those loosely interpreted homologation requirements), some of the wildest street cars too. These included the Porsche GT1, Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR and the insane Dauer 962 LM.

In terms of awesome supercars, the 1990s were the golden age. Fun times indeed. Please read on for our take on the greatest 1990s supercars.

Criteria note: We focused on the first year of manufacture as our criteria for a car making it into the decade. If the car had first been manufactured in the 1980s and was carried over into the 1990s largely unchanged then it belongs in the 1990s (aka Ferrari F40). If it was initially built in the 1980s but was substantially updated or had a sub-model in the 1990s then it could make the 1990s list (aka Ferrari F512 M). 

Author note: This initial article was written by JACK MATTHEWS in May 2017 and was updated by Nick Dellis (with help from car nut Kenny Herman) in May 6th 2019.

20 Best Supercars from the 1990s

Read on for our ranked list of the greatest supercars of the nineties. We discussed whether to rank the cars versus just have an unranked list and realized it was way more fun to have people argue about rankings than not.

Lotus Esprit Sport 350

Lotus Esprit Sport 350

20. Lotus Esprit Sport 350

The best Lotus of the 1990s. Rare, fun, a little underpowered though.

Power: 349 bhp @ 6500 rpm / Torque: 295.0 ft lbs @ 4250 rpm / Engine: 3.5 liter twin-turbo V8 / Produced: 1999 / Base Price: £64 950 / Units made: 50 / Top Speed: 175 mph (281.6 kph) / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 4.7 seconds

Having raced the Esprit in GT2 and GT3 classes, Lotus began to develop a new version of the car to race in GT1 class racing. Development of the car was entrusted to the newly formed Lotus GT1 Engineering group, which included many staff from the recently dissolved Team Lotus. For us however the more impressive Lotus of the 1990s was the 1999 Lotus Esprit Sport 350.

It was the ultimate incarnation of the Esprit. Only 50 were made. Taking the V8 GT further, the Sport 350 was one of the most exclusive Esprits made. It featured the standard-spec V8 with blue-painted intake manifolds. What set the 350 Sport apart from the VT GT was a number brake, suspension and chassis improvements. Lowering the kerb weight was a primary design focus for Sport 350. Apart from the weight reduction, the other major change to Sport 350 was its braking system. While exclusivity was offered with the Sport 350, it is a shame Lotus never tuned the engine beyond its standard specification. This is strange given the fact that every other aspect of the car was up-rated for track use. It was one of the closest cars to emulate the track experience on the road.

Read more: Lotus Esprit Sport 350.

Porsche 911 Turbo S (993)

Porsche 911 Turbo S (993)

19. Porsche 911 Turbo S (993)

All wheel drive. Twin turbo flat six engine. Over 400hp. Ludicrous performance. Porsche delivers a daily driver that destroys supercars. The ultimate air cooled 911.   

Power: 424bhp @ 6250 rpm / Torque: 423 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm / Engine: 3.6 L twin-turbo Flat-6 / Produced: 1997 / Base Price: N/A / Units sold: 183 cars produced / Top Speed: 183 mph / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 4.4 seconds

Considered by many Porsche enthusiasts as the “ultimate 911”, the type 993 represented a unique blend of power and simple elegance. The car had a more streamlined look and was “lower slung” than earlier versions of the 911. The styling was perfect and it is still the best looking 911 series. This was the last of the “air-cooled” Porsche 911s (insert sad face here).

The turbo-version of the Type 993 Porsche 911 was also introduced in 1995 and featured a bi-turbo engine that was at the top of the performance pack for the time. For Turbo 993s the 3.6 liter got twin KKK K16 turbos and made 402 hp although you could customize your order (on Turbo S and GT2 models) to up that to 444 hp. The 993 Turbo was the first 911 Turbo with all wheel drive, essentially lifted from the 959 flagship model.

During the second to the last year of production of the 993 (1997), Porsche offered the 993 Turbo S. The X50 power pack had larger turbos, intake and exhaust upgrades, and a new computer. Power upgrade got it to 424 hp and included extras like carbon fiber decoration in the interior as well as very cool yellow brake calipers, a slightly larger rear wing, a quad-pipe exhaust system and air scoops behind the doors. This was the last of the air-cooled 911 Turbos and our favorite.

Read more: Porsche 911 Turbo S (993).

Nissan R390 GT

Nissan R390 GT

18. Nissan R390 GT

The fastest and most expensive Nissan road car ever developed. 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds and 0-100 mph in 6.5 seconds. Road car was capable of 220 mph.

Power: 549.9 bhp @ 6800 rpm / Torque: 470.0 ft lbs @ 4400 rpm / Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V8 / Produced: 1998 / Base Price: ~US$1,000,000 / Units sold: 1 (road car) / Top Speed: 220 mph / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 3.9 seconds

The ultra-rare Nissan 390R was basically a detuned Le Mans racer offered for sale to the public at a hefty $1,000,000. Only two were made. It was the fastest and most expensive Nissan road car ever developed was created to comply with the Le Mans GT1 Class regulations which required manufacturers to build at least one street-legal version of the race car.

Unlike many others, Nissan built the road car first and built the racing version from it. The R390 GT1 design was the work of Ian Callum at Tom Walkinshaw Racing. Behind the driver sits the heart of this true supercar, the VRH35L twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre double-overhead-camshaft V8 engine with electronic sequential port fuel injection which produces 549.9 bhp @ 6800 rpm while complying with all European market exhaust gas regulations. R390 GT1 performance as one would expect is staggering and includes a sub 4.0 second zero to 60 mph time and top speed north of 220 mph.

Inside are normal road car appliances such as full instrumentation and leather-covered driver and passenger racing seats. The short-throw gear lever for the Xtrac six-speed sequential gearbox and tiny racing steering wheel are reminders of the close alliance between the road car and the vehicle which captured four out of the top-ten spots in the 1998 Le Mans 24-hour race.

Read more: Nissan R390 GT

Aston Martin V8 Vantage 1990s

Aston Martin V8 Vantage 1990s

17. Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Big, bruising and totally nuts. This twin-supercharged V8 Aston was the most powerful car in the world for a while. Handling sucked, quality was iffy, but it was still very cool.

Power: 550.0 bhp @ 6500 rpm / Torque: 550.0 ft lbs @ 4000 rpm / Engine: Twin Supercharged V8 / Produced: 1993 – 2000 / Top Speed: 186 mph / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 4.5 seconds / Base Price: NA / Units sold: 281 cars made

Bullish, aggressive and in many ways a tad ham-fisted when compared to today’s lithe, delicate yet calmly aggressive Astons, the Vantage battered its way to 186mph with the help of its 5.3-litre supercharged V8 mounted ahead of the driver and sending power to the rear.

The Vantage was one of the cars that emerged during the era of Aston Martin’s ownership by Ford Motor Company, and featured harsher edges to its styling than had been seen on many Aston Martins previously. This styling was taken a step further in 1999, with the release of the Aston Martin Vantage Le Mans. The special edition’s looks came somewhere between that of a bull and a shark, which fit the 600bhp machine’s personality quite well.

Read more: Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Ferrari F512 M

Ferrari F512 M

16. Ferrari F512 M

Last production mid-engine flat-12 model and the final iteration of the famed Testarossa. Updated chassis and engine massively improved performance and driving experience.

Power: 440 bhp @ 6750 rpm / Torque: 368.8 lb/ft @ 5500 rpm / Engine: 4.9 L Tipo F113 G Flat-12 / Produced: 1995–1996 / Base Price: N/A / Units sold: 501 produced / Top Speed: 196 mph / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 4.6 seconds

We chose the F512 M over the 512 TR as our favorite Ferrari Testarossa. The result of constant evolution, the 512M shared almost all of its engineering from the 512 TR that came before it. The F512 M was the last version of the Testarossa.

The F512 M sports had the same 4.9-litre Tipo F113 G longitudinally mid mounted flat-12 engine with 440.0 hp at 6,750 rpm. Most of the changes were limited to slight body upgrades that many consider ruin the lines of the original design. In our eyes it looks better so it got the nod over the 512 TR. The front and rear lamps received a design change. The pop-up headlamps were replaced by two fixed square units. The rear tail lamps were round and the bumpers had been restyled to yield a more unified look as well as the addition of cool twin NACA ducts.

Read more: Ferrari F512 M in detail

Porsche 911 GT3 (996.1)

Porsche 911 GT3 (996.1)

15. Porsche 911 GT3 (996.1)

This is where the GT3 legend begins. Porsche wanted to go racing in the GT3 endurance category and developed this 3.6 liter Mezger engined masterpiece. Thank you Porsche.

Power: 360 @ 7200 rpm / Torque: 273 lb/ft @ 5000 rpm / Engine: 3.6L Water Cooled Flat-6 / Produced: 1999–2001 / Base Price: $90,000 / Units sold: ~1,868 cars produced / Top Speed: 187.7 mph / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 4.5 seconds

The GT3 we love today all started in 1999 with the 996 model GT3 and it all started because Porsche wanted to enter the GT3 class of the FIA. Porsche began investing in developing both the race car and the road-going version which was required by GT class homologation rules and the GT3 was the result. The GT3 became the 996’s range-topping model until a new GT2 was launched.

Based on the 996 Carrera, the 996 GT3 was a really a track focused sports car that was lighter, sharper and more potent than its everyday sports model siblings. To help in the performance stakes, the GT3 the water-cooled flat six was loosely based on the GT1 and got a dry-sump crankcase with an external oil tank making it more powerful and higher revving. Gone were the rear seats, sunroof, air conditioning, radio and a boatload of sound deadening.

Major design changes included a more aggressive front end with larger headlamps shared with the Boxster, a sleeker body, and a more raked windshield. Design and aerodynamic features exclusive to the GT3 included slimmer air vents for the front bumper, a front splitter, new side skirts, a revised rear bumper, new wheels, and massive rear wing.

The GT3 quickly became the choice for drivers because of its remarkably sharp throttle response, better steering, steady balance, and amazing engine. While a Turbo had it beat for outright speed, this was the ultimate drivers Porsche. Its lighter body and race tuned suspension tuning also made it a perfect machine for attacking weekend drivers who wanted a track car.

If you are in the U.S you may at this point wonder why you can’t find any GT3s from the era for sale. Porsche did not bring the GT3 to the United States until 2004 (see the 996.2 model just below).

Read more: 2000 Porsche 911 GT3

Pagani Zonda C12-S

Pagani Zonda C12-S

14. Pagani Zonda C12-S

Brought back the magic to the supercar world

Power: 550 bhp @ 5500 rpm / Torque: 553.2 lb/ft @ 4100 rpm / Engine: Mercedes AMG V1 (7010 cc) / Produced: 1999-2002 / Top Speed: 210.1 mph (338.0 km/h) / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 3.8 seconds / Base Price: NA / Units sold: US$325,000

My favorite car debuted in 1999. Most people think the Zonda was a car from the early 2000s. While it was the 2002 Zonda with the upgraded 7.3-liter V12 that people remember, Pagani had already been successfully marketing the Zonda for three years up till that point. It was originally launched as the C12-S in 1999.

Read more: Pagani Zonda posts / Pagani Zonda C12-S

Dodge Viper RT:10 ‘Phase II SR’

Dodge Viper RT:10 ‘Phase II SR’

13. Dodge Viper RT/10 ‘Phase II SR’

8 liters of truly brutal American muscle

Power: 415.0 bhp @ 5200 rpm / Torque: 488.0 ft lbs @ 3600 rpm / Engine: Naturally aspirated 8 liter V10 / Produced: 1996-2002 / Base Price: US$58,500 / Units sold: NA / Top Speed: 170.0 mph (273.6 kph) / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 4.7 seconds

Some might not consider the original Dodge Viper a supercar, but at the time of its release it was a revelation with its aggressive looks and insane 8-liter V10 engine. The 1996 RT/10 could be referred to as a second generation Viper and it featured a host of upgrades over earlier Vipers produced from 1992 to 1995. It was a much better car. Outwardly the main difference to the 1996 Viper was the absence of side exhausts which were replaced with two standard exhausts exiting the rear. The three spoke wheels were also gone and replaced with 5-spoke counterparts. Inside, the cabin remained largely unchanged, but a removable roof was standard as was sliding plastic panels for the windows. Underneath, the chassis was stiffened, suspension geometry revised and a more robust rear differential was installed.

Our pick of the 1990s Viper’s was the GTS which was launched in 1996. It was a more powerful version of the RT/10 with 450 hp and a new double bubble coupe body. Beyond more power though, the GTS had over 90% new parts compared to the RT/10. In 1997 and 1998 model years the Viper would continue to receive minor updates and the GTS would get second-generation airbags, revised exhaust manifolds, and a revised camshaft for 1997, and the RT/10 would gain a power increase up to 450 hp (336 kW; 456 PS) for 1998.

Read more: Dodge Viper RT/10 ‘Phase II SR’

Toyota GT-One

Toyota GT-One

12. Toyota GT-One

A pure-bred Le Mans car, created specifically to contest the world’s most famous 24-hour race with no compromise in terms of design or engineering. Road version equally nuts.

Power: 600 bhp @ 6,000 rpm / Torque: 479 lb/ft / Engine: 3.6 liter 90-degree V8 twin-turbo / Produced: 1998 / Base Price: US$1,400,000 / Units sold: 2 / Top Speed: 236 mph (380 kph) / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 3.2 seconds

The Toyota TS020, better-known in Europe as the Toyota GT-One, is a pure-bred Le Mans car, created specifically to contest the world’s most famous 24-hour race with no compromise in terms of design or engineering. The engine had its heritage in the twin-turbo V8 which powered Toyota’s Group C cars in the late 1980s.

In accordance with the FIA rules of the day, the GT-One had also to be developed as a legal road car. In fact the differences between the race and road versions were small: in road-going mode, the rear wing was set lower and the suspension ride height was raised. A smaller fuel tank was fitted and the addition of catalytic converters ensured the vehicle complied with emissions regulations. Toyota says the engineers at Toyota Motorsport GmbH created just two ‘production’ TS020 GT-Ones – one is on display in its museum, the other in Japan.

Read more: 1998 Toyota GT-One

Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion

Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion

11. Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion

Porsche wants race. Takes 993-based 911 and grafts it to the rear-end of a 962. Adds twin-turbo 3.2-liter water-cooled flat-six engine capable of developing 600 hp. Done.

Power: 544 bhp @ 7,000 rpm / Torque: 443 ft lbs @ 4,250 rpm / Engine: 3.2-liter twin-turbo flat-six / Produced: 1996-1998 / Base Price: ~US$900,000 / Units sold: 23 / Top Speed: 193 mph (310 kph) / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 3.4 seconds

Porsche management wanted to compete in factory-based GT racing programs. It developed a brand new car. Basically it was 993-based 911 and essentially grafted it to the rear-end of a 962. dropped a twin-turbocharged 3.2-liter water-cooled flat-six engine capable of developing 600 hp. A futuristic 911-inspired carbon fiber shell finished the exterior packaging.

In order for Porsche to enter the highly competitive GT1 category back in 1996, a total of 23 road going-machines had to be built. To be specific there were two 1996 cars, 20 1997 cars and only one variant was built in 1998. The Strassenversion (road going) uses a 3.2-litre twin-turbo flat-six engine which puts out 536bhp and 443lb ft of torque. Now these might not seem like big numbers compared to modern supercars like the Porsche 918, but considering the GT1 only weighed 1120kg, the GT1 could get to 62mph in around 3.4 seconds. Unfortunately the GT1 was routinely beaten on track by Mercedes’ ferocious CLK-GTR. As a result, Porsche – along with a number of other manufacturers – pulled out of the GT1 class for 1999, effectively killing the championship class.

Read more: Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion

Ruf CTR-2 Sport

Ruf CTR-2 Sport

10. RUF CTR-2 & Ruf CTR-2 Sport

Might be based on a Porsche 911, but the Ruf CTR2 is far from a typical German sports car. Almost 520 hp from a Le Mans-derived twin-turbo engine. Straight line monster.

Power: 520 bhp @ 5800 rpm / Torque: 505.2 ft lbs @ 4800 rpm / Engine: 3.6 liter air-cooled twin-turbo flat-6 / Produced: 1995-1997 / Base Price: US$315,000 / Units sold: 16 standard CTR2, 12 CTR2 “Sport” / Top Speed: 220 mph (354 km/h) / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 3.5 seconds

Based on the 993-chassis 911 Turbo the CTR2 featured either the standard rear-wheel drive or an optional all-wheel-drive. It had a totally upgraded and custom suspension system, uprated brakes and integrated roll-cage as well as a very custom and cool wing. The body was made out of kevlar to save weight. The heart of the CTR2 was the race derived air-cooled Porsche 3.6 litre. It had twin-turbos and was based on the engine used in the Porsche 962 Le Mans Group C car. The team at RUF tuned it to produce 520 hp 505 ft lbs of torque.

In addition to the “regular” CTR2 was the CTR2 Sport. Built up from a Porsche 911 Turbo body-in-white, RUF manufactured the CTR-2 Sport for ultimate outright performance. The specially built engine was tuned to produce almost 600 hp depending on boost. Options included a roll-cage, a clutchless RUF EKS transmission, adjustable torque bias, adjustable boost control. This is the ultimate in straight line insanity, able to accelerate to sixty in 3.5 seconds (in 1995) and onto a top speed north of 220 mph. Crazy.

Read more: 1997 Ruf CTR-2, 1997 Ruf CTR-2 Sport

Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR

Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR

9. Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR

Homologation special madness by the crazy Germans at Mercedes-Benz. Only car here that can easily do a backflip for those fun “what-the-f**k” moments.

Power: 612.0 bhp @ 6800 rpm / Torque: 571.6 ft lbs @ 5250 rpm / Engine: 6.9 liter Mercedes-Benz M120 V12 / Produced: 1998–1999 / Top Speed: 191 mph / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 3.4 seconds / Base Price: US$1,547,000 / Units sold: 20 coupes, 6 roadsters

The CLK GTR was born out of Mercedes-Benz desire to duke it out against Ferrari and Porsche in the FIA GT Championship. Essentially taking elements of a CLK racer and some road car trimmings and mashing them together, they produced the prototype in time for the 1997 season.

Although the 1999 GT1 class was cancelled, Mercedes-Benz had already promised 25 road-going homologation versions to customers and was obliged to produce these. Customer cars featured a 6.9-litre V12 which produced 604bhp, bestowing the GTR with ballistic performance – 0-60mph took 3.8 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 214mph.

This came at a steep price; despite comforts being kept to a minimum in an effort to save both weight and cost, the production CLK GTR was listed at the time as the most expensive production car ever built in the Guinness Book of World Records, costing $1,547,620.

In 1999, Mercedes-Benz were due to race a CLR – a track-focused version of the CLK GTR – at Le Mans, until in qualifying on the back straight of the Circuit du Sarthe Mark Webber’s car took off, flipping several times as it tumbled into the bushes. In the race itself, a second similar incident took place while Peter Dumbreck was at the wheel, leading Mercedes to withdraw from the event and move away from sports car racing.

Read more: 1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Straßenversion

Jaguar XJ220 - Best 90s SupercarsJaguar XJ220 - Best 90s Supercars

8. Jaguar XJ220

Jaguar’s first production supercar, the XJ220 was a bold step. Crappy sounding engine and huge turbo lag. Held top speed record till McLaren F1 came along.

Power: 542.0 bhp @ 7000 rpm / Torque: 475.0 ft lbs @ 4500 rpm / Engine: TWR 6R4 V6 (twin turbo) / Produced: 1992 – 1994 / Top Speed: 217 mph (349.2 kph) / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 3.9 sec / Base Price: US$700,000 / Units sold: 281 cars made

The XJ220 started life as a mid-engine, four-wheel-drive concept car developed by Jaguar employees in their spare time. That initial concept was planned around a V12 powerplant. By the time the first customer cars were delivered in 1992, a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 sat mid ship, delivering 542bhp. The basic shape and aims of the car remained the same however.

With a top speed of 212mph, the XJ220 was the fastest production car from its launch through to 1993, when it was topped by another British-built speed machine. This peaked initial interest in the car, but between the 1990s financial recession and the car’s retail price of £470,000, few took up the offer of ownership and only 281 cars were produced throughout its run.

It was handy on the track too; it went straight to the top of the Nurburgring time sheets in 1991, recording a lap of 7:46:36; Hardly surprising, considering it was built with help from Tom Walkinshaw racing.

Read more: Jaguar XJ220

7. Lamborghini Diablo GT

Lighter, faster and better handling than all other Diablos. Race car modifications finally made the outrageous Diablo a serious road racing supercar.

Power: 575.0 bhp @ 7300 rpm / Torque: 465.0 ft lbs @ 5500 rpm / Engine: 6.0 liter 60 Degree V12 / Produced: 1999-2000 (Diablo GT) / Top Speed: 215 mph / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 3.6 seconds / Base Price: US$309,000 / Units sold: 83 cars made

Lamborghini were never ones for making their own job any easier. This is the manufacturer that built the Miura then gave itself the task of following it; they managed that – in terms of impact if not necessarily driving experience – with the incredible Countach. Entering the nineties, they had to do it again.

Enter Diablo, the name literally translating as Devil (check). At launch it was fitted with a 5.7-litre V12 producing 485bhp, enough to launch its sleek and flash, yet still muscular body from 0-60 in 4.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 196bhp.

The Diablo, despite its nefarious name, was somewhat tamer than the car that came before it. It featured carbon fibre in the cockpit, but this was surrounded with luxurious leather trim.

That’s not to say it wasn’t without its evil side, most potent in later iterations the 510bhp SV and the rear-wheel-drive SE30 Jota – featuring that 5.7-litre V12 bumped up to 595bhp and various racing-focused changes that revealed the Diablo’s darker side. Only 15 Jotas were delivered from the factory, though 28 kits were produced, making this one of the rarest Lambos of the era.

Our pick of the litter is the Diablo GT. Lamborghini introduced the Diablo GT in 1998 based on the formula of the SE30 and the SE30 Jota. It combined the modifications of the GT2 race car with the outrageousness of the Diablo to offer serious road racing performance. So much so, it remains as the fastest road-going Diablo ever made by the factory. At the time of delivery in September 1999, the Diablo GT was also one of the fastest supercars as well, reaching a top speed of 215 mph (346 kph). It was easily the best Diablo made.

For the detailed oriented, about is a picture of the GTR. It took the GT and made it even crazier. Interior was stripped bare, it got a full roll cage and things like the stereo, soundproofing, and air conditioning were all removed. Add some Plexiglass windows, a fire suppression system, and single seat with a six-point harness. Hardcore. 

Read more: Lamborghini Diablo GT

Ferrari F50 Best 90s Supercars

Ferrari F50 Best 90s Supercars

6. Ferrari F50

Ferrari’s most undeservedly underrated supercar. Superb.

Power: 513.1 bhp @ 8500 rpm / Torque: 347 lb/ft @ 6500 rpm / Engine: 4.7 L DOHC 65 degree Tipo F130B V12 / Produced: 1995 – 1997 / Top Speed: 202 mph / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 3.7 seconds / Base Price: $480,000 / Units sold: 349

So far in this countdown, we’ve had a lot of homologation-special racing cars repurposed for the road to meet the entry requirements for their respective championships. The F50 was different in that it featured components of an actual racing car, toned down only slightly for the road.

The Ferrari F50 began life with a tough act to follow. Its predecessor, the F40, had blown the motoring world away through the eighties and well into the nineties. Ferrari had to pull something very special out of their hats to follow Enzo’s final sign off for the company.

Their starting point was one of their old racing engines; the 3.5-litre V12 from the company’s 1990 F1 car. This was bored out to 4.7-litres before being mounted mid-ship in a carbon fibre monocoque chassis.

The resulting machine produced 513bhp, sent to the rear wheels in a car that weighed just 1320kg. The result? 0-60 in 3.8 seconds, a claimed top speed of 202mph and a deafening driving experience that shook owners to their cores. For those seeking an even more visceral experience, the roof could be removed.

Sadly the F50 could never live up to its legendary predecessor. In tests, its top speed came up far short of the F40’s 201mph, and the more bloated F50 was never as pure an experience as the car that went before it. Still, we feel it deserves a place on the list of the greatest supercars of the nineties.

Read more: Ferrari F50

Dauer 962 Le Mans

Dauer 962 Le Mans

5. Dauer 962 Le Mans

Dauer showed up to Le Mans with road and race versions and promptly won. FIA changed the rules to make sure the 962 wouldn’t be back in 1995. Now that is badass.

Power: 730.0 bhp @ 8250 rpm / Torque: 517.0 lb/ft @ 5000 rpm / Engine: 3 liter water-cooled twin turbo flat-six / Produced: 1994 / Base Price: $1,200,000 / Units sold: 13 / Top Speed: 253 mph (405 kph) / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 2.7 seconds

One of the weirder footnotes in Le Mans history is the Dauer 962, which won the race in 1994 thanks to some creative rulebook interpretation.

From 1983 forward, the Porsche 956 and its 962 IMSA spec version dominated for a decade. Porsche manufactured nearly 150 956/962s and sold many of the cars to private teams. Dauer took a handful of these Porsche 962s and modified them for street use. It is one of the most extraordinary cars to be sold for the streets, but that’s what allowed Porsche to enter the 962 in the GT category at Le Mans in 1994.

Of the companies that have produced a 962 road car, the most successful has been Dauer. After displaying their first 962 at the 1993 Frankfurt Show, Dauer partnered with Porsche to manufacture a contender for the 1994 24 Hours of LeMans. At the 24 hour race, Dauer showed up with both a road version and race version of the Porsches 962, a design which had already won Le Mans six times. After winning the race, the FIA declared it would be creating rules to make sure the 962 wouldn’t be back in 1995. However, with a Le Mans win under their belt, and with support from Porsche, Dauer continued to build their road-going 962.

Read more: Dauer 962 Le Mans.

Porsche 911 GT2

Porsche 911 GT2

4. Porsche 911 GT2

Wide arches, rear wheel drive, Turbo engine. GT2 craziness begins here.

Power: 444 bhp @ 6000 rpm / Torque: 431.5 lb/ft @ 4500 rpm / Engine: 3.6 L twin-turbo Flat-6 / Produced: 1995–1996 / Base Price: NA / Units sold: 57 cars produced / Top Speed: 187 mph / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 3.7 seconds

I dread to think what the nineties supercar scene would have been like had it not been for homologation requirements. The track-focused, road-going 911 GT2 was introduced in 1993, initially to meet the requirements for GT2 regulations.

The formula of ultra-light, high-power and track credentials seemed to strike a chord with Porsche’s customer base, as the German marque kept the twin-turbo track rocket on its order sheets all the way through to 2012.

424bhp came courtesy of the rear-mounted 3.6-litre power plant, fed air through neatly-positioned intakes at either end of the GT2’s colossal rear wing. Other contemporary road-going 911s of the day also had four-wheel-drive, though this was scrapped in the GT2 in favour of racier rear-wheel-drive.

This made the 993-generation GT2 quite the handful on track or on the road, and a certain level of driving prowess is required to keep one pointing in the right direction over a “spirited” series of bends. You know is good when it gets a top 20 finish in our best Porsche’s ever list.

Read more: 1998 Porsche 911 GT2

Bugatti EB110

Bugatti EB110

3. Bugatti EB110

With a quad turbo, 3.5-litre V-12 the Bugatti EB110 GT seemingly defined the term “supercar”. It was one of the most technologically advanced cars of the 1990s.

Power:  650.0 hp @ 8000 rpm / Torque: 477 lb/ft @ 4200 rpm / Engine: 60 Degree quad-turbo V12 / Produced: 1992 – 1995 / Top Speed: 217 mph / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 3.35 seconds / Base Price: US$380,000 / Units sold: 31 cars made

Initially revealed on the company’s founder, Ettore Bugatti’s 110th birthday in 1991, the EB110 came to be the last Italian-produced Bugatti before VAG took over the troubled automaker.

These days the Bugatti name stands purely for all-out speed and refinement, and though the EB110 was never a record breaker at the top end of the speed stakes, topping out at 216mph in the era of the McLaren F1, it was capable of reaching 62mph in just 3.2 seconds in 1992 Supersport trim – one of the fastest cars of its era over that dash.

That rapid acceleration was mostly thanks to the Bugatti’s 3.5-litre, quad-turbo V12, which transferred 604bhp to the road through all four wheels.

There’s something really appealing about all of the little design details on the EB110 which could be easily overlooked; from the cluster of circular air intakes just behind the doors, to the elegantly simple interior, all the way down to the gearshift layout positioned on the transmission tunnel, keeping the gear knob uncluttered.

Read more: Bugatti EB110

Honda / Acura NSX

Honda / Acura NSX

2. Honda / Acura NSX

The car that shook the supercar world. A supercar that could be driven every day, didn’t break down and anybody could drive. Thank this car for today’s supercars being usable.

Our Pick: 1998 ACURA NSX-T / Power: 290 bhp @ 7100 rpm / Torque: 224 lb/ft @ 5500 rpm / Engine: 3.2L VTEC 6 Cylinder 290 hp / Produced: 1990-2005 / Top Speed: 162.2-mph / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 4.8 seconds / Base Price: $88,725

1991 saw the launch of a supercar that caused a shock across the whole automotive scene. With the NSX project, Honda set out to build a true supercar that had none of the ergonomic issues or reliability problems that plagued exotica at the time.

Sold under the Acura brand in the States, and the Honda brand across the rest of the world, the NSX featured a 3.0-litre V6 with Honda’s trademark VTEC technology supplying the power, mounted mid-ship with extra consideration to the positioning of the seats and fuel tank for optimal weight distribution.

Honda’s pedantic construction of the car paid off; famous fans of the NSX included none other than Ayrton Senna himself, and the handling was enough to take the fight to the supercar elite of the day and cement the NSX’s place in supercar history – even becoming the reference point for a certain McLaren still to come on our nineties list.

Our pick of the range is the 1997 NSX-T. Acura increased the DOHC 24-valve VTEC V-6’s displacement from 3.0 liters to 3.2 and replaced the five-speed manual with a six-speed box for 1997. That meant 290 horsepower and 224 pound-feet of torque from the normally aspirated, 8000-rpm-redline engine. The immediacy of the NSX’s reflexes is matched with elegance and phenomenal precision and the engine’s flyweight reciprocating assembly loves to rev.

Read more: Honda/Acura NSX

McLaren F1

McLaren F1

1. McLaren F1

The best ever. Period. The end. Obsessive focus leads to the creation of the greatest supercar of all time.

Our Pick: McLaren F1 LM / Power: 671 bhp @ 7800 rpm (F1 LM) / Torque: 520 lb/ft @ 4500 rpm (F1 LM) / Engine: 6.1 L (6,064 cc) BMW S70/2 V12 / Produced: 1993–1998 / Top Speed: 240.1 mph (386.4 km/h) / Acceleration (0-60 mph): 3.2 seconds / Base Price: ~US$650,000 / Units sold: 106 cars

If cars like the Ferrari F40 and Porsche 959 began the chase for something beyond the supercar, then McLaren birthed it with the F1. Gordon Murray’s masterpiece was for a long time the fastest production car ever made. Its top speed of 240 mph puts much of even today’s supercar crowd to shame, and ergonomic features like the driver-centered, three-seat cockpit have rarely been seen since.

The technical challenge of getting a road car to such incredible speeds was one unlike any other manufacturer had undertaken. McLaren, after initially seeking out Honda power given the two company’s success together in Formula One racing, eventually settled on a 6.1-litre BMW V12. This was mounted in the middle of the car, and put 618bhp through the rear wheels.

The F1 was also the first production car to use a carbon fibre monocoque chassis, and gold famously lined the engine bay to aid with heat dispersal. This effort paid off, granting the F1 a staggering 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds and that all-important 240 mph top speed.

After delivering 100 customer cars McLaren stopped production after seven prototypes, 64 road cars, 5 special F1 LMs (built to commemorate victory at Le Mans in 1995), three F1 GTs (road going versions of the long tail 1997 F1 GTR race car) and 28 F1 GTR road cars. Of these, the Sultan of Brunei owns the most, and has two very special black F1 LMs with striking Pininfarina graphics as well as an exact replica of the F1 GTR that won LeMans.

Read more: All McLaren F1 posts

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