Aussie Supercar to Rival Enzo!!!!

I saw this car in person at the Adelaide Motor show. Don't really know what to make of it. It borrows styling from the McLaren F1, NSX and others, and has an engine using obsolete technology (like most Australian cars).
Overall it brings nothing new to the table technology or design wise, but does seem to have good acceleration, more as a result of its extreme light weight, rather than an amazingly powerful engine. Handling is an unknown. Being the weight it is, I'm wondering how it'll pass crash testing.

As for the kit car comment, well that's probably a pretty accurate, if unflattering, description. There's no way with $8 million you can create a completely new, in-house supercar with advanced technology. Can't be done. Comparing it technologically to the Enzo, Carrera GT, Koenigsegg CCR, Pagani Zonda and McLaren F1 is just silly.

I guess it's for people who want a supercar, but don't want something from outside Australia.

Sort of like the Saleen S7 is to the USA.

 

No... no it doesn't really. There are simply too many Cobra, Supercoupe and GT40 replica kit cars out there that will likely handle as well and be as quick (don't know about a ~198 mph top speed though) as this car but cost you less than 100k USD. I tend to think it is closer to a refined kitcar league than it is to Enzo/Carrera GT/McLaren league.

 

Hmmm, after reading up about the Joss here is my opinion:

1. Good on him for having a go, but ...
2. For the car to be taken seriously the Porsche gearbox has to go, to be replaced by a purpose built one. Australia has the technology and even the company to make such a gearbox in Holinger. This is required to elevate it above the kit car status.
3. The spaceframe chassis has to go ... unless it is an alloy one like the F360, Ford GT, etc. If it is just a welded steel spaceframe ... well again replica's have been making good ones for years ... piece of cake.

When you buy a manufactured car, you expect to be buying a technological advanced item and you are paying the big bucks because you expect there to be a fair degree of research, development and expertise gone in to developing the car.

Using a Porsche gearbox, a 60's chassis design is just not good enough. While I would not expect (for the price) a carbon tub, I would expect some sort of monocoque chassis, with maybe space frame extensions ...

Yes the car has advanced aerodynamics (apparently) ... cool, but other than the body having a bit of kevlar and carbon in it, the car is old technology and in direct competition with the established replica market.

Now if it had a carbon tub and own gearbox ... ooh, arh, now that would add that exclusivity that he needs to attract the investers and buyers.

Pete's opinion

 

Ok, well this is different...this is the exhaust outlet I take it...

...if so I want to see the engine and how/where the intakes are.
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Exactly what I was thinking! I wonder how those Salleens are selling?????

In today's market, where there are so many cars to choose from, it is so difficult to successfully bring a brand new car to the market, especially in the supercar market. Even established brands have difficulty with some of their models.

I wish these guys all the luck in the world. It probably doesn't mean anything to most people, but to me, if a manufacturer does not have a pedigree in racing, then they have no business designing supercars.

 

Well Saleen has been winning some FIA gt races, so I suppose they are earning a 'pedigree'. Keep in mind that the company that practically defined the supercar is Lamborghini, the same company that also saw racing as a waste of money.

 

Agree and that is why many of us do not respect Lamborghini ...

Pete

 

Are they giving it special dispensation as this series is supposed to be based on road cars?

I think they should let it enter, for R&D reasons to help Joss but I can see the **** flying once it starts kicking @rse.

Many years ago somebody in NZ built their own v8 engine and they wanted to test it under racing conditions. They tried to get it allowed in a series, which was pretty open, other than the engine had to be based on a production engine ... they were not allowed to run it

In the Nations Cup case though they allowed the BS Monaros to race so they should allow the Joss ... or just about anything to race

Pete

 

Keep us updated, Mike, I like the car. I'll be honest, it's never something I'll be able to afford, and I don't know if anyone is going to buy one for that price. That having been said, I'm not sure why so many people insist on making a big deal about its pushrod engine. Horsepower is horsepower folks, and I've heard significantly fewer complaints about the Corvette's or Viper's pushrod engine.