Tuesday 16th January 2007

Evo-engined sports car arrives

Light carbon chassis for quick take-off

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X-Works X1 Concept

X-Works Automotive is making an Evo-engined sports car -- and it's opening its doors to the public for a preview of the concept.

The car has been developed over the last 30 months by X-Works Automotive with Xtreme Automobiles being the first dealer appointed in the UK. It uses a carbon composite technology for the passenger cell, attached to which are lightweight aluminium and carbon subframes carrying the drive train components.

The composite technology provides a stiff platform that helps keep the cars weight down to a lightweight 1,180kg. Combined with the race-honed chassis and Evo-derived 350bhp two-litre turbocharged engine, this looks set to deliver fairly impressive performance. Tuning up to 500bhp is available, Recaro CS seats are fitted as standard. There is also a 1,000 kg competition version planned for use on track days or for competition use.

Designers Andrew Borrowman and Sean Prendergast studied Automotive Design Engineering at the University of Hertfordshire, following which they have served time at Rover, Panther Cars and Grand Prix Engineering Services. They have also run their own composites company designing and manufacturing for Prodrive, Alvis and JCB, among others.

Projected retail price for the X1 is £45,000.

X Works Automotive Concept X1 Sportscar will be available for viewing in the showroom of Midlands-based Mitsubishi Motor Sports dealership Xtreme Automobiles from Friday 19 January 2007 until Sunday 21 January, opening times will be Friday / Saturday 0900-1700 and Sunday 1100-1600pm.

It looks like a stunner -- but will be produced? There's many a slip...

• Xtreme Automobiles

[VladD]

Nissan 350Z Evo anyone?

[Pharle]

I know this exhibits advanced-level automotive nerdery, but I recognised the names of the team and a quick Google search confirmed it - they were the designers of the Minari kit car and the Delfino Feroce which followed it. I also think that new Adrenaline Motorsport Murtaya has Minari/Delfino DNA, a theory which is backed up by the fact that Adrenaline Motorsport now own the tooling to the Minari.

Looks quite nice although I prefer convertibles myself...

[Fidgits]

Woohooo...

wonder what the service intervals will be? 2250 miles anyone?

[Calorus]

In the flesh...

[tomtvr]

1,180kg is by no means light especially with a 'carbon chassis'

[Calorus]

For a car with three differentials and a roof, it's featherweight.

[choufangpi]

That's what I thought. The lightweight version also weighs a tonne - some mistake surely? What does an Evo weigh?

[ridds]

Yep, saw this at Autosport.

A LOT of money for what it is in my eyes and the interior was a bit Connaught (SP) Type D for my liking.

Exterior rather pretty though. Nice lines.

[scoobiewrx]

I'd rather have the Murtaya any day of the week. It will be just as quick as this, and with the 395bhp option it should give it a run for it's money, also i think the Murtaya looks earthier too.

However.... The competition has now started and it will be like the EVO v Scooby battles all over again. I don't know what the service intervals will be as an Evo is every 4.5K, so i imagine the same as for the X.

[DonnyR]

If TVR can't make a living, what chance has this got?

[Road_Terrorist]

choufangpi said:

That's what I thought. The lightweight version also weighs a tonne - some mistake surely? What does an Evo weigh?

An Evo IX MR is actually a hefty 1500kgs.

By contrast the first Lancer Evolution in 1992 was a featherweight 1170kg in stripped out RS form (1240kg for the GSR road car).

Not much extra was added to later RS models until the Evo V which gained around 60-70kgs, and again in the Evo VII onwards it increased by another 60kgs or so. GSR models gained about 100kgs at the same intervals.

[pharle]

DonnyR said:

If TVR can't make a living, what chance has this got?

It looks a significantly more sophisticated offering than a TVR, in all fairness. Good luck to them, and the Connaught, and the Murtaya!

[JonRB]

That's funny, I was only saying over on the Murtaya thread that what I really wanted was a small coupe in the same vein as the original Honda CRX / GTM Libra / recent ProDrive prototype.

I see from the website that it is 4WD but I can't seem to see mention of where the engine located. I'm presuming it's front-engined from the styling?

Edited by JonRB on Tuesday 16th January 15:10

[pharle]

JonRB said:

I'm presuming it's front-engined from the styling?

Edited by JonRB on Tuesday 16th January 15:10

I'm presuming it's front-engined from the use of Evo mechanicals (and the styling).

[Drgp]

mm. how many of these 'cars' will generate articles and never be made? I dont see a market for it and the big problems always come in scaling for production of more than 1 or 2 units. I hope it works out, but I don't see it.

[Fidgits]

mickken said:

DonnyR said:

If TVR can't make a living, what chance has this got?

You have to ask yourself why TVR failed (not a dig at anyone) when they built the best looking, relatively cheap, good handleing and very fast sports cars in the UK.

......they were unreliable as sin.

right...

and do you think a MORE complicated, MORE technically challenging car is going to be MORE or LESS reliable, than a TVR with a simple Rover V8?

[GingerNinja]

Anyone care to fill it in?

[shadowninja]

Ooooo a sports car with the intoxicating sound of...

a sewing machine.

[housemaster]

Noooooooooooooooo

Another paper car that, and mark my words, WILL NEVER BE PUT INTO FULL PRODUCTION!!!!!!!!

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH

...and breath out, and relax

[Al 450]

Can't see how they can possibly develop, manufacture and then sell this for £45,000. I think the reason there are so many of these 'paper' cars is that all the firms are all run by PD engineers who put a lot of time and thought into the development and styling but not how the bloody thing is going to be made economically. By the time the things is in production (if it makes it that far) it's priced itself out of the market and everyone buys a Porsche/something else instead. See Ascari for details...

Love to be proved wrong of course!