Wednesday 25th February 2009

Tramontana R Edition

New Spanish supercar for those who want to look like Batman for the day

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Shrinking violets need not apply

If you want something that looks a bit different – and we mean if you find a Caparo or Ariel Atom a bit visually unexciting – then how about this, the Tramontana R Edition.

Looking like a cross between the Batmobile and a giant insect this supercar-baiting two-seater is from small independent Spanish manufacturer the Tramontana Group.

It packs a Mercedes-sourced 5.5-litre V12 in either 550bhp normally-aspirated form or 760bhp twin-turbocharged guise (which also has an kidney-crushing 811lb ft of torque). The car is derived from a standard open-wheel two-seater and the wheelbase has been shortened by 50mm to improve handling and aerodynamics.

It weighs 1,259kg and weight distribution is a perfect 50:50 split. The car is fitted with 20” carbon fibre wheels and has six-pot Brembos to bring it to a stop. The ride height can be adjusted between 85 and 135mm.

Inside there is lashings of exposed carbon fibre and an LCD instrument panel. The more powerful car will accelerate to 62mph in 3.6 seconds and hits 125mph in 10.15 seconds, while the top speed is limited to 202mph.

All this will set you back €385,000 and the car will make its official debut at the Top Marques Monaco show at the end of March.

 

[[AJ]]

That's as shed load of money for something that impractical that takes 3.6 seconds to 62. It had better go around corners very, very fast to warrant that kind of money. I'm very undecided on the looks too, although mad and exciting, the fighter plane cockpit and front end just look wrong.