'Aussie Enzo' should top 210mph
In economically straitened times, it's great to see there's still room for perennially optimistic fledgling supercar companies. Lately it seems to be the Antipodeans who are leading the way. Latest to reveal an ambitious supercar is Australian company Joss.
Barely weeks after the news that the New Zealand-based Caparo rival, the Hulme, has taken to the road, Joss has revealed that its supercar, five years in the making, will be ready within two months.
The Joss Supercar is powered by a bespoke 6.8-litre V8 developing 500bhp and should weigh just under 940kg, so Joss's performance claims of a 340kph (213mph) top speed and 0-60mph in under 3.0secs seem feasible.
The AUD $600,000 (£294,000) price is a little harder to swallow, however, although the company claims to already have 10 orders and hopes to build around 25 examples a year.
Matt Thomas, the creator of the car and a former aerodynamicist for Stewart F1, is upbeat about the Joss's chances in a tough market. "This is now not just about producing an Australian first and world-class supercar, but ensuring the business is resourced adequately to meet pent-up production demand," he said. "We have been refining the mechanics of the business model and the car and are now satisfied that we have the right product and systems in place to move forward."
Moving forward could mean a race programme, too. Thomas eventually wants to see the Joss racing in the Le Mans 24 hours.