MELKUS RETURNS WITH RS2000

Mercedes isn't the only company showing off a pair of gullwing doors at the Frankfurt motor show this year. Check out this intriguing little number which marks the return of the Melkus name badge, last seen on a road car 30 years ago.

German racing car company Melkus ceased production of its former RS1000 road sports model way back in 1979, and the new RS2000 revealed at the show yesterday marks a return to the sector that has been masterminded by the latest member of the Melkus clan to take the reins at the company - Sepp Melkus is the grandson of company founder Heinz Melkus.

'For optimal implementation of the project a tested and self-supporting aluminium chassis was found', the company says, and in spite of the gullwinged-lid it's not hard to see the relationship to the Lotus product line.

Under the bespoke fibreglass and partial carbon fibre body panels lies the same supercharged 1.8 Toyota as used by Lotus but with power bumped up to 270PS. With weight kept to 950kgs Melkus claims a 0-62mph time of 4.9secs and a 250km/h maximum.

The RS200 comes with a luxury bespoke leather interior, as well as luxuries like air-con, and the company will build one for you for 107,500 Euros. Melkus says it only intends to build 25 examples per year, so it will definitely have exclusivity on its side.

The Melkus RS1000 from 1979