RE: De Macross GT1 Tilts At Pagani
Tuesday 31st August 2010
This neat little 25% scale model is our first sight of a new ‘hyper-car’ from Canada, which is reportedly being bank-rolled by a Korean businessman who wants to build a Pagani Zonda rival.
The project is apparently a joint venture with Canadian component maker Multimatic, a big name in competition dampers amongs other things, and it’s said the GT1 – when it appears – will feature a novel active ride set-up as well as aluminium and carbon race car-style construction.
De Macross GT1 Tilts At Pagani
From tiny acorns, etc. Neat scale model heralds mighty new hyper-car
The pics are from the project developers De Macross Motors Corp, and according to a report in Car the new machine will be called the GT1 and feature power from a Roush supercharged 5.4 litre V8.
According to reports the GT1 will reach the full-scale prototype stage in a couple of months, and first cars could be delivered in 2011/12. Meanwhile, the 25% scale mock-up is exactly the sort of thing we need a much bigger desk for.
Discussion
Underwhelmed... price $TBC I guess - likely to be nonsensical - no doubt to reflect the leading edge nature of the car yaaaaawn.
I don't want to put people off trying and hey, it's their money to do what they want with, but I do wish that they'd be able to just coach-build themselves a hyper car (See ferrari P4/5) and gauge demand before promising to foist it onto an apathetic world market.
They treat their fellow mega-rich with contempt - as if billionaires are simply desperate to throw suitcases of money at the next bloke with greasy hands and a coloured in picture.
What, precisely, does this latest crate engined tub have going for it?
Listen all you potential hypercar makers in waiting: Either strive to move the game on noticeably or stay in your baskets! These 'me-too' hypercars are starting to become tedious.
I don't want to put people off trying and hey, it's their money to do what they want with, but I do wish that they'd be able to just coach-build themselves a hyper car (See ferrari P4/5) and gauge demand before promising to foist it onto an apathetic world market.
They treat their fellow mega-rich with contempt - as if billionaires are simply desperate to throw suitcases of money at the next bloke with greasy hands and a coloured in picture.
What, precisely, does this latest crate engined tub have going for it?
Listen all you potential hypercar makers in waiting: Either strive to move the game on noticeably or stay in your baskets! These 'me-too' hypercars are starting to become tedious.
I think you are missing the point about the styling.
The De Macross looks very lean and purposeful in a form follows function way. In profile it reminds me of a jet fighter; clean and with no frivolous weight-adding tat or trim that serves no purpose.
It looks the way a hardened, focused race car should. Compact, neat and tidy, with the details (spoilers, wings, vents and ducts) all obviously there for a reason.
I think it looks great. A simple coherent shape with a sense of purpose. It harks back to the GTs of the sixties and more power to it for that.
I suppose it's ok for modern super cars to come wearing a bucket full of make-up because they are often produced for no actual purpose, other than as a status symbol to be shown off.
Have you looked at the profile of the Zonda recently? It's bloody awful, but it does shout, nay scream, "Look at me! Look at me!" so that's okay then.
On the other hand, the De Macross looks like it's just been delivered by Thunderbird 2, ready for some serious business, not just posing around.
It's how a car drives that really matters though. If the simple shape of the De Macross (if it ever sees the light of day) can deliver effective aerodynamic stability, then it’s all the better that tasteful aesthetics can still deliver when it comes to functionality.
The De Macross looks very lean and purposeful in a form follows function way. In profile it reminds me of a jet fighter; clean and with no frivolous weight-adding tat or trim that serves no purpose.
It looks the way a hardened, focused race car should. Compact, neat and tidy, with the details (spoilers, wings, vents and ducts) all obviously there for a reason.
I think it looks great. A simple coherent shape with a sense of purpose. It harks back to the GTs of the sixties and more power to it for that.
I suppose it's ok for modern super cars to come wearing a bucket full of make-up because they are often produced for no actual purpose, other than as a status symbol to be shown off.
Have you looked at the profile of the Zonda recently? It's bloody awful, but it does shout, nay scream, "Look at me! Look at me!" so that's okay then.
On the other hand, the De Macross looks like it's just been delivered by Thunderbird 2, ready for some serious business, not just posing around.
It's how a car drives that really matters though. If the simple shape of the De Macross (if it ever sees the light of day) can deliver effective aerodynamic stability, then it’s all the better that tasteful aesthetics can still deliver when it comes to functionality.
j_s14a said:
Another Ford engined car built in a shed?! Does the world not have enough???
+1 Every time I look at a project like this I think, 'Yeah, but Ultima have been doing this way better for years, and for a lot less than I can ever imagining this costing.' If you're going to take on Pagani, and enter supercar royalty then I would suggest you need to start with Carbonfibre body, dramatic styling, trick suspension, low weight, and a mighty v12, and then think what else you're going to bring.
GT40/GTO stylling and a Ford or GM sourced v8 is just going backwards.
JohnGoodridge said:
j_s14a said:
Another Ford engined car built in a shed?! Does the world not have enough???
+1 Every time I look at a project like this I think, 'Yeah, but Ultima have been doing this way better for years, and for a lot less than I can ever imagining this costing.' If you're going to take on Pagani, and enter supercar royalty then I would suggest you need to start with Carbonfibre body, dramatic styling, trick suspension, low weight, and a mighty v12, and then think what else you're going to bring.
GT40/GTO stylling and a Ford or GM sourced v8 is just going backwards.
"GT40/GTO styling and a Ford or GM sourced v8 is just going backwards."
It might be going backwards, but sometimes a tried and tested formula just works.
How much performance do you actually need? These sort of cars are often bought and never properly used, so what does it really matter anyway?
High tech materials, fancy electronics, over wrought styling and specialised engines just make for an extremely expensive paper weight when you see where many of these cars end up. For the majority of driving enthusiasts they are an unobtainable irrelevance
I'd rather see cars being made to use. Less expensive, but still capable in a relevant way. Being able to go 250mph is just f
king pointless unless you need to use the statistics of your car to make up for your tiny John Thomas.
I think the super car scene isn't all that relevant to actual car drivers. As has already been said, each new car of this type is largely just more of the same. In the real world (even on a track) performance over a certain level isn't necessarily going to provide any more driving pleasure. It's not even going to be noticeable by the majority, and certainly only exploitable by a tiny minority.
So even though I like the simple but purposeful looks of the De Macross, the super car scene is just a big yawn these days. Only status symbol hunters need apply...oh yeah, it's good for Top Trumps makers too.
It might be going backwards, but sometimes a tried and tested formula just works.
How much performance do you actually need? These sort of cars are often bought and never properly used, so what does it really matter anyway?
High tech materials, fancy electronics, over wrought styling and specialised engines just make for an extremely expensive paper weight when you see where many of these cars end up. For the majority of driving enthusiasts they are an unobtainable irrelevance
I'd rather see cars being made to use. Less expensive, but still capable in a relevant way. Being able to go 250mph is just f
king pointless unless you need to use the statistics of your car to make up for your tiny John Thomas.I think the super car scene isn't all that relevant to actual car drivers. As has already been said, each new car of this type is largely just more of the same. In the real world (even on a track) performance over a certain level isn't necessarily going to provide any more driving pleasure. It's not even going to be noticeable by the majority, and certainly only exploitable by a tiny minority.
So even though I like the simple but purposeful looks of the De Macross, the super car scene is just a big yawn these days. Only status symbol hunters need apply...oh yeah, it's good for Top Trumps makers too.
Edited by davidf4 on Tuesday 31st August 14:33
Looks a bit like the Nissan R390 IMO, which is about 20 years old! Can anyone recall the last time someone turned up with a bland/ugly supercar aimed at Zonda/Bugatti with a Ford/Chevvy V8, built in a shed, and became established? Mosler? Well, they race well apparently... err, Koenigsegg perhaps? At least the 'Segg looks mad, sounds mad, has mad doors and was the fastest car in the world for a bit! Zenvo...?
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