HWA announces new 560hp Evo R track car
Regular Evo not exclusive or extreme enough? Try the 15-unit circuit-only special...
You wouldn’t be alone in coveting an HWA Evo.R. Here’s a racecar, after all, channeling plenty of classic Mercedes 190E goodness with modern performance and reliability. For now at least, those are HWA’s own cars, set to make their competitive debut at N24 this weekend. But for 15 lucky folk who want to experience for themselves what an HWA Evo racer might be like, there’s this: the HWA Evo R track car. More extreme (and rarer) than the ‘standard’ HWA Evo, more accessible than the dedicated Evo.R competition machine (note the ‘.’ to tell them apart), it’s wild alright.
HWA being HWA, too, no half measures are employed. This is very much the N24 competitor made a little simpler to pilot than merely a widebodied street machine, using the same ‘core architecture’. So the Evo R employs an identical fuel cell, reinforced monocoque and FIA-spec cage as the Evo dot R, plus the same burlier bodykit and ‘revised’ bonnet. There seems little danger of mixing up road car with track car, which will make the decision to have both simpler to justify.
The motorsport influence doesn’t stop with the appearance, either, as the Evo.R gets six-way adjustable (where do you go after high- and low-speed compression and rebound?) suspension that’s been developed with KW as well as H&R, plus ‘competition brakes’ from AP Racing. When HWA says they’re competition brakes, we’re inclined to believe they’re basically identical to those on the Nurburgring grid this weekend. There’s even air jacks, for heaven's sake - if you want to live out retro DTM fantasies, this is the machine for it.
Power for the Evo.R comes from the same Mercedes turbo V6 as the Evo, albeit now with ‘approximately’ 560hp and 494lb ft. There’s a six-speed sequential as well, for full race car cool, and while no weight saving is claimed, features like polycarbonate windows and lightweight Ronal wheels will surely offset the beefed-up bodywork.
Like all the latest generation of super duper track-only cars, HWA will be at the beck and call of the 15 Evo R customers. So as well as exclusive track days, they’ll get access to ‘expert technicians’ and parts should anything need replacing. Or repairing, for that matter. Certainly HWA will be encouraging the lucky few to really make the most of their opportunity, with options including a Langstreckenpaket (easy for you to say) endurance package, air con, a passenger seat, an Electronic Kit and a Starter Kit, with ease of use said to be a project aim throughout.
Despite the look and despite the sequential, HWA suggests that its work on the Evo R has been focused on ‘making it accessible to drivers of all experience levels.’ So no excuse not to basically. Apart from the price, of course - it’s hard to imagine an R costing any less than a million euros, given the RRP of an Evo. Still, a whole lot more interesting than the usual hypercars at your track resort…
If you want a track only car, why not buy a 'proper' race car (new or used) rather than what is, in effect, an expensive toy?
Would it actually comply with the regulations for any race series?
But then, there is precedent for these kind of things, such as Ferrari's FXX, so I suppose some people must see entertainment value in it and the factory support may make it easier to own/use than having to sort out transportation and maintenance yourself.
For individuality it beats 99% of track only cars you're only ever likely to see on invite only circuit days.
But I really don't get what niche they're going for with this. I really like the standard HWA, I think that does 99% of what people would want from it. Not sure who'd want one of these?
(I'm sure they'll sell out of course)
Still, one had to presume, they won't have much problems finding fifteen customers where a million is small change.
and ow, it had a Manual gearbox as well... lovely.
Still, one had to presume, they won't have much problems finding fifteen customers where a million is small change.
and ow, it had a Manual gearbox as well... lovely.
The one conversation I particularly like is fitting the W202 M111 2.3 Kompressor engine, or dumping the supercharger and replacing it with a turbo.
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