Friday 7th March 2003

Orca 113

Swiss Supercar mimics Ultima and Lamborghini. Was the clay model substituted for Lego?

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Geneva played host to the debut of a Swiss manufacturer's supercar this year. The Orca C113 was seen in public for the first time today.

The prototypes ran with a 2.3 litre, five cylinder Volvo engine producing 380bhp, but this week the car was revealed with a 650bhp V8

Extensive use is made of light weight alloys in the chassis to keep the weight down to an Elise challenging 750kg. A honeycombe tub further enhances the strength of the cabin cell.

The bodywork is made up of ten carbon-kevlar panels which are each dyed in the required colour.

There's no word on price yet but it will have to be competitive to compete with the sleeker offerings on the market. Orca hope to make about a dozen cars each year.

Link: www.orca113.ch

[stig]

The designed clearly owns a ruler, but doesn't seem to have any French curves?

[Alex]

YEUCH!!

[agent006]

Yes, very nice, now design something original.

[plotloss]

680bhp in a 750kg car isnt to be sniffed at though...

Would look very stealth fighter in black me thinks...

Matt.

[domster]

I was saving some cardboard boxes for my house move, but they must have been stolen by this lot folded around a bit and then glued to a spaceframe chassis

The back end looks like a Blue Peter experiment that went horrendously wrong before being sprayed in blue paint!

I've never looked so longingly at a lamborghini countach kit car...

[v8thunder]

Very 'retro' but it reminds me of the sort of thing you see advertised in the back of Kit-Car magazine, built as a one-off by a bloke called Brian back in 1973, based on a VW Beetle floorplan and 'in need of light refurbishment' (overhaul). If they're going for the 'supercar' look they need to make it look a lot more refined, with a nice leather interior to go with the looks. Round off the edges too. I like the back end. Interesting choice of engine, don't think I've come across a mid-mounted 5cyl before.

[t1grm]

Actually I quite like it. Reminds me of a 80's group C car.

I'll get me coat...

[EdT]

that's a fast nasty looking car !

Ed

[srider]

It might be OK if they made it a bit wider....

[danmangt40]

well, I love it... for one reason mainly... 2.5 lbs per hp, assuming the 750 kg and 650 hp are accurate.

macca= 2500 to 2600 lbs/627 hp = 4 to 4.15 lbs/ hp
veyron= 4000?/ 987 hp = 4 lbs/hp
(the veyron looks chunky...I really am not sure that they'll make it suitably light enough that it'll have the same standing acceleration of the f1, although it'll have the measure of it across the rev band.

but DAMN.... 2.5 lbs/ hp is nearly 870 hp/tonne!

[Thom]

danmangt40 said: well, I love it... for one reason mainly... 2.5 lbs per hp, assuming the 750 kg and 650 hp are accurate [...] but DAMN.... 2.5 lbs/ hp is nearly 870 hp/tonne!

Did I hear someone mention traction control?

[v8thunder]

If they made it any wider it would take up two motorway lanes! Check the rear profile. I think it's real proportion problem is the roofline, and the front end is way too fussy

[golem]

I think it's one agressive looking automobile. Personally, I'd ask them what it costs if they do the body in GRP and use the 380hp Volvo. : I mean, it'd still be one seriously rapid machine and hella cheaper.

I'd like it as a mid price competitor but if they want to aim for the price I expect people pay for such an engine, they really need to make it look the money too by just cleaning up a few edges. Notably the windows, some of the air venting and so forth.