Supercar and sports car markets are shrinking quicker than the icecaps. But judging by the endless parade of brand new supercar startups we devote space to each week, there are a bunch of too-wealthy investors who haven’t heard the news.
And the fact that the VW Group spent literally billions of dollars to create the Bugatti Chiron and had to get Michelin to custom build a carbon-fiber reinforced tire safe enough to carry the Super Sport 300+ over 300 mph doesn’t seem to have put them off from trying to do better and go faster.
These projects can be used to generate interest in technology or projects. However, they are rarely intended for production.
We’ve rounded up 10 of the mostly rendered contenders for your supercar budget. There are some that have been around for quite a while and others that are brand new. Many of these are far-fetched enough to make Christmas seem plausible. Both. Have a look at them all and then let us know which car, if any of them, has the best chance of reaching the road.
Devel Sixteen
Devel Sixteen, a $2.2million hypercar made from vaporware, first debuted at 2013 Dubai Motor Show. It promised 5000 HP and top speeds of 348 MPH (560 km/h). Since then, several credible names have been associated with the project, including Paulo Garrella. He spent many years working at Pininfarina. Most recently, he created the SCG-003 and Aspark Owl hypercars powered by lithium-ion batteries.
Related: The Devel Sixteen Hypercar is finally happening after four years of no-shows
The company is yet to produce a car or prove its top speed capabilities, however unlike many other startups, it has at least a working prototype vehicle. Devel’s Instagram account showed a prototype in action this summer, and told us to “stay tuned”, but there’s been little activity since.
Mean Metal Motors Azani
India isn’t the first country that springs to mind when someone mentions supercars, or the second, third, fourth or even 50th, but Mean Metal Motors wants to change that. It is said to be powered by 1,000 horsepower and 737 lbft of torque. The Azani can hit 60 mph in just 2.1 seconds, and reach speeds of 220 mph (354 km/h). A 120 kWh battery provides a theoretical range to 325 miles (53 km).
A huge button calling website visitors to “Invest” suggests the Azani isn’t going to hit the street anytime soon. Our guess is the supercar is merely a shop window for the company’s AI-assisted low-volume production methods and modular construction philosophy that could find its way into less exotic EVs.
Alieno Arcanum
Looking like a Mansory-ised Lamborghini Huracan inspired by a Vector W8, the carbon-bodied Alieno Arcanum hails from that hypercar mecca that is… Bulgaria. Pinnochio conceived the technical specification, which includes six hub motors for the range-topper of 303 miles (488 km/h). Power outputs vary from 2574 to 5150 horses depending on what model.
The $1.76 million Arcanum was supposed to enter production in January 2021, but we’ve yet to see anything beyond renders of the car, although the company’s website shows pictures of autoclaves apparently bought to make the carbon parts, and a scruffy wasteland it claims is currently being developed into a factory.
Hyperion XP-1
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Although supercars have finally gone electric, not all are convinced that this is the best option. U.S.-based Hyperion’s XP-1 employs hydrogen fuel cell tech to send this wild Bugatti-like machine to 60 mph in less than 2.2 seconds, and on to a top speed of 221 mph (356 km/h).
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Though the all-wheel drive XP-1 has been spotted testing on U.S. roads we still don’t know how much power it makes or the configuration of the multiple electric motors. But we do know it’s slated to have a range of 1,016 miles (1,635 km), which is just as well, given hydrogen fuel stations make Ferrari 250 GTOs look numerous.
Dendrobium D-1
There’s been a suspicious lack of news from Dendrobium in the last couple of years, which is a shame because this project showed some real promise. Conceived by Singapore’s Vanda Electrics, the crazy-looking hypercar has elements of single seater racer in a design that was worked on by Peter Stevens of McLaren F1 fame, and promised an 1,800-hp electric drivetrain developed by Williams Advanced Engineering.
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We reached out to Dendrobium but haven’t heard back, though the fact that the website redirects to a page offering the URL for $100k suggests production, which was meant to take place in the UK, isn’t imminent…
Elektron Truva And Quasar
Most supercar startup fantasists are content to render a single car that we’re told will redefine the market, blah, blah, blah. But Germany’s Elektron launched two supercars in a single year. Sending out graphics and stats is what we mean by “launched”.
First out was the Quasar seen here, a 2,300-hp quad-motor EV designed to rival the Lotus Evija that’s claimed to be good for 0-62 mph in 1.65 seconds, and a top end of 280 mph (450 km/h). Elektron Motors claims the Quasar will be launched in 2023, with a production limit of 99 units. That news was followed five months later by the slightly more sensible 1,400 hp Truva, which the company says will sell for €600,000 ($679,000).
Morand Cars
Hailing from Switzerland, Morand Cars’ unnamed supercar could pass for the C8 Corvette’s better looking baby brother. The C8 can be driven as an ICE sports car, but you also have the option of a C8. Nearly afford, the Morand is a 1,100 hp hybrid you definitely can’t unless you got into Bitcoin in 1923.
Both the 5.2-liter V10-powered gasoline-electric car and a fully electric companion model with a claimed 1,950 hp will cost 2,300,000 Swiss Francs ($1.9 million / £1.78 million), and production is limited to 73 units. Production will only begin if production is ever started. However, the production has greater credibility with prominent names such as Eric Boullier (ex-McLaren F1 Race Director), who are involved.
Farnova Othello
The going rate for an 1,800 hp imaginary EV supercar seems to be around $2 million, but China’s Farnova Automotive reckons it can build you one for less than $290k. Called the Othello, it’s based on the chassis of the also-Chinese Qiantu K50, a hunchback electric sports coupe that was supposed to break into the U.S. but unsurprisingly didn’t. Which doesn’t exactly bode well, does it?
Vazirani Ekonk
Similar: Are EV Startups Going Bye-Bye with Byton?
There’s a sweet irony in a man named Chunky Vazirani launching a car that’s claimed to be the world’s lightest EV. If it does weigh 738kg (1,627lbs), then the Ekonk single-seat version would. Vazirani asserts that this feat was achieved using air to cool the batter packets, although there’s not much information.
SP Automotive Chaos
Beyond Ludicrous there’s Plaid, and beyond hypercar there’s ultracar, or there is if you believe Greek entrepreneur Spyros Panopoulos, which can get pretty difficult at times. I mean, just look at some of these numbers he’s claiming for the SP Automotive Chaos: between 2,049 and 3,065 hp from a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V10, a 7.9-second quarter mile time, over 310 mph (+500 km/h) top speed and prices that range from $6.2-14 million depending on spec.
Despite the presence of images confirming the existence of an actual car, we still can’t work out whether this is real or just some elaborate hoax propagated by a bunch of social media-savvy 7-years olds who picked the wrong mushrooms for mom’s soup. Spyros Panopoulos Automotive showed what appeared to be a static mock-up of a prototype recently on national TV while stating that the first unit is scheduled for delivery in early 2022, so we don’t have long to wait before we find out either way.
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Do you believe any of these cars have a chance to make it on the streets? Which one do you think is the best? Do you agree? Leave us a comment.
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