Rodin Cars, an automotive startup from New Zealand, has posted some footage from the racetrack tests of its first production model – the FZero, which has been in production for a few years now.
Company CEO David Dicker called the tests ‘the next stage of the project’ and reiterated that the ultimate goal was to build a road-legal vehicle faster than some Formula 1 racers.
The powertrain is based on a custom turbocharged V10 with 4.0 liters of displacement, assisted by a single electric motor mounted on the crankshaft. Together, they deliver 1,176 PS (1,160 hp / 865 kW) and 1,026 Nm (757 lb-ft) of torque to the wheels, but the company admits that it is the petrol engine that does all the heavy lifting. An eight-speed sequential gearbox routes the power to the rear end.
Downforce is the biggest priority of the aero kit, and Rodin reckons that it can reach a lofty 4 metric tons (8,818 pounds) at higher accelerations. It is especially impressive when you consider that the car itself weighs only 700 kilos (1,543 pounds) despite being 5.5 meters (18 feet) long. The body is made completely out of carbon fiber and composite materials, while the suspension uses titanium parts.
In terms of dynamic performance, all we know at the moment is that the FZero is being designed to reach 360 km/h (223 mph) in a straight line.
Rodin Cars plans to build just 27 vehicles like this for private clients. Later on, the company hopes to streamline the production of its hybrid powertrain for interested third parties. It is also working on a naturally aspirated version of the same V10.