Up-and-coming New Zealand car manufacturer Rodin Cars isn’t just developing a claimed ‘Valkyrie-beating’ hypercar, but has also built a track-only weapon which it says is as fast as a current Formula 1 car.
Dubbed the FZED, it is based on the Lotus T125, a near F1-spec racer which Hethel unveiled back in 2011 with the promise of selling it to customers. It’s believed that only a small handful were ever built and Rodin has decided to take one of them and create its own version. Whether or not it will prove a success where its spiritual cousin wasn’t remains to be seen.
The first thing to note about the FZED is that it is powered by a 3.8-liter Cosworth V8 pumping out 675 HP at 9600 rpm. The New Zealand company claims this engine is good for 3,000 miles (4,828 km) of use on regular 98-octane fuel before it needs a rebuild. Like the T125, the FZED is exceptionally light thanks to the liberal use of carbon fiber and weighs just 610 kg (1344 lbs).
Also Read: New Zealand’s Rodin FZero Could Be Faster Than An F1 Car
Rodin has called upon some of the industry’s finest component manufacturers to produce various parts. For example, the six-speed sequential transmission comes from Ricardo, the carbon fiber brakes are courtesy of Brembo, the four-way adjustable dampers were designed by Ohlins, and the racing wheels and tires are from Avon.
According to the company, the FZED will be sold to “experienced and keen drivers who relish the opportunity for a near-F1 experience, without the cost, complexity and risk of owning an actual historic Grand Prix car.”
Prices start at a cool $650,000. Not cheap, but a relative bargain for getting F1-like levels of performance.
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