2000s Sports Cars Archives - CARS // MOTORBIKES

Ariel Atom

In a way, the Ariel Atom was as close as a roadster gets to an F1 car. The lack of headlamps was a dead giveaway! There was not enough frontal area for such fripperies. Anyway, the Atom would be wasted at night. Far better to spend the running costs blitzing daylit open roads. Not that those costs would be too exorbitant. For sure, the Atom could have been filed under ‘pared-down’. It was first glimpsed at Birmingham’s British International Motor Show – in October, ’96. Production began in 2000. Eight more iterations of the Atom would follow. Enthusiasts are hoping for more!

Simplicity was key to the Atom. Read atomic particle simple. Ariel went back to basics – and bare-bone ones, at that. Its weight said it all. Even by stripped-down supercar standards, 1,005lb was light. And it was not just the dearth of standard headlights. The Atom’s ‘cabin’ was minimal, to say the least. Composite bucket seats were about it! Strapped into 4-point race harnesses, though, the two occupants were not going anywhere – except through high-speed bends. With single-seater-style suspension – tuned by Lotus – corners were a gimme.

There are, of course, limits to the Atom/F1 car comparison. It is true to say that a top speed of 150mph might be less than competitive down today’s straights. That was, though, from a 4-cylinder 2-litre engine – the i-VTEC – borrowed from the Japanese market Honda Civic Type R. Likewise, the original 220bhp may be considered down on power for a contemporary Formula One grid. That would, however, be increased to 245bhp with the Atom 2. And 350bhp was available from the supercharged Atom 3.5R. So, with adroit use of the 6-speed ‘box – also sourced from the Civic Type R – scaled-down GP driving was clearly on the cards. To be fair, Ariel Motor Company – based in Crewkerne, Somerset – comprised just seven staffers. The proverbial whip was cracked by boss Simon Saunders. In the past, he had worked at Aston-Martin and GM. Styling was by Niki Smart. At the time, he was studying transport design at Coventry University. British Steel and TWR were among the sponsors of the student-led project. Asking price for the Ariel Atom was £26,000. Not half bad – especially for owners with vivid imaginations. For, it would not be too far-fetched – on a sunny day, at a twisty track – to feel yourself capable of similar feats to drivers of, say, your average F1 car. Up and Atom, as it were!

TVR Sagaris

If you bought a TVR Sagaris new, you got a fiver change from £50K. It did not, though, come with any airs and graces attached. Built in Blackpool – on England’s NW coast – the Sagaris delivered no-frills performance – and plenty of it. No-frills, yes – but not no-thrills. A top speed of 175mph made sure of that.

A swift glance at the Sagaris spoke volumes. The transparent rear wing could not have been clearer … in terms of the car’s intent, that is. If you were still in doubt, an array of bonnet vents gave the game away. Does a road car really need to breathe so deeply, some might ask? Nikolai Smolenski – TVR’s new owner – obviously thought so. He was a young Russian oligarch – and not one for leaving things to chance. In the past, TVR had caught flak over build quality. To be fair, as a small manufacturer of exotic machinery, it was always a risk. Smolenski, then, opted to up the ante, reliability-wise. How much he succeeded is a moot point. Anyway, a sturdy roll-cage was duly installed – which took care of over-zealous pedal-prodders, at least!

Certainly, the Sagaris’ straight-six engine called for care. The all-aluminium unit was deceptively pretty. On top of a 406bhp output, it turned over 349lb/ft of torque. As a result, the Sagaris rocketed from 0-60 in 3.7s. 0-100 took just 8.1s. Figures like that mean precision engineering. With a bit of Northern grit thrown in, of course. After all, sports car development is no bowl of cherries! But, while the TVR Sagaris did not stand on ceremony, it was bespoke – not basic!

Maserati MC12

The Maserati MC12 cost £515K. 50 were sold – twice as many as were needed to let the competition version race in the FIA GT World Championship. For your half a million quid, you got a Ferrari Enzo, into the bargain. Well, sort of! Much of the MC12 was based on the Enzo – as a by-product of the Ferrari Maserati Group partnership. Replication ran to the carbon monocoque, V12 engine, steering wheel and windscreen. The MC12’s 6-litre motor was detuned a tad from that of the Enzo – but still managed to provide a cool 622bhp, at 7,500rpm. Top speed was 205mph. 0-60 took 3.8s.

Remarkably, the MC12 took a mere twelve months to make. Maserati’s engineers were, of course, aided by the Ferrari Enzo factor. Even so, to take a top-grade supercar from drawing board to production line in a year was impressive, to say the least. Design duties fell to Frank Stephenson. He had previously masterminded the Mini Cooper. In terms of the MC12’s aerodynamic package, a quick glance told you all you needed to know. Seriously slippery was understatement!

The MC12’s white and blue paint mirrored Maserati’s ‘Birdcage’ racers. The Tipo 60/61 machines had competed in sports car events in the early Sixties. The racing theme continued inside. Lightweight carbon-fibre was used for the MC12’s cabin – including the fully-harnessed seats. Practical problems arose from the rear window – or lack of it! A quick removal of the targa top, though, soon sorted the shortcoming. Other than that rear visibility ‘glitch’, the MC12 was reasonably user-friendly. Sequential gear-changing was straightforward, steering nimble and the ride smooth. The sole issue, then, for owners, was sourcing spare parts. Best way around it was buying a Ferrari Enzo as back-up. Or, indeed, two MC12s. Maserati recommended the latter option!

B Engineering Edonis

B Engineering began as an offshoot of Bugatti – when the latter went bust, in ’95. A small group of ex-Bugatti staffers banded together to create their own take on a supercar. Not just any old supercar, mind – a one-of-a-kind supercar. Enter the Edonis! Arguably, the best tagline a car could have would be ‘Made in Modena!’ Certainly, the Italian city is now synonymous with automotive excellence. B Engineering never used that slogan. But – while ‘B Engineering’ may not have quite the same cachet as ‘Ferrari’ – it can still hold its own in high-calibre company.

The word ‘edonis’ is Greek for pleasure. As in hedonist. In supercar terms, the hedonism 720bhp brings on. It came courtesy of a twin-turbocharged V12 engine. The Edonis’ top speed was 223mph. No surprise, then, that it broke the lap record at the Nardo racetrack. When it came to the car’s colossal power output, every other component was clearly supremely in sync with it. Edonis project director Nicola Materazzi led a crack team of engineers. Between them, they had worked for all of the top supercar marques. Jut 21 Edonis units were built. The figure referenced the 21st century.

B Engineering’s links with Bugatti stayed strong. Its owner – Jean-Marc Borel – had been Bugatti’s vice chairman. 21 carbon-fibre tubs – originally earmarked for the Bugatti EB110 – were duly used for the Edonis. The latter’s 3.7-litre engine was developed from that of the EB110. It was hooked up to a 6-speed gearbox. The Edonis cost a cool £450,000 – from a manufacturer without a proven pedigree. Those in the know, though, did not baulk at the price. After all, the crème de la crème of the car industry had contributed. For the B Engineering Edonis, quality was a gimme!

Spyker C8 Laviolette

In the past, the Netherlands was associated with tulips and windmills. These days, it is as likely to be supercars – like the Spyker C8 Laviolette. Spyker’s roots stretch back to 1880. In ’89, they built the Golden Carriage. It still transports the Dutch royal family, on state occasions. During World War 1, Spyker made fighter planes – including their engines. The firm also found time to build cars – for both road and track. Well, it did until ’26 – when it went bankrupt.

Thankfully, though, that was not the end of the Spyker story. In ’99, Victor Muller – a Dutch business magnate – bought the Spyker brand-name. He duly set about resurrecting the marque. Supercars would be Spyker’s new stock-in-trade. The Spyker Squadron team was formed. It specialised in endurance racing. Visits to Le Mans, Sebring et alia duly followed. In ’06, Spyker entered F1. It bought the Midland équipe – or Jordan, as it had previously been. Two years on, the team would be sold to Force India.

Spyker’s C8 Laviolette debuted at the 2001 Amsterdam Motor Show. Its aluminium bodywork took visitors’ breath away. Beneath, the space-frame was made from the same lightweight material. The dramatic upsweep of the ‘scissors doors’ was spectacularly state of the art. When open, they revealed quilted-leather seats. The Laviolette’s 4.2-litre V8 produced 400bhp. Suspension was via F1-style Koni inboard shocks. Ventilated disc brakes were suitably solid. The Laviolette’s top speed was 187mph. 0-60 came up in 4.5s. Of course, the price tag was sky-high. £210,000, to be precise. For that kind of wedge, you got to watch your car being built. That came courtesy of a Spyker factory web cam. Among the options was a Chronoswiss Spyker wrist-watch – complete with your car’s chassis number engraved on it. That was a snip – at just £24,000. An add-on set of bespoke luggage cost a mere £12,350. There was even a Louis Vuitton tool-kit available – a bargain at just £2,500. In financial terms, then, the Spyker C8 Laviolette was not for the faint-hearted – or, indeed, cash-strapped. Most of us could not afford the accessories – never mind the car itself!

Nissan GT-R

Launched in ’07, the Nissan GT-R followed on from the Skyline GT-R. The new model was effectively two cars in one. Insomuch as it was equipped with a speed switch – to toggle between performance and cruise modes. Full-on, its 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V6 put out 479bhp.

Key to the GT-R’s success was its exotic drive-train. It comprised a paddle-shift transmission, twin-clutch transaxle and 4-wheel drive. With all that in place, the GT-R’s power delivery was straightforward to manage. A 6-speed gearbox helped, too. 0-60 took just 3.5s. The GT-R maxed out at 194mph.

Despite such high-performance credentials, the GT-R sported a well-appointed cabin. The deep front seats were a deliberately close fit – to assist quick, but controlled driving. Soft leather upholstery kept things comfortable. If you liked cutting edge sounds – as well as cars – there was a high-tech music centre in situ. It came complete with downloading capabilities, of course. There was even an LCD screen – courtesy of Sony Playstation. As filed under ultimate all-rounder, then, the Nissan GT-R was pretty hard to fault!

Lamborghini Murciélago

The Lamborghini Murciélago was styled by Belgian Luc Donckerwolke. He had been chief designer at Audi – which, in ’98, was taken over by Lamborghini. Traditionally, the latter had recruited Italian design houses. On that basis, Bertone were briefed to create the new car. And indeed, their work was ready to go into production. At the last, though, the Bertone project was canned. The design reins were duly passed to Donckerwolke.

When the Murciélago was launched, it was with no lack of fanfare. Sicily’s Mount Etna provided the backdrop. The accompanying son et lumière show was equally spectacular – including, as it did, a volcanic eruption. Well, a virtual one, at any rate!

Designer Donckerwolke decked the car out in razor-sharp lines. Bodywork was carbon-fibre and steel. The chassis was fashioned from high-tensile tubing. Given the supercar’s shape, a low drag coefficient was a gimme. As a result, top speed for the Murciélago was a searing 205mph. 0-60 appeared in 3.85s. Notwithstanding, steady torque delivery – and electronic engine management – rendered the car relatively tractable. Suspension and brakes were, naturally, state of the art. Late in the day though it had been, Lamborghini’s decision to give the design gig to Luc Donckerwolke paid off. The Murciélago exhibited plenty of Italian flair … as well as a dash of Belgian panache!

Ferrari California

The Ferrari 250 California – released in ’57 – was one of the most iconic cars ever created. A tad over half a century later, came another California. Designed by Pininfarina, seamless aerodynamics were key to the new car’s styling. And the 2008 California was light. Both chassis and body were aluminium.

The F1-style steering-wheel featured Manettino dials. They modulated the gearbox, suspension and traction-control settings. The latter came in the form of the F1-Trac set-up. Should those systems’ limits still be exceeded, an automatic roll bar was deployed. As well as front and side airbags. The California could be set to Comfort or Sport mode, too. At track-days, however – or, indeed, at any other time – the safety controls could be switched off. Apart from ABS braking, that is.

Ferrari’s 4,300cc V8 engine made 460bhp. That catapulted the California to 193mph. Torque was on tap from way down low. The 7-speed semi-automatic transmission saw to that. Unlike some supercars, the California’s cabin was roomy and comfortable. There was a retractable top. And plenty of luggage-space was provided. So, the Ferrari California was built for speed. To that extent, it echoed its fabled 250 predecessor. But – in common with that design classic – it was kitted out for cruising, too, if required.

Ascari KZ1

The story of Ascari Cars – and the KZ1 – began in ’95. The firm was based in Dorset, England. It was named after Alberto Ascari – the first double F1 champion. The new enterprise had a single objective – to build a supercar. The result was the Ascari Ecosse. It was designed by Lee Noble – who would later start up his own supercar marque. The Ecosse was fast … as in, 200mph fast! Only 17 Ecosses, though, were sold. That was sufficient, however, to get the attention of Klaas Zwart – a Dutch business magnate. He subsequently bought Ascari. The company relocated – to Banbury, Oxfordshire. It is a region renowned for high-grade motorsport and its associated activities.

Released in ’03, the KZ1 was nominally a roadster. But, it had racing running through its finely-tuned veins. The beating heart of the car was a V8 engine. It had been transplanted from the BMW M5. Ascari’s engineers, however, hauled out 100 more horses from the standard saloon car unit. Asa result, output rose to 500bhp. The motor was mated to a 6-speed CIMA transmission. The chassis – sorted by ex-Lotus staff – was race-bred. The tub and body were cut from carbon-fibre. The KZ1 had a drag coefficient of just 0.35. Slippery stuff, indeed! Nonetheless, super-stiff ventilated discs stopped it on a sixpence.

Like its Ecosse predecessor, the KZ1 topped out at 200mph. 0-60 arrived in 3.8s. 0-100, in 8.3. As you would expect, stats like that set you back £235,000. But, you also got a leather and polished-aluminium cockpit, for your outlay. And air conditioning. Plus – last but not least – access to your own purpose-built test-track. As a KZ1 owner, Race Resort Ascari was at your disposal. CEO Klaas Zwart built it for his own private use … and for those who purchased his products. Zwart’s custom design ‘borrowed’ corners from the world’s finest circuits – and shifted them to Spain. Perfect, then, for putting your new KZ1 through its paces. Alberto Ascari would surely have approved!

Noble M15

When it came to machines like the M15, Noble’s sports car credo was simple. Let the driver do the driving! That was in sharp contrast to many other manufacturers – who were happy to let gizmos have half the input. To Lee Noble, half the input meant half the fun! Founded in ’99, his firm shot straight out of the automotive blocks. The Noble M10 – released the same year – did 170mph. And with a normally aspirated engine! Its light plastic bodywork was key to that speed. The Noble M12 moved things up another gear. Its turbocharged Ford motor was really more racer, than roadster. Time to throttle back a tad.

The M15 was launched in 2006. Pundits – Top Gear amongst them – praised its performance. 185mph was on tap – with 0-60 coming up in 3.4s. The twin turbocharged Ford Duratec engine made 455bhp. And the power was smoothly delivered. As Lee Noble had clarified – his cars were about the total driving experience. The M15’s motor was mounted longitudinally. That evened out weight distribution – helping handling. The M15’s purposeful poise was propped up by a space-frame chassis. Topping things off was an integral rollcage.

The M15’s cabin was more than comfortable. There were electric windows – and sat-nav. Traction control and ABS, too. Did that border on computerised hand-holding? Possibly … but, then, Noble did have a duty to protect its customers! And their wallets, for that matter. By supercar standards, the M15 came cheap. £74,950 was loose change compared with some of its peers!