Vanwall, the used-to-be-British marque that raced in the 1950s in Formula 1, unveiled a set of computer-generated images of its upcoming all-electric hatchback called Vandervell S.
The company, which is now based in Germany and is known for its endurance-racing team, said there will be two variants of the sporty hatchback. The Vandervell S gets all-wheel-drive and a combined output of 320 horsepower, as well as an estimated range of 279 miles (450 kilometers), while the sprint from 0-60 mph needs 4.9 seconds.
The more powerful S Plus variant will develop a total of 580 hp (432 kW) and be able to sprint to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds, with an estimated range of 260 miles (420 km) on a single charge.
Looks-wise, it has a Lancia Delta-esque design, with sharp geometric body lines, exposed carbon fiber parts, and huge 22-inch golden wheels. The German maker says customers will be able to choose any paint color they want along with “five complementary cockpit interior choices” and “tailor-made options” that are available on request. As for that interior, pictures of it are yet to be released.
Gallery: Vanwall Vandervell S All-Electric Hatchback
Just 500 units will be made at the firm’s Greding facility, with deliveries scheduled to begin in the third quarter of this year at a starting price of 128,000 Euros (about $138,000 at the current exchange rate) in Germany.
Details are still pretty thin on this attention-grabbing car, with Vanwall omitting things like weight, battery capacity, and charging times from its press release.
According to Autocar, Vanwall announced last year that it would make a road-legal version of its Vandervell 100 Hypercar Le Mans racer to rival the mighty Aston Martin Valkyrie. The company says the road-going race car will make around 1,000 hp from a lightweight V8 engine and that it’s currently in a development test phase.
In other words, the German endurance-racing team appears to have big plans for road-legal vehicles, and we’re looking forward to the results, although we’re a bit skeptical, as we are with most start-up carmakers.
What’s your take on this: do you think a small racing team from Europe will be able to pull off this cool-looking EV? Let us know in the comments below.
