The rise and rise of the supercar
Friday February 23, 2007
Despite global concern about the impact of modern society on the environment, rising fuel prices and legal road speeds being limited to ridiculous extents, the last few years have seen more supercars launched and available than probably any other period in history. Some flash across the news and then fade into obscurity as their prices creep up, customers grow tired of waiting for overdue projects and ever more draconian legislation prompts unforeseen design changes or wholesale abandonment of projects. Others somehow manage to make it through the morass, and gain a foothold in the firmament of established super makers.
The Bugatti Veyron, Pagani Zonda F, Koenigsegg CCX and Spyker C8 have all managed to capture the imagination of the public and crucially, some have more or less enough sales to keep going as well. In addition, long-established supercar marques have still gone about their business, producing jaw droppers left, right and centre. Ferrari's Enzo, Maserati's MC12, the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, Porsche's Carrera GT, and the Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR 722 Edition.
Then there are those from the New World as well, not traditionally considered when talking about supercars. These have in their ranks the Mosler MT900S (of which George Lucas of "Star Wars" fame was the first customer), Shelby Supercars Aero SSC, Ford GT and Saleen S7.
The last group of supercar makers are those who are very much quieter about their work (Bristol, and the Fighter T) or not yet as well established as the supercar brat pack of the first group - Gumpert, makers of the Apollo, the wacky New Zealand-based Hulme F1 Champion 1967 (yes, that's really the name), and the Caparo T1. That's already 18 members of this group, and that's not including "maybes" like the Beck LM800 and Locus Plethore, Joss, and the Melling Hellcat.
Despite an overwhlemingly negative environment for these magnificent machines, thankfully their creators have enough guts and determination to try anyway, and afford the rest of us the opportunity to drool and dream.
The Bugatti Veyron, Pagani Zonda F, Koenigsegg CCX and Spyker C8 have all managed to capture the imagination of the public and crucially, some have more or less enough sales to keep going as well. In addition, long-established supercar marques have still gone about their business, producing jaw droppers left, right and centre. Ferrari's Enzo, Maserati's MC12, the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, Porsche's Carrera GT, and the Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR 722 Edition.
Then there are those from the New World as well, not traditionally considered when talking about supercars. These have in their ranks the Mosler MT900S (of which George Lucas of "Star Wars" fame was the first customer), Shelby Supercars Aero SSC, Ford GT and Saleen S7.
The last group of supercar makers are those who are very much quieter about their work (Bristol, and the Fighter T) or not yet as well established as the supercar brat pack of the first group - Gumpert, makers of the Apollo, the wacky New Zealand-based Hulme F1 Champion 1967 (yes, that's really the name), and the Caparo T1. That's already 18 members of this group, and that's not including "maybes" like the Beck LM800 and Locus Plethore, Joss, and the Melling Hellcat.
Despite an overwhlemingly negative environment for these magnificent machines, thankfully their creators have enough guts and determination to try anyway, and afford the rest of us the opportunity to drool and dream.
