New Zealand car manufacturer Rodin is gearing up to launch its FZero hypercar, which is set to be faster than Formula One racing vehicles.
The FZero’s top speed is 360 kilometres per hour, powered by a 4.0 litre hybrid V10 petrol engine.
While the car’s current total power output is 1,013 brake horsepower, Rodin Cars CEO David Dicker hopes the FZero will reach 1,500bhp for its launch. “With 1,500bhp and the same weight as a current F1 car, it shows the car seven seconds a lap quicker around Albert Park than an [Red Bull Racing] RB20,” said Dicker.
The vehicle’s engine can produce up to 700 nanometres of torque. It seats one person, and its weight will be 698 kilograms without a driver.
Rodin’s FZero’s power-to-weight ratio is around 2,149 horsepower per ton, at 1,500 brake horsepower. Red Bull’s RB17 hypercar stands at 1,210 horsepower per ton.
The FZero hypercar has been in development for eight years, and was first tested in December 2023.
At release, the FZero will be priced at around US$1.3 million (A$2.1 million), the company projects. Just 30 vehicles will be produced and sold.
The FZero follows Rodin’s FZed, a redesigned version of Lotus’ T125 concept car. The FZed’s maximum speed was 300 kilometres per hour.
Rodin also owns racing team Rodin Motorsport, with Dicker acquiring a majority stake in the team — then known as Carlin Motorsport — in 2023.
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