22 Jul 08 16:14
Former Prodrive and Mitsubishi WRC engineer Ignacio Fernandez Rodriquez's IFR Automotive consultancy is showing a supercar-quick two-seater at the British Motor Show.
The Aspid - Spanish for asp, a small, fast-moving snake - may look like a variant on the Caterham theme at first glance, but it promises to be usable around town and for general driving as well as hot stuff on a track.
The Aspid meets both FIA safety requirements for racing and European homologation criteria for road use, thanks to its ultra-strong chassis - so stiff that it does not even require an extra roll cage. It can be driven to an event to compete, and then straight back on the road to go home without modification.
Power comes from a 2.0-litre engine, this basic block (which could be sourced from a number of suppliers) then highly modified by IFR to deliver 270bhp or, in supercharged form, 400bhp. The engine drives the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox and limited-slip differential, and given the low weight - just 700kg - performance is explosive: 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds and 100mph in 5.9 seconds.
An electronic interface with touch-screen allows the driver to programme the Aspid's set-up for different road and track conditions, but Rodriquez has intended to make it a true driver's car in any mode.
'Our aim was to advance the current state-of-the-art, particularly in the critical areas of steering, handling and road-holding.' he says. 'We have taken a new approach on vehicle dynamics, including a new construction method for the chassis, as well as developing new brakes and suspension arms. We've also broken with the tradition that says a long wheelbase, wide track and low ride height is best for performance; our chassis and suspension philosophy ensures the car can also be driven with ease on normal roads.'
Well-packaged to offer good cabin-space, and promising 'excellent fuel economy and correspondingly low carbon dioxide emissions,' the Aspid looks to be a real 21st century all-rounder.
It's not going to come cheap, however: base price will be around £75,000, and IFR anticipates that fully-loaded versions with plenty of bespoke options to cost twice that.
The Aspid does have pedigree, however; after working on cars for Alister McRae and Francois Delecour at Mitsubishi, Rodriquez formed an experienced team.
Chief dynamics engineer Breno Oliveira is also ex-Prodrive, and the Aspid has been tested by former head of dynamics testing at Seat, Sergi Arranz. The car has been five years in development, and its main proving ground has been the mountain roads in northern Spain, as used in the Catalonia Rally.
Final testing is now underway and, after its appearance at the British Motor Show, the first production models will be ready later this year. IFR aims to build a car a week, with a six-month waiting time for each one and says that it has already taken advance orders.
Check out the rest of our British Motor Show coverage.
