When the Dubai-based supercar manufacturer W Motors first burst on to the automotive scene with the Dh12.8m Lykan HyperSport 12 months ago, they made a number of bold claims that largely fell on deaf ears. The car certainly grabbed initial headlines with its aggressive styling and list of bewildering features that included diamonds in the headlights, a gold-stitched leather interior and a holographic centre console, but it seems most wrote the car off as a pipe dream that would never make production.
So, the appearance of the first preproduction Lykan HyperSport at the Dubai International Motor Show was something of a revelation. Much has happened with the company over the past 12 months: they’ve tied up technical partnerships with Magna Steyr, which will produce much of the bodywork and interior, the German Porsche engine specialists RUF, which will provide the 770hp, twin-turbo, flat-six engine, and Alfredo Stola’s Studiotorino design house. Coupled with a Porsche-sourced PDK gearbox, the HyperSport will dispatch the sprint from standing to 100kph in just 2.6 seconds.
The W Motors CEO, Ralph Debbas, describes the feeling of seeing the car on the company’s stand in the same hall as automotive giants like Lamborghini, McLaren and Ferrari as “incredible – but there is a lot of work to do over the coming months and years”.
“We have a lot of things in development too: hybrid systems, KERs systems. We’re using the Lykan as a base and seeing how we can develop it to the extreme. The HyperSport is an incredible car to drive, but the SuperSport – coming next year – will be an even better performance car.”
The holographic console, a unique feature for the HyperSport, is a reality, too. Developed by the University of Tokyo, the display is a floating 2D design which senses your inputs and uses a burst of air pressure to create a touch sensation. The company has a working model on display as part of the show.
The HyperSport will be produced in very limited numbers – just seven. They will be built to order and to their individual owner’s specifications. The Dh5.87m SuperSport will follow later in the year, with production slated for 2015.
“The SuperSport is limited to 25 cars, so less exclusive, and it doesn’t have the gold stitching, the diamonds, the holographic display, concierge service.
“It’s mainly about power and performance, so it’s going to be above 1000hp. It’s going to be a very light car, under 1200kg; it’s an incredible car. It’s under development at the moment, and we hope to have something to show, maybe not this advanced, this time next year.”
The company established its headquarters in Dubai 12 months ago and is looking for a base to engineer and assemble is cars. Eventually, the entire production process will be based in the UAE.
[ weekend@thenational.ae ]
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