Aspid Invictus GT-21 rivals Nissan GT-R

Four years ago we reported on the Aspid SuperSport, created by Spanish auto engineering consultancy IFR Automotive, and now the same firm has followed up by revealing the first pics and details of its latest creation – the GT-21 Invictus.

Although based on the Caterham-esque SuperSport, the GT-21 has very different proportions, eschewing the former’s open-wheeler format for a more enclosed bodyshell that’s sinister and aggressive in the extreme.

Minimalism is once again the keyword though, as the car’s aluminium chassis weighs just 80kg, while the composite bodyshell is also extremely light.

Nestled under the long snout is a BMW-sourced 4.4-litre V8 engine with 331kW and 440Nm, channelled to the rear wheels by a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual clutch transmission.

Meanwhile, stopping power comes from an innovative twin-disc braking system that is lightweight and claimed to virtually eliminate overheating.

Its maker boasts the 965kg sportster can sprint from 0-100km/h in less than three seconds and hit a top speed of 305km/h, which makes it an on-paper match for the likes of the Porsche 911 Turbo and Nissan GT-R.

Yet the GT-21 isn’t a completely impractical beast as luggage space displaces a not-unreasonable 275 litres and there is even an optional rear seat – although we’re a little perplexed as to how the latter can be accommodated within the relatively small cockpit.

The rakish coupe is also packed with a raft of mod-cons that includes a dual-screen UniDrive infotainment system (with GSM/GPRS/GPS/WiFi).

IFR Automotive claims the first model will go into production within two years and 250 GT-21s will be built annually, but we’ll believe this when we see it. Top marks for the concept though.

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