Emphatically no. Mexican. It’s called Vuhl 05 and it’s the work of Iker and Guillermo Echeverria, two brothers with backgrounds in industrial design.

For a minimalist sports car, it looks very cohesive…

Agreed. Much of the actual design work was subcontracted to an Italian designer, but – as a sign of the attention to detail evident throughout the entire car – Iker actually arrived and lived in Italy for six months while the look was being perfected.

Surface work was successful. Many naked cars look gaudy, but this one has obvious aesthetic appeal.

The panels are fibreglass, but you can use them in carbon, saving 30kg, and switch to titanium bolts to save a further 4.5kg.

There’s a spoiler at the rear, but the idea is not to add massive downforce but just to balance the dynamics. The aerodynamics of the car’s underbody actually attracts more than the push wing.

And under the skin?

Bonded and riveted aluminum construction with double wishbones at each end. Powering the 05 is a powertrain borrowed from Ford: 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost, 6-speed manual transmission, limited-slip differential.

The Vuhl develops 285bhp (there will also be a lower powered version with 240bhp) and if you think this sounds familiar it’s quite similar to the setup used by Zenos for the E10.

Speed is not an issue. The turbocharged engine provides loads of easily accessible power to propel the 700kg windscreen-less sports car. 0-100 km/h takes 3.7 seconds and feels just as fast.

Off-road grip is somewhat surprising thanks to the 310lb ft and 245-width Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres, and gear changes, while not too short, are neat and easy.

However, noise is an issue. Vuhl offers two air fill positions. Ours had it in my left ear. My left ear no longer works.

Turbo noise is not good but this position is better to keep the incoming air cool. The other option places the air intake near the rear of the engine compartment, which reduces noise but also reduces power.

And no one wants that, right?

I’m not sure. Yes, noise is good, but this much noise is ridiculous. It’s acceptable if you’re alone, but there’s a bigger problem here.

Which one is it?

The Vuhl is not a hardcore race car. Well, it can’t be compared to Atom or R500. The emphasis on design and finishing gives it a distinct flavor, as does the more comfortable powertrain. So it really performs well at low speeds – light steering, good revs, easy clutch. There’s even a cleverly packed 70-litre boot at the back. It has few vices.

If you want a light car to move around the city, this is the car you should buy. There are no visibility issues, you won’t be surprised to hear.

However, one of the causes of poor visibility is because you sit too high. And the feeling of having to sit in a car without a windshield is not pleasant when you want to go faster.

Wind control is exceptional thanks to the twin windscreen arrangement and warm radiator air escapes between the two, but the risk of pebbles and bolts hitting the forehead is less pleasant. Of course it’s completely simple: wear a helmet.

Helmet? The day of the competition was very special…

RIGHT. And if you really care about that then Vuhl is probably not for you. It has been set up for safety – for that reason you will definitely read the word ‘understeer’. The problem is that the weight distribution is 35:65 front to rear and if you give such a car a sharp, road-hugging front end and insert a less experienced driver, you will soon experience experience what we might call ‘rotation’. ‘. problem’.

The springs and dampers are adjustable, allowing you to change the setup, but even so, the Vuhl hasn’t been developed with lap times in mind. The steering reflects this by being too light at high speeds – fitting a smaller diameter rim would help.

However, it’s still interesting, isn’t it?

That is. It doesn’t sprint and dart like a cornered cockroach, but instead it takes its time, rolls a bit more, and yes, runs faster than you’d expect. Balance is okay, and you have to really provoke it to get it to do something scary. It’s like a lighter, better, more progressive KTM X-Bow that’s close to the limit and has a clear idea of what it wants to be. Better on the road than on the track.

But let’s not forget this car has no context in the British racing scene. It was designed and developed for a different, more global audience, one that did not have the same cultural associations as Lotus and Caterham.

It drew inspiration from those cars and many parts were sourced from Britain, but assembly took place in Mexico, where the Vuhl brothers managed to secure a large government subsidy and a manufacturing facility. same as Airbus at Mexico City Airport.

I was impressed with the attention to detail, especially when Iker told me the story of the gear cable.

Sounds… attractive.

Whis. Vuhl initially routed the cables around the cockpit back to the engine, but they encountered a lot of resistance and wear. The Ford part allows the cable to go straight down to the cabin and the engine weighs 4kg. “It was a big lump,” Iker told me, “and I didn’t leave it in my car.”

So he went hunting. And one day he went to the Seat dealership to see the cars being stripped down and noticed that the Ibiza had a much smaller, neater unit that would do the job – so that’s what the 05 available. All for a more elegant, gentler solution.

Similar stories also appear regarding the name, the flexible carbon fiber front splitter material, the integrated camera, the font for the toggle switches on the center console, the finishing touches. There are no welds in the coil ring. Basically everything is the same. The investment source for the project so far is certainly huge. I suspect it is very well funded behind the scenes.

Out of all the lightweight products out there, it reminds me of the BAC Mono with its attention to detail and refined design.

Are there similar prices?

No, although I suspect it will attract a similarly rarefied customer base. At £59,999, the Vuhl is half the price of the Mono, but is still double the price of the Zenos E10 because it has a more accessible driving style and powertrain.

Other competitors include the Elemental RP1 which I drove a few weeks ago, but that’s a much more engineering-oriented car where they’ve worked hard to create downforce on the front end.

Vuhl doesn’t expect to sell more than 25 cars a year globally for a few years, and in the UK, where we’re intrinsically attached to our lightweight racing cars, I’m not sure that will be the case. . It’s a lot of work. receive. It’s a shame, if you want a silly car to drive on the road it’s a toy.

Specifications:

2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, 285bhp, 310lb ft, 0-62mph in 3.7sec, 152mph, NA g/km, NA g/km, NA mpg, c725kg, £59,995