Texas-based Hennessey Performance Engineering has taken the hypercar world by storm with their thousand horsepower creation, the Venom GT. We are talking about the unofficial fastest acceleration car in the world, capable of 0–200 mph (0–322 km/h) in 14.51 seconds, thanks to a 7-liter twin-turbocharged V8 making 1,244 hp (928 kW or 1,261 PS).
But besides the huge power output, there's another major component that makes the Venom GT what it is, and that's a Lotus Exige chassis, keeping things nice and light at 1,244 kg (2,743 lbs). We found another Lotus-based project car from Australia which follows roughly the same principles, but with a more European twist.
This pretty-looking thing started life as the Lotus Elise in 2000. After that it was converted into an Exige using carbon fiber body panels. That already makes it one hot car, but then an old-school Audi engine was installed and tuned: the inline-five 2.2-liter that made the Quattro what it is, which now puts out 550 horsepower. That's about 3 times the output of the factory 1.8-liter engine that originally came with the Elise body.
The amazing race-ready package is completed by a 6-speed O2M gearbox, Pilbeam suspension and brake designed for Lotus race cars, 3 way Nitron shocks and SSR Comp wheels.
And best of all, all this can be yours for the measly sum of $99,999… Australia, not US. That's the equivalent of €68,755 or 94,000 George Washington bills for a car with half the power of the Venom GT and the same pedigree.
This pretty-looking thing started life as the Lotus Elise in 2000. After that it was converted into an Exige using carbon fiber body panels. That already makes it one hot car, but then an old-school Audi engine was installed and tuned: the inline-five 2.2-liter that made the Quattro what it is, which now puts out 550 horsepower. That's about 3 times the output of the factory 1.8-liter engine that originally came with the Elise body.
The amazing race-ready package is completed by a 6-speed O2M gearbox, Pilbeam suspension and brake designed for Lotus race cars, 3 way Nitron shocks and SSR Comp wheels.
And best of all, all this can be yours for the measly sum of $99,999… Australia, not US. That's the equivalent of €68,755 or 94,000 George Washington bills for a car with half the power of the Venom GT and the same pedigree.