Photo: Lanzante
Lanzante may not ring a bell to younger enthusiasts of all things automotive. Founded in the 1970s by a gentleman by the name of Paul, the British company is known for jaw-dropping restoration work, limited-run commissions based on production models, and some on-track successes.
The Petersfield-based outfit became accustomed to McLarens in 1995 after winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans with an F1 GTR under the name of Kokusai Kaihatsu Racing. In 2015, the company started converting the track-only P1 GTR for on-road use. Just in time for the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Lanzante has lifted the lid on another very special conversion.
Never offered in the guise of a spider, the open-top hypercar was born at the start of the year. Dean Lanzante, the son of Paul and current big kahuna, tells that Lanzante was approached by an owner with a simple requirement. He wanted to make his P1 more engaging, “and he was keen to explore the option of a Spider. We had looked at the idea before, but the basic architecture of the chassis with the integrated roof structure made it seem like it was not possible,” declared Dean. Still, what changed since then?
“After close discussions with our engineers,” added Dean, “we felt we had some possible ways to make it work. But it needed to be designed in a way that it wouldn’t lose anything when compared to the coupe.” In other words, technological advancements enabled Lanzante to revisit this old project.
The latest commission is limited to no more than five units, each based on a suitable donor. The first customer delivery is expected before year’s end, and from a performance standpoint, expect 903 horsepower (916 ps).
Peak torque is quoted as 664 pound-feet (900 Nm), but performance figures haven’t been released. Considering that the coupe needs 2.8 seconds to reach 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour), on to a top speed of 217 mph (350 kph), the P1 Spider will be properly quick for most peeps.
Never offered in the guise of a spider, the open-top hypercar was born at the start of the year. Dean Lanzante, the son of Paul and current big kahuna, tells that Lanzante was approached by an owner with a simple requirement. He wanted to make his P1 more engaging, “and he was keen to explore the option of a Spider. We had looked at the idea before, but the basic architecture of the chassis with the integrated roof structure made it seem like it was not possible,” declared Dean. Still, what changed since then?
“After close discussions with our engineers,” added Dean, “we felt we had some possible ways to make it work. But it needed to be designed in a way that it wouldn’t lose anything when compared to the coupe.” In other words, technological advancements enabled Lanzante to revisit this old project.
The latest commission is limited to no more than five units, each based on a suitable donor. The first customer delivery is expected before year’s end, and from a performance standpoint, expect 903 horsepower (916 ps).
Peak torque is quoted as 664 pound-feet (900 Nm), but performance figures haven’t been released. Considering that the coupe needs 2.8 seconds to reach 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour), on to a top speed of 217 mph (350 kph), the P1 Spider will be properly quick for most peeps.
Google News