autoevolution
 

The Spartan Is A Limited-Edition Track Car With the Heart Of A Honda

An idea that started in 1983, the Spartan should’ve had a Ducati superbike engine. But brothers Peter and Nick Pap decided to drop 1198S along the way for a Honda four-cylinder engine and a thumpin’ great supercharger.
Spartan track car 12 photos
Photo: Spartan Motor Company
Spartan track carSpartan track carSpartan track carSpartan track carSpartan track carSpartan track carSpartan track carSpartan track carSpartan track carSpartan track carSpartan track car
Displacing 2.4 liters and rated at 400 horsepower, the Spartan tips the scales at 550 kilograms. There’s no denying the power-to-weight ratio pits the $150,000 track toy against better-known models such as the Ariel Atom, which features a 2.0-liter turbo engine from Honda with 320 horsepower on tap.

Only 300 examples of the breed will ever be made, and top speed is limited to 245 km/h (152 miles per hour). Zero to 100 km/h (62 miles per hour) comes in 2.4 seconds, coming courtesy of a Quaife sequential transmission with optional paddle shifters. Customers can also choose a six-speed manual with Gear-X closer-ratio gearing and the Exedy Stage 3 clutch kit.

Riding on Advan RZ lightweight 16- and 17-inch wheels, the Spartan is wrapped in Advan A050 performance rubber. The semi-slick tires are designed to heat up as quickly as possible, translating to maximum grip and traction in the right weather conditions. Yokohama claims the A050 is good for “club sprints, circuit racing, targa road racing, supersprint, lap dash, and hillclimb events.”

Braking comes courtesy of Wilwood vented rotors with six- and four-piston calipers. The carbon-fiber body shell hides double unequal length wishbones with Ohlins dampers, and adaptive dampers are also available. From the get-go, the Spartan Motor Company utilizes Tillet B6 carbon racing seats with matching seat brackets and Sabelt six-point harnesses.

If $150,000 is too much for your budget, remember that the Ariel Atom 3RS with 425 horsepower costs $119,995 before options. Another alternative would be to go old-school with the Caterham 7.

The 620R starts at approximately $72,900 for the rolling chassis, half the price of the Spartan. If you had the money, which of these three would you take to the track? Think carefully, then remember the Caterham is probably the scariest of the lot to wrestle in the twisties.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories