The Ares S1 Project Is a Corvette-Based Supercar With Serious Style and Crazy Power
The limited-edition beauty boasts “hypercar design, supercar performance, sports car price.”
Ares Design creates custom builds of the Bentley Mulsanne, Land Rover Defender, Porsche 964, as well as this this incredible tribute to the De Tomaso Pantera. But the S1 Project supercar is the Italian coachbuilder’s own…sort of.
Its aggressively forward stance, low-profile silhouette, flowing wheel arches, front splitter, rear spoiler, hood-exit exhaust and hand-crafted carbon fiber panels were all designed in-house. But the 6.2-liter V8, eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, aluminum double wishbone chassis and electronic ride control come from Chevrolet’s latest C8 Corvette. In this application, the engine produces a whopping 715 horsepower, which is good for an estimated 2.7-second zero-to-60 mph time.
That’s exactly 225 more horses than the Z71 Performance-equipped Corvette Stingray develops. Top Gear asked Ares Design boss Dany Bahar how such an output was achieved without forced induction. “It’s all mechanical modifications though, you can’t do this through software,” says Bahar. “The sound it makes takes inspiration from old F1 V10s, very high tonality.”
Inside will be a combination of Alcantara, Napa leather and more carbon fiber. “Essential but minimal lines creating a 3D effect enveloping both driver and passenger with the car’s HMI contained within the central console and dashboard,” Ares’ website reads.
Bahar states that the S1 boasts a “Hypercar design, supercar performance, sports car price,” but a $500,000 ask makes us think that he hasn’t shopped for a Porsche Boxster or BMW Z4 in quite some time. The first of 24 Ares S1 Projects will be delivered in late 2020.
500k a pop might be cheaper than your retro recreations, it’s a hell of lot more than any ‘sports car’ we’ve seen. The S1 Project will have rarity on its side though, with only 24 coupes being built over the next two years – first deliveries at the end of 2020.
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