Genty Automobile has released further details of its 2015 Akylone concept that promises to give even the most potent supercars a run for their money. Some two years after first revealing plans to introduce a new supercar to the market, Genty has now updated and uprated its design to provide even more power, with a 366 CID V8 with twin turbos that promises to put out more than 1,200 bhp, and provide the Akylone with a blistering 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 2.7 seconds.
Add to this a tire-shredding 861 ft lb (1,167 Nm) of torque, and a top speed estimated at around 220 mph (354 km/h) and the 2015 Akylone moves into hypercar territory. With a chassis to be constructed from a composite of carbon fiber and aluminum, the Akylone will also be light, weighing in at around 2,400 lb (1,100 kg), which should also add not only to its speed, but its cornering and stopping ability as well.
Combine these figures with a supporting mechanical ensemble of a 6-speed sequential gear shift, dry sump lubrication, carbon ceramic discs, and a 42/58 percent weight distribution, and you have the recipe for a prime hypercar that should sit comfortable alongside rivals like the Bugatti Veyron, the Mclaren 650S, and the Ferrari LaFerrari.
Though still only a drawing board concept, Genty Automobile has employed Idiada homologation services – a company that homologates many supercars – in Barcelona to audit the project, to ensure that the Akylone complies with all specified requirements for road use. As a result, the company claims that only crash testing on the prototype will be required to have the 2015 Akylone certified for use on public highways.
Genty Automobile is a French company, and plans to build a factory to produce the 2015 Akylone in the small town of St Pourcain sur Sioule in the center of France. Testing is proposed to take place on the airfield of Vichy Charmeil with further possible development on the Michelin De Ladoux test track. A timeline for these objectives is yet to be announced.
The video below shows a full 360 degree fly around view of the 2015 Genty Akylone concept.
Source: Genty Automobile
When Ford sold the GT in 2006 for ~150k MSRP you couldn't buy one even at a dealership for under about $250k because of demand. Today they still fetch about $300k.
With even the current Camaro running a 7:37 Nürburgring lap time (2010 Ferarri Italia was 7:32, 2008 Koenigsegg CCX was 7:33) it seems evident that the major auto manufacturers could probably build "hypercar" class vehicles for way under the $600k+ that boutique supercar companies are charging. Ford probably didn't charge enough money for the GT but a lot of major manufacturers could probably make a competitive supercar for under $250.
The bigger question is why aren't they doing it? With a new supercar company coming out of the woodwork every month selling cars for over half a million dollars it seems like the demand is there.
If making 800HP+ cars for $250k isn't interesting enough they could always try to chase after cars like the $850k Porsche 918 Hybrid Spyder that posted a crazy 6:57 Nürburgring lap time.
I get that it's hard to be profitable selling Vipers for $70k but in a post government bailout word it seems almost negligent for some of the major car companies not to produce a car anywhere in the $100k to $1,500,00 price range. Even if they don't make a pile of profit there's enough room to fund R&D in that segment trying to chase down the performance gap of cars like the Porsche 918 Hybrid and in a lot of ways even the Tesla Model S.
I don't know too many people who would be willing to pay an extra few thousand dollar premium just so the manufacturer can float a super/hyper car which will likely never be had by the average car buyer.