"The Dragon is an entirely new kind of hypercar, one that wasn't possible until now." So promises the American-Italian team behind Drako Motors, a young, ambitious electric hypercar shop that previously brought us the GTE sedan. And it's 100-percent correct – the world has not previously seen a hypercar quite like the Dragon, a fire-breathing e-SUV that develops up to 2,000 hp, runs the quarter-mile faster than a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, and carries a family of five, plus groceries.
The Drako GTE was interesting for about a minute and a half but was way more forgettable than any 1,200-hp hyper-sedan should be, lost in a recent flood of prettier 1,000-hp+ hypercars from far more established names. In fact, we did actually forget about it shortly after its 2019 Pebble Beach debut.
But the Dragon seems just the type of reminder to ensure the world doesn't forget the name "Drako" again. The company's second car will immediately debut as one of the most powerful vehicles in the world should it materialize in reality the way it appears on paper. And it'll do so as a five-seat SUV with gull-wing doors and a finely tailored carbon fiber bodysuit styled in Turin, Italy.
From what we can tell from today's teaser photos, the Dragon's styling will be much less derivative and more memorable than the Karma-esque GTE's. Drako employed the help of Lowie Vermeersch, former design director of Pininfarina, and his Granstudio design firm. The golden light-bathed bodywork peeking out from behind the shadows suggests a sleek fastback with compelling aerodynamic channels, bright LED snake eyes, and equally sharp but more numerous blades of LED light illuminating the rear-end.
Tech and engineering take place across the Atlantic in Silicon Valley, and the Dragon will come powered by Drako's DriveOS Quad Motor Powertrain with pinpoint control of positive and negative torque at each wheel. All told, the four motors put out up to 2,000 hp and empower a 1.9-second 0-60 mph (96.5 km/h) sprint, 9-second quarter-mile and 200-mph+ (322-km/h+) top speed. Or so Drako estimates.
Those numbers would look impressive on the most streamlined electric sports coupes the world over, but they're absolutely crazy when attached to a five-seat utility vehicle meant (or at least advertised) for on-/off-road driving. A three-stage suspension system helps tune for that purported road/trail versatility.
Inside its spread wings, the Dragon will go for the "Old World comfort" of a spacious cabin clad in fine, supple leather. It will even save room for luggage behind its five comfortable occupants.
Drako promises competitive pricing within a super-SUV segment comprising models with less than half the Dragon's horsepower. It will host the full reveal later this year.
Source: Drako Motors
