Since it launched in 2013, the limited edition Icona Vulcano has been a showstopper. The boutique brand followed with a one-off titanium version two years later, but apparently being the only titanium car in the world isn't enough to woo a suitable buyer. Icona has been shopping the Vulcano Titanium around, and following forays into the USA and China, the car has now returned to Europe.
Titanium is a logical fit for service in supercars, but its mix of light weight, strength and rust-proof properties haven't been fully utilized because of its exorbitant cost. Sure, there are titanium components in some supercars, but the material isn't widely used in the motoring world.
Given its status as a low-volume, ultra-expensive supercar, price isn't really an issue for the Vulcano Titanium. Although some carbon fiber is woven into the mix, the Titanium's body is almost entirely made up of, well, titanium. Each car takes 1,000 hours to build, but the results are well-and-truly worth the wait. The Vulcano is the first car to have a body made of the lightweight material, and it possesses a totally unique look among the growing crowd of small-batch supercars.
Although the body is utterly unique, the engine isn't. Under the shapely hood lies a supercharged LS9 V8 making 670 hp (500 kW) in standard trim, but Icona says it can be cranked up to 1,200 hp (895 kW) if the owner so desires. That's 200 hp (149 kW) more than initially claimed, but peak torque is down from 840 to 820 Nm (620 to 605 lb-ft).
The engine is hooked up to to a close-ratio paddleshift gearbox and, according to Icona, the powertrain was put together by ex-Ferrari engineer Claudio Lombardi and ex-Lancia man Mario Cavagnero. Those are some serious credentials.
Performance is predictably impressive. The 3,516-lb (1,595-kg) – interestingly, the same as the carbon-bodied original – Vulcano Titanium will sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 2.8 seconds, will carry on to 120 mph (193 km/h) in 8.8 seconds and tops out at 217 mph (350 km/h). Brembo provides the brakes, and the shock absorbers can be adjusted for both rebound and compression.
Thus far, that mechanical package hasn't lured a buyer for Icona. Having shopped the car around in the USA, complete with a US$2.78 million price, the company hopped across to China with the car, and a ¥68 million sticker. The car is currently on the ground in Antibes, France ahead of the Cannes Film Festival, where potential suitors can test drive it for the first time.
So, what price all this supercharged titanium goodness? Well, it doesn't come cheap, with pricing starting at €2,500,000 in Europe. But surely someone will be willing to pay for an utterly unique, good-looking supercar. Surely. Anyone?
Source: Icona