Automotive

Jannarelly welcomes summer with $55K retro roadster

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The Jannarelly Design-1 draws inspiration from roadsters of the 1950s and 60s
Anthony Jannarelly has also designed W Motors hypercars like the Fenyr Supersport, as well as the Zarooq Sand Racer
The Design-1 wears a very distinctive profile
Signed sculpture
The initial private unveiling was held at Tomini Classics gallery
The Design-1 mixes and mingles with its predecessors
Jannarelly teased the Design-1 late last year and revealed the prototype last month
The Design-1 is powered by a mid-rear 304-hp V6
Jannarelly Design-1 reveal
Jannarelly says that it's secured 20 orders
Jannarelly is also working to establish a dealership network
Up close and personal
The Design-1 draws much inspiration from the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa
Jannarelly Automotive reveals the Design-1 prototype
Jannarelly intends to begin production in the coming months
We can almost see the rear design in this one ... but not completely
The public unveiling was held outside Le Tresor cafe
The design has round, fender-mounted mirrors and a tiny windscreen
Jannarelly Design-1
The simple interior helps Jannarelly keep weight to 1,565 lb
Jannarelly Design-1
The Design-1 is broad and muscular in back and sleek and slender up front
Jannarelly Design-1
The Design-1 gives the feeling of a form of energy shooting forward from a broad, powerful base
The Jannarelly Design-1 draws inspiration from roadsters of the 1950s and 60s
Jannarelly held both events in Dubai
Not a bad view with lunch
The Jannarelly is the latest classically inspired roadster
Jannarelly Design-1 closeup
We like the "design," but hopefully it gets a more creative name in production
Jannarelly is still listing an estimated US$55K price on its website
Jannarelly Design-1
The headlight design has changed a little since the sketches
Jannarelly Design-1
View gallery - 33 images

We're not sure 1950s/60s roadsters and coupes have ever been more beloved ... even in the 1950s and 60s. The originals continue to sell for insane prices, and homages continue to materialize. Not two months after we looked at the Italian-designed Effeffe Berlinetta, another classically inspired sports car has emerged into the sunlight. Penned to life by Anthony Jannarelly and built with the carbon fiber expertise of Frederic Juillot, the Design-1 is a sleek, simple roadster inspired by roadsters of yore. And if the estimated US$55,000 price tag sticks, it's also a relatively cheap ticket to fast, stylish open-top driving.

Jannarelly Automotive held two unveilings in Dubai last month, before launching a broader media campaign this week. A private unveiling was held on May 25 at Tomini Classics car gallery and was followed two days later by a public unveiling outside Le Trésor, a classic car cafe.

"Tomini Classics was really the perfect place to launch the Design-1," says Anthony Jannarelly. "It was also challenging as we decided to surround our modern creation with some of the most iconic cars in the history, such as the Dino 246GT and the Shelby Cobra, amongst many others."

The initial private unveiling was held at Tomini Classics gallery

The Cobra was one of the influences behind the 1960s-esque Design-1, as was the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa. You can see both in the Design-1's silhouette, which looks unchanged from the drawings and appears every bit the powerful wave surging forward from muscular haunches as it did on paper. The rolling, sharply defined front fenders, tiny windscreen, aerodynamically carved sides and roll-bar-hooded yellow seats have all made the journey from sketch to prototype.

The Jannarelly is the latest classically inspired roadster

A few minor changes include the touched up headlamps and a passenger side-view mirror. It looks like the rear license plate holder might have gotten a slight redesign, but it's hard to tell because there isn't one tail-on rear-end shot in Jannarelly's two folders of live photos. The encircled "1" on the trunk has thankfully been left in the sketchpad, leaving the smoother silver paint and red stripes unmarred.

We liked the Design-1 when we saw it on paper, and it really pops to life under the natural sunlight. It's not quite as smooth or seamless as some of the classics it references, or the aforementioned Effeffe Berlinetta, but it has a compelling look of its own. And for $55K, it's something of a deal for a hand-built small-batch roadster.

Not a bad view with lunch

The main specs below that stylish body haven't changed. A tubular steel chassis with aluminum structural panels teams with the fiberglass or carbon bodywork to keep weight as low as 1,565 lb (710 kg). A mid-rear mounted 304-hp (227-kW) V6 engine drives the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. The 0-60 mph (96.5 mph) sprint gets done in an estimated four seconds, and the car tops out at 135 mph (225 km/h).

Jannarelly Automotive is currently testing and refining the prototype and working on setting up its European and North American dealership network. It plans to begin production in the Northern Hemisphere summer and says that it's confirmed 20 orders so far.

Source: Jannarelly Automotive

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4 comments
Timelord
That would have looked right at home in the old Speed Racer cartoon. I like it.
Nomen
I hate to say this but those aren't very good performance numbers for 1565 lbs and and rear engine 304 hp. That's around 5.2 lbs/hp compared to a base Corvette's 7 lb/hp. The front engine Corvette will do slightly sub 4 seconds on the 0-60mph and top out near 200mph while costing the same.
Tom Lee Mullins
I think that looks really nice. I like the price. It is very reasonable for such a vehicle.
noteugene
Since when is 55k cheap? I'd say near affordable for most middle class but I wouldn't say cheap.