Automotive

The Joss JP1: Australia's first supercar

The Joss JP1: Australia's first supercar
Australia’s very own supercar, the Joss JP1, is set to be launched on the world stage.
Australia’s very own supercar, the Joss JP1, is set to be launched on the world stage.
View 7 Images
Australia’s very own supercar, the Joss JP1, is set to be launched on the world stage.
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Australia’s very own supercar, the Joss JP1, is set to be launched on the world stage.
Joss JP1 will have a chrome-moly space frame, carbon-fiber bodywork
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Joss JP1 will have a chrome-moly space frame, carbon-fiber bodywork
The new Joss JP1 will have carbon fiber body panels
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The new Joss JP1 will have carbon fiber body panels
The original Joss prototype chassis and drivetrain
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The original Joss prototype chassis and drivetrain
The original Joss prototype, the JT-1
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The original Joss prototype, the JT-1
An early design sketch for the JP1
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An early design sketch for the JP1
The original Joss JT-1 with the design and build team
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The original Joss JT-1 with the design and build team
View gallery - 7 images

Australia’s very own supercar, the Joss JP1, is taking another run at the world stage. With a mid- mounted all-alloy V8, a claimed top speed of around 340 km/h (211 mph), and all of the current technical innovations expected in a modern day supercar, the Joss JP1 is the culmination of years of design and development work aimed squarely at producing a world-beating exotic machine.

Design work on the original Joss prototype, the JT-1, began back in 1998. The first prototype produced was the result of six years of hard work for its creator and founder of Joss Automotive, Matt Thomas, and was set to take on the best from the rest of the world in the supercar stakes. With a mid-mounted V8 engine, a claimed top speed of 300 k/mh (190 mph), and blistering acceleration, it was the epitome of a modern supercar.

Launched at the Melbourne Motor Show in 2004, the prototype created a storm of publicity and the adoration of many. However, once all of the hype died down, customers didn’t materialize. With such a small local market for supercars and potential buyers not willing to throw large amounts of money at a largely unknown vehicle and maker, the JT-1 struggled to find adequate backing and the project seemed destined to fade away.

Fast forward to 2014 and the re-emergence of Joss Automotive with the uprated JP1 version of their vehicle. Premised on the original layout, everything has been re-designed, re-assessed and redone to create a supercar for today, with an all new in-house designed DOHC alloy V8 to replace the existing pushrod version, a bespoke Albins/Joss transaxle, a chrome-moly space frame, carbon-fiber bodywork, and a host of other high-tech improvements and innovations.

Despite all of this engineering work, though, the Australian design regulations are amongst the toughest and most intractable in the world, and would take more money and time to comply with than is reasonably available to a boutique auto maker. The upshot of which means that the first five vehicles built and sold by Joss will only be available as track-day cars.

However, provided that that Joss can raise the necessary capital to fund its venture beyond this stage, the company will then apply for European limited-run approval where – particularly in the UK – the JP1 could actually be registered and used on public roads and compete against other niche builders, such as Caparo, Caterham and Noble.

To raise the necessary capital to take this approach, Joss Automotive has followed the lead of many of today’s entrepreneurs and gone down the crowdfunding route. Recently launched on Kickstarter, the JP1 project aims to raise AUD480,000 (US $446,000) to finish current work and produce the first of the new prototypes.

No official date has been given for a possible launch or impending production. Though, based on the proposed timeline and all going to plan, it would appear that it will be somewhere around two years by the time the first new prototype is produced.

The video below outlines a little of the history of Joss Automotive and shows the original JT-1 prototype in action.

Source: Joss

View gallery - 7 images
11 comments
11 comments
Nairda
AUD480,000 really?
When a Ford XR6 Turbo with some basic mods for under 50k is a sparrow's fart away from 300k/h with limiter removed and 0-100k/h in the fours.
Who is this car for?
GiolliJoker
@ Nairda AUD480,000 is the kickstarter goal, not the price of the car.
Stephen N Russell
Love to rent to X the outback alone IF have enough gas stations enroute from say Sydney to Perth alone Love to rent Must for Aussie tourism marketplace
hdm
there are so many 'supercars' these days...that the club isn't really a club anymore... it will be spaceships next i suppose. always something clever to consume.
Cyndysub
Just what the world needs another gas hog that gobbles fuel at 211 MPH.
johanschaller
Not sure what distinguishes the Joss from other similar vehicles. Seems like the dream of one person, to be funded by many.
Snert
@Cyndysub
There'll only be a handfiul of these on the road - how much fuel do you think that the hundreds of thousands of trucks in the world guzzle through everyday?
Jay Finke
On this model the barbie is in the trunk, for your convenience mate, http://klipd.com/watch/dumb-and-dumber/shrimp-on-the-barbie-scene
Speedbump Andy
The headline models for McLaren, Porsche et al are now using hybrid drive trains (also seamless) and these are the benchmark supercars. Hopefully Joss is looking into this, because that is one sexy beast.
Slowburn
If you are only after 200 odd mph make something comfortable.
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