In my part of the world, quad bikes (or ATVs) are everywhere. They're great for dropping in and out of the fields to check the vines, as well as hitting the road or dirt track for a bit of well-earned fun. Although there are quite powerful examples, for the most part quads are unlikely to generate the same kind of drool as, say, a Ducati superbike. That's certainly not true of Lazareth's Wazuma V8F - which is built around a 250 horsepower Ferrari 3 liter V8 engine, features a BMW gearbox and sports customized Brembo braking and Momo rims. As you've probably already worked out, though, this unique beast of a quad doesn't come cheap.
Based on the company's Wazuma R1 (which was built around a Yamaha R1 1000cc engine), the Wazuma V8F has two spaced front wheels and two attached/closed wheels at the rear - somewhat blurring the obvious lines between Spyder-like trikes and Venom Evil-like quad bikes. Built as a company showpiece and first displayed at Top Marques 2010 in Monaco, Ludovic Lazareth's one-off creation features a Ferrari 3.0L V8 engine that's capable of delivering 250 horsepower, a handlebar-controlled six-speed sequential gearbox from a BMW M3, and four made-to-measure horizontal shocks made by EMC.
The Ferrari-red-colored V8F quad weighs just 650 kg (1,433 pounds) and benefits from electric power steering, modified 18-inch Momo (+Power) rims with slick tires and Brembo calipers on four 324mm disc brakes. It's said to incorporate the injection system of two sport bike engines, electronically-controlled by a Sybelle system. There are eight intake funnels for 4 exhaust outlets and a huge cooling radiator. Engine management can be modified via a computer.
Custom car and motorcycle maker Lazareth - based in Annecy, France - is no stranger to demanding top prices for its custom creations, and has quite an exotic vehicle pedigree that includes designing and building the FZR Turbo motorcycle for the film Babylon AD and the supercharged Buell XB12S that impressed us back in 2007.
The company's Wazuma V8F is now up for sale for the asking price of EUR 200,000 (US$261,000), which is only a few thousand Euros less than the quoted European price of the forthcoming Ferrari 458 Spider sports car (EUR 226,800 in Europe/US$257,000 in the U.S.), but with the latter you'll get a 4.5 liter V8 engine, a top speed of just under 200 mph (320 km/h) and protection from less-than-dry weather conditions in the shape of an automated folding aluminum hard-top roof.
Before you jump in with checkbook in hand, though, you might want to get in touch with your local transport authority to make sure that the V8F is road legal where you intend to ride it. Lazareth has clearly already done so on its home turf, as you can see from this very brief video of the Wazuma V8F on the road:
