Melling Hellcat to join supercar ranks later this year
Legendary British engine designer Al Melling (right) is reported to be in the final stages of developing an all-new British supercar - the Melling Hellcat - for a November launch.The Hellcat will be powered by a 700-hp Melling-developed 6-liter V10. Rather than using conventional castings, the engine block and cylinder heads for the new engine are said to be milled from billet aluminum. The front-engine, rear-drive car will feature a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis and body, with a projected curb weight of only 2,640 lb. Power and light weight are projected to combine for 0-60 mph performance in the 2.8 second range.
Melling (aka "Mr. Horsepower" in Britain) has been working on V10s for some time, designing a ten-cylinder powerplant for the abortive Lola Formula 1 project in the late '90s, and continuing prototype V10 development for a stillborn F1 engine lease program.
Not content with building a limited production road car, Melling apparently plans to develop a GT1-class racing version of the Hellcat, to compete with the Chevrolet Corvette and Aston Martin DBR9 in the 2007 running of the Le Mans endurance classic.
[Sources: PistonHeads, Melling Consultancy Design]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Howard Kerr 11:50AM (5/11/2006)
From the sound of it, the Hellcat will make the Bugatti Veyron look about as sophisticated as Fred Flintstones car.
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Proud Japanese 12:47PM (5/11/2006)
Now this is what I call an engine.
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Lee Gibson 1:36PM (5/11/2006)
On what planet is a W-16 engine with four turbochargers unsophisticated?
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Phil Norton 6:23AM (5/24/2006)
WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO DRIVE A BEAUTY LIKE THIS,
THIS COULD BE USED FOR ORGANISED CRIME , OR WORSE
THE OLD BILL MIGHT PICK THIS UP ABROAD OR IS THIS FOR THE FILM INDUSTRY .............?
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jameshoy 2:04AM (2/17/2007)
fantastic car nice guy
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