Filed under: Aftermarket, Supercars, Misc. Auto Shows
Plethore supercar by HHT Locus Technologies to debut in Montreal
Nicknamed the "Quebec Bomb" by designer Luc Chartrand, the 2007 Plethore from HHT Locus Technologies is set to explode on to the exotic car scene at the 2007 Montreal International Auto Show in late January.
Constructed completely from carbon fiber, the mid-engine Plethore tips the scales at a mere 2,450 lbs. In standard guise, the GM-sourced 8.2-liter V8 sends 750 horsepower through the Tremec 6-speed manual gearbox with optional engine packages up to 1,300 horsepower available. To put that into perspective, let's run some numbers. In standard form, the Plethore only needs to move 3.27 pounds with each horsepower generated by the big V8. Compare that to the Bugatti Veyron at 3.52 lbs/hp and you get an idea of the potential of this vehicle. Even crazier is the number with the available 1,300 horsepower package; an astounding 1.88 lb/hp that cozies right up to an F1 car at around 1.65 lb/hp.
Thanks to Raoul for the tip!
[Source: CNW Group]
Like a McLaren F1, the Plethore has a central driving position for the driver and sports two passenger seats in the rear to either side of the driver. The company states that the vehicle can comfortably seat three passengers up to 6'6" in height, quite a feat for an exotic, and comes standard with most of the creature comforts available in luxury cars.
Pricing for he 2007 Plethore starts at around $330,000 CDN or about $288,000 US. Not a bad deal considering the performance potential. If the Plethore performs anywhere near what the numbers say it should, this could be the supercar deal of the century. For the price of a single Bugatti Veyron, which it should outperform, you could fill your garage with the Plethore, an MB S63 AMG, a Bentley Continental Flying Spur and still have enough left over for a vacation house in the country.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
M3 1:35PM (12/21/2006)
Seems everyone is building a supercar these days. To bad they keep throwing chevy engines in them.
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John P. 1:56PM (12/21/2006)
They "throw" Chevy engines in them because it gives more bang for the buck than anything on the planet. Also. the development hours in this engine through GM and Nascar to name two is astronomical. 9000RPM chevy engines that run 500 miles week in - week out in nascar are great machines.
It's a great/proven/reliable engine with SOOOOOOOO much potential.
Also, remember, a good/average mechanic can work on it using tools and know-how they already have.
I'd probably use a GM or Ford Engine too if I was building a Supercar. Veyron crushing performance with a Chevy engine sounds great to me. Bye-Bye Bugatti.
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Carguy 2:08PM (12/21/2006)
Just what the world needs - another overpriced toy for people with more money than taste. The good news is that once the NASDAQ loses a few points most of these nouveau supercars and $200K 'tuners' will end up at auction for bargain prices.
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Mr_Oak 2:12PM (12/21/2006)
1. Seems everyone is building a supercar these days. To bad they keep throwing chevy engines in them.
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GM/Ford engines will run to the moon and back with the proper maintenance. Can't say the same of Lambo, Audi,BMW, Ferrari, Porsche or any of the other supercars out there. Using a GM engine is a no brainer.
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V Greene 2:29PM (12/21/2006)
Mr_Oak, tell me you didn't just say they're more reliable than bloody PORSCHE engines. C'mon. I was with you until that ridiculous statement.
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DJH 2:35PM (12/21/2006)
GM engines are fattys, slip in a highly tuned Nissan or Acura engine and you could shave a lot of weight.
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AD 2:36PM (12/21/2006)
at 1,300 HP does it matter who makes the engine?
One other point, the Big 3 have been working to make superpowered engines for just as long if not longer than the europeans.
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Car videos & Motorcycle videos 2:37PM (12/21/2006)
If this isn't Batman's next car I don't know what is.
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Teq 2:37PM (12/21/2006)
Beautiful.
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Mr_Oak 3:09PM (12/21/2006)
5. Mr_Oak, tell me you didn't just say they're more reliable than bloody PORSCHE engines. C'mon. I was with you until that ridiculous statement.
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Porsche turbos, are fragile and high maintenance engines. Where are all the wonderful 928s, 924s and 944s today? Know what's funny, some of them actually now have chevy engines in them.
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cesar 3:15PM (12/21/2006)
#6 did you not read the article! This weighs less than the Bugatti, and you're calling the engine a fatty. Get your facts straight! An LS7 weights 458lbs, and compare that to the M5's engine a 5.0 which should weigh less than a 7.0 weighs 529lbs!
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dan 3:28PM (12/21/2006)
Isn't part of the reason that the bugatti is so heavy is the AWD system? Will this car be able to have enough traction to put 1300 hp to some use?
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Justin 3:28PM (12/21/2006)
simpler/cheaper
relatively less stressed for a given power output due to the larger displacement
an actual powerband, boosted or N/A
a muscular sound
reasons why i would also choose the gm 8.2 ohv v8 over a low displacement 4 or 6 cylinder
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Brad 3:47PM (12/21/2006)
I'm definitely not feeling that front end. $330,000/$288,000USD? I'd buy myself a 2007 Porsche 911 Turbo and then a Mercedes CLS63 AMG.
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ruggels 5:23PM (12/21/2006)
man what was VW thinking spending all that time and money on the veyron, it really is just this easy to build a car with more HP, that's just as drivable in every condition, and will handily beat the veyron (and by default an F1 car and the McLaren F1) to 60, 200, and it's top speed. Traction's awfully easy with 1000+hp going to two wheels, and there's a huge variety of tires out there capable of handling all that HP/TQ all the way up to a veyron beating top speed. CAKE. Hell why did Murray spend so much effort building the McLaren F1 anyways, again, all it takes is a V8, some forced induction, and you’ve got a McLaren beater with significantly less R&D or racing heritage, simple as pie.
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Steve Neill 6:11PM (12/21/2006)
How do I reach the creator of this car?
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gbh 9:02PM (12/21/2006)
Mr_Oak,
You might want to go hang out in some shops that build front-engined water-cooled Porsches. (And their dyno guys who dyno GM/F/DCX engines on the same rig).
The flat-6 does have some odd reliablity issues, but there's a boatload of 944/951/928s out there with boatloads of miles on them.
I have many customers with over 150K on their rountinly maintained 928s and 951s. I have several over 300K (thats miles, not km, BTW).
*Please* go build yourself a 550 CHP force inducted 5L Chevy. Use the best parts you can buy. Then go take a bone stock used 5L V8 out of a 928 and strap on turbo/s/twinscrew/whatever for about 9PSI of boost (also about 550 CHP).
Drive/dyno them both till they explode.
If the Chevy lasts even half as long as the Porsche, you will have just witnessed a miracle. You will have also spent more (MUCH more) building the Chevy.
GM crate motors are cheap, readily available, and easy to get certified. That's why those builders use them. Hardly because they last, especially when hopped up. Many of those guys would love to have used Benz V8/V12s in their creations, but those aren't quite as easy to get cheaply.
Don't get me wrong, if you want a brain-dead, easy install lump that puts out 550TQ/525HP NA, then by all means get a 500+ CI crate Ford/GM. But good luck with it lasting more than about 30K before it needs a rebuild.
Ruggels, I do generally agree with your (buckets of) sarcasm. LOL. Somebody does have to spend the money initially.
But, I have tools and techniques in my (slightly above average) toolbox that the top manufacturers did not have in their labs 10 years ago. Once somebody else does the R&D, it really can be pretty cheap and easy.
Also, anybody can go get a used race car (as long as it isn't 'important') and shove a tuned turbo V6/V8 in it. (Old Champcar, Indy, Cart, etc.)
License it as a kitcar, and run it on the street. I'll build you one for under $150K out the door. It'll only seat one, but I guarantee you'll make it back with a big profit in one day - racing Enzo/Carrera GT/SLR owners for pink slips.
Also, much of the massive R&D and engineering expenses set in when you do the performance *with* the killer stereo, a/c, loads of sound-deadening, air bags, and leather covered power everything.
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Carlos 9:16PM (12/21/2006)
Chevy small blocks not lasting more than 30 thousand miles eh? Well I guess all those Corvette Z06 owners are in for a surprise aren't they. O wait also tell that to the owners of a 572 or any other GM built V8. I believe you have only seen the ugly side of GM. You should see what this engine is capable of. Also I'm not knocking Porsche/BMW engines because I know they are built like tanks, and if well maintained just like any engine should, they will last for a very long time. So please if you honestly don't know, then don't knock it till you try it?
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ruggels 9:33PM (12/21/2006)
thanks gbh, lots of great points, and buckets of sarcasm is what i do best :P. It's annoying to hear people assert that an extremely high powered, daily drivable, record breaking super-car is a relatively elementary exercise. Far from it. People like Pagani have shown us that there are still true super-car manufacturers out there, capable of utilizing the aforementioned absurdly expensive Merc V12 power-plants, and as Pagani has also illustrated, if you do spend time and effort and utilize a significant amount of know how, you too can compete with the big boys. where the sarcasm becomes useful is when people just jump on these press releases and afford these manufactures, untested, with the same legitimacy of the big boys and oft decry the accomplishments of VW, et-al. Anyone driven that 1.9s 0-60 super-car that was posted a few months ago? no? didn't think so. The McLaren will stand out for the most marvelous purpose built super-car ever, the veyron most likely as the idiot proof ridiculously fastest supercar ever built. All these other manufactures who fill in the dead space between do deserve their due diligence and credit after their claims have actually been tested, their cars delivered, etc.
I hated the S7 when I last had a chance to sit in one, sitting on the green at a certain beach with lots of little rocks. However upon seeing how that design, when in motion, simply sucks the O2 off the entire freeway, I get it, and I appreciate it. Will it be faster then a McLaren F1 around the track? or a Veyron in a straight line? meh. Will this car beat either at either game? doubtful. The exercise of producing a high horsepower superior in your garage is impressive, even as the amount of people engaging in such builds seems to increase on a monthly basis... But building a world class super-car, one which has the capable clamoring to purchase one, and one which will remain on the tips of peoples tongues ten years down the road, takes a lot more then a generically different front end and a blown V8.
Power to weight impressive? sure. So is an S2000 as mentioned, etc. I’m just finding it harder to get excited about they Vector stand ins given just how frequently the crop up. If this thing manages to rape the topgear leader board like the Ascari, or some other impressive feat, while not breaking down in high profile form, i’ll be impressed... though why we’re debating reliability among super-cars (myself included) is a bit beyond me :).
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mxrz 11:43PM (12/21/2006)
#4 - Can't say the same for Audi? My KO4'ed 1.8T four banger has been making almost twice the stock horsepower for 68K miles on stock internals, driven in Canadian winters, abused once a week on a race track... I've done nothing but change oil every 5K miles, and changed the timing belt, at 65K miles.
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