Autoblog

Click above for high-res gallery of the Arash AF10

Britain's history is punctuated in no small part by the proliferation of its cottage industry. And while the industrial revolution may have taken care of that to a large degree, it's still alive and thriving in the realm of the supercar. Small independent exotic automakers abound, including names like Ascari, Ultima, Noble, Farboud, Farbio and Arash, to name just a few. Trying to keep track of them all is enough to make your head spin, especially when the same guy is behind the latter three. After selling off Farboud, the new owners changed the name to Farbio and founder Arash Farboud started a new outfit under his first name. What you see here are the first proper images of his latest creation, the Arash AF10.

The carbon-fiber body, which (aside from the adjustable front wing) bears a startling resemblance to the Ferrari Enzo, is laid over a carbon fiber chassis for a sprightly low curb weight of 1,200kg (about 2,600 lbs). Power is provided by the 7-liter pushrod V8 out of the Corvette Z06, tuned from the stock 498 hp up to 530 thanks to new intake and exhaust systems, driving the rear wheels through a manual Graziano gearbox and kept in check by AP Racing brakes. The supercar is expected to sell for about 170k pounds sterling – a fair bit less than the £220k a Lamborghini Murcielago will cost a British customer – and begin delivery sometime next year. A sequential gearbox is expected to join the catalog, as well as the potential for dropping in the supercharged V8 from the Corvette ZR1 a year and a half down the line. In the meantime you can check it out in the gallery below.

[Source: Arash]

Farbio. Not sold on the name, but we're sure there's a good reason behind it. Someone from the English sports car maker will email us and tell us that it's the maiden name of owner Chris Marsh's beloved grandmother or something, so we won't mock it, just state that it doesn't roll off the tongue. Besides, why would we want to upset the maker of such a nicely turned out car as the Farbio GTS?

There are two versions of the mid-engined sportster: fast and faster. Fast is the 262HP GTS, which can run to 60MPH in 4.8 seconds thanks to its 3-liter V6. Faster sees the V6 fitted with a supercharger, boosting the horsepower by over 100 to 384, and shaving 9 tenths off the 0-60 time, which drops to 3.9 seconds. No new ground is broken when it comes to styling, but that's not to say it's ugly, either. The GTS is reminiscent of several of our favorite cars, and the lines are trim and simple. Inside the carbon fiber shell is plenty of comfort with leather and alcantara, a nav system, and enough room for a 6' 6" driver in the Sparco seats. There's even decent storage space in the rump, so you could go grand touring for a weekend with actual luggage. Orders are backed up for the next 8 months, so you'll have time to save.

[Source: World Car Fans]