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]
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]
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