New York 2008: Iconic GTR arrives in Gotham

Click the image above for a high-res gallery of Iconic GTR photos

This is what you need to know about the Iconic GTR: 800 horsepower and 2,200 pounds. Claudio Ballard's dream was to blend the best of modern tech with the best of classic design, and the result is a roadster that takes many of its design cues -- and its monumental power-to-weight ratio -- from another iconic car, the Shelby Cobra. In this case, a carbon fiber body meets F1 tech, heated and cooled carbon fiber seats and synthetic sapphire in the dash. But again, we all know what this car is really about: 724 horsepower/ton. Yeah. Production of the 100 GT's that will grace the planet is to begin in the fall. If you want one, give Mr. Ballard a call once you get your hands on $600,000. Follow the jump for the specs and press release, and check out the hi-res galleries of pics below.

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PRESS RELEASE

ICONIC MOTORS GTR ROADSTER SUPERCAR TO MAKE WORLD AUTO SHOW DEBUT IN NEW YORK

Visionary Custom Car Builder Combines High-End Design, Exquisite Detailing and Innovative Technology

Long Island, N.Y. (March 19, 2008) – The GTR Roadster by Iconic Motors will make its world auto show debut at the New York International Auto Show. A truly groundbreaking automobile, the Iconic GTR boasts 18 pending U.S. patents, a chassis made of high strength chromoly, a carbon fiber passenger tub and carbon fiber body panels, and a high performance air management system with under body inverted carbon fiber wings designed to generate more than 500 pounds of down force at 175 miles per hour.

The Iconic GTR's 1950s inspired body design features many panels constructed of a poly silicate matrix sandwiched between two layers of carbon fiber that results in an incredibly strong light weight and rigid body. With its carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb reinforced chassis having over 20,000 pounds of torsional rigidity, the GTR offers a level of performance handling that rivals that found in many modern race cars.

"I have wanted to build a car that combines the latest innovative technologies with the most exquisite detailing, design and all out performance since the day I began reading car magazines as a kid," said Claudio Ballard, the inventor and visionary behind the GTR Roadster. "Everything from the custom-built, heated and cooled carbon fiber seats to the computerized gas cap that slides open like the glass on a moon roof embodies my vision."

From its luxurious leather and suede hand-stitched interior to its hand-assembled 420-cid/800-horsepower naturally aspirated V-8 engine, the vehicle is a rolling showcase for revolutionary technology shrouded in a racecar. The entire nose clip swings up and forward to reveal the highly detailed engine compartment, showcasing a custom-fabricated engine built to super car racing standards featuring titanium valves, high strength light weight stainless and aluminum components throughout along with the very latest in high performance friction reduction technology. The patent pending shifter mechanism is specifically designed to display its inner workings as a beautiful piece of automotive artwork, and even the gauges, dashboard starter and hazard light push button switches are custom designed from stainless steel and manmade synthetic sapphire with a hardness level just below that of diamond. The dash center console has a 8-inch touch screen display utilizing the same bright-view technology found in military strike fighters and bombers for clear visibility regardless of sunlight exposure in support of its onboard GPS navigation and driver information displays.

The Iconic GTR – proudly designed, engineered and constructed using state-of-the-art computer-aided design and manufacturing technology entirely in the United States with over 99% U.S. sourced materials.

Ballard will build one hundred of these high performance pieces of rolling artwork roadsters. Priced at $600,000, his team will begin taking orders for the Iconic GTR in April with production slated to begin in Fall 2008. For more information, visit www.iconicmotors.com.

Iconic Motors™, the "Iconic" logo, and "GTR" are trademarks of Iconic Motors LLC.

Iconic GTR Specs

- 800+ Horspepower 420 CID (6.9 Liter) Iconic Designed All Aluminum V8
- Fuel Injected, Naturally aspirated, Runs on Premium Pump Gasoline
- 2,200 Pound Curb Weight
- Power to Weight Ratio of 2.75 lb/hp or 727.3 hp per ton
- 200+ MPH Top Speed
- Advanced Carbon Fiber Body Construction
- Hybrid Steel Carbon Fiber Reinforced Chassis
- Chassis Features Integrated Carbon Fiber Passenger Tub
- Torsional Rigidity Approaching 80% of a typical Formula One Race Car
- Formula One Derived Racing Suspension
- Unparallelled Design & Engineering Tolerances
- Hand Assembled Production Vehicle
- Extremely Limited Production of 100 Vehicles

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