It’s not the first time the two firms have worked together on such a project, as in 1938 the sleek SW 38 was created by Maybach for Fulda to demonstrate their latest tyre technology. The aim of the 1938 car was to achieve 125mph, the latest Exelero coupe already having been clocked at 218.38mph in the hands of ex-DTM champion, Klaus Ludwig at the Nardo high-speed test facility in Italy. Constructed using the Maybach 57 platform, Stola, the Italian specialist manufacturer was commissioned to build the Exelero. Its creation links another partner of that original SW 38 project – Pforzheim Polytechnic Department of Transport Design.
The Polytechnic co-ordinated the design of the Exelero’s dramatic lines via a competition among students. 24-year-old, Fredrik Burchhardt’s design was chosen as the eventual winner. The sleek lines penned by Burchhardt aren’t the only reason why the Exelero is capable of its 200mph+ top speed, as Maybach has increased the capacity of its bi-turbo V12 from 5.6-litres to 5.9-litres. The changes boosts power from 550bhp to nearly 700bhp. That’s enough to allow the Exelero to sprint to 60mph in just 4.4 seconds using super 100 octane fuel, despite a kerb weight of 2.66 tonnes.
# posted by masquerader @ 12:11 ::
