Recently, we came across a letter from a reader which piqued our interest. Normally, it's all complaints about us being "so-called professionals" and not delivering enough "consumer information", but this one was a little bit different.
Ahoy, lads.
It would appear I have found myself in a spot of good fortune. I recently sold my AI tech start-up to a certain monopoly empire from Silicon Valley and I want to stand out from the crowd in their banal Bugattis and Koenigseggs, which are too commonplace for my liking. After all, as my hero, Syndrome, once said, "When everyone is super, no one will be." What are my options?
Kind regards,
Mr Hait Mi (San Francisco, USA)
We hear you, Hait. It's tough out there for the entrepreneurs with an insatiable desire to climb the social status totem pole. It seems that cars from the traditional hypercar fold – think Bugatti, Koenigsegg, and Pagani – have seemingly become as prevalent as the humble Camry.
However, fear not for there is hope.
May we suggest one of those new fandangle restomods everyone seems to be talking about? The favourite farmer's market of the rich, Monterey Car Week, has just finished and there was no shortage of new-old metal on display. Here are three of the best for you to choose from:
Eccentrica Diablo
Contrary to popular belief, the Countach isn't the ultimate Lamborghini poster car. The often under appreciated Diablo from the nineties is.
Eccentrica's reimagining of the Diablo preserves the original's presence while baking in some of the most delicious design elements we've seen. To name a few, there's pre-preg carbon fibre everywhere, a sharper grille, and an exposed engine bay with a 'Teppanyaki plate' that serves the dual role of dissipating engine heat and cooking wagyu beef. 美味しい!
Inside, there's a new six-speed open-gate manual transmission, digital displays, and an authentically compromised driving position. The end result is a car that, in our mind, shades the sterile designs of most modern performance cars.
It's not all slap and no bracelet, either. Eccentrica's restomod retains the Diablo's 5.7-litre naturally aspirated V12, but it now churns out 409kW (557PS) rather than the paltry 367kW (486PS) mustered by the original. Thanks to a risqué, partially-exposed Capristo exhaust, it ought to sound tasty, too.
No pop-up headlights, sadly. Still, what a thing.
355 by Evoluto
Never before has a car evoked such dissonance within me.
On the one hand, I'm appalled that someone has taken a buzz saw to one of the greatest supercars of the 20th Century. On the other hand, I cannot help but admire the execution.
Remastered by the wizard that is Ian Callum, the 355 by Evoluto is a striking thing with an interior that looks like it was inspired by a seedy Italian nightclub.
Evoluto are targeting a weight of 1250kg. With up to 372kW (507PS) on offer from a V8 that revs to a dizzying 8500rpm, it ought to be something of a firecracker. Hopefully not literally.
Tuthill GT One
Arguably the most intriguing car at Monterey Car Week, the Tuthill GT One is a 1200kg, road-legal hat tip to 1990s Le Mans racing and pure want.
The GT One is made of the sort of stuff that makes Ark & Sons' editorial director Patrick Jackson squeal like a piglet that's discovered mud for the first time. It comes with a 4.0 litre, flat-six engine available in both naturally aspirated (373kW/493PS) and forced induction (447kW/592PS) versions. You can have either a seven-speed dual clutch or manual transmission. There's an exhaust system that's made from Inconel – y'know, the stuff Elon Musk uses in his SpaceX Raptor Rocket engines. The list goes on and on and on...
And just look at it! Shut up and take my money.
Eccentrica Diablo
Price (MSRP): A$1.9million (approx)
Units: 19
Engine: 5.7-litre V12
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Drivetrain: RWD
Differential: Limited slip
Power: 409kW // 557PS at 7000rpm
Torque: 600Nm // 442lb-ft at 6500rpm
0-100km/h (0-62mph): 3.8 seconds
Top Speed: 335km/h // 208mph
Weight: <1625kg // 3582lbs (kerb)
355 by Evoluto
Price (MSRP): A$1.3million+ (approx)
Units: 55
Engine: 3.5-litre V8
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Drivetrain: RWD
Differential: Limited slip
Power: From 309kW // 414PS
Weight: 1250kg // 2756lbs (kerb)
Tuthill GT One
Price (MSRP): TBC
Units: 22
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six, available with forced induction
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch or manual
Drivetrain: RWD
Power: 373-447kW // 507-608PS
Weight: 1200kg // 2646lbs (kerb)
