The objective,
according to company boss Jesper Jensen, was not to build a road rocket that
could outdo the Veyron in terms of raw pace (although the claimed figures –
0-62mph in 3.0sec and 233mph max - aren’t too shabby).
Instead, the idea was
to come up with car that could easily be driven every day, yet which could also
double as a track weapon.
The ST1 was initially
designed as a rolling chassis, built around a steel backbone with
double-wishbone suspension and three-way Öhlins adjustable dampers. The massive
7.0-litre supercharged and turbocharged V8 was positioned longitudinally
directly behind the passenger cell, and the armoury of radiators and other
ancillaries were then scattered around the car.
Once all the hardware
was in place and functioning to their satisfaction, the Zenvo crew called on
Danish designer Christian Brandt to pen the contours of the carbonfibre
bodyshell. The car you see here is the prototype, which has clocked up more
than 45,000 miles - and isn't looking at all shabby for it.
The V8 motor is roused
into action by twisting an ignition knob on the centre console to the right,
depressing the clutch and then pressing the start button atop the chunky
piston-shaped gearlever while simultaneously giving the gas pedal a generous
prod or two. The 7.0-litre motor erupts into life with a raucous bark, but it
immediately settles into a civilised idle.
You'll find that the
clutch doesn’t call for Schwarzenegger-esque quadriceps, but slotting the
six-speed Ricardo gearbox into first gear (or any other ratio) requires a firm
hand. Zenvo technical guru Troels Vollersten explains the gearshift linkages
are a bit worn on the prototype car, and that a new set would make for far
easier shifting.
The ST1 has three
engine modes – normal, sport and race – liberating 650bhp, 850bhp and 1104bhp
respectively, and selection of any of these is a mere twist-knob away. Traction
control is fully operational in the normal mode, and partially so in sport… but
you’re on your own in the full-power race mode.
The seat of my pants tells me even the 650bhp setting will be
enough to see off most rivals, provided you’re deft enough with your clutch and
gearchange work. This is no Honda S2000-style rifle-bolt gearchange requiring mere flicks of the wrist.
Instead you need to manhandle the alloy knob from one ratio to the next as
shifts are neither light nor quick (but perhaps the new linkages alluded to
earlier would help).
Fortunately, the
engine’s power delivery is relatively smooth and progressive – there’s no
alarming peaks or troughs – but the blown V8 doesn’t particularly enjoying
lugging at low speeds in high gear. This, plus the stubbornness of the manual
gearbox, suggests the six-speed paddle-shift sequential – made by Xtrac – will
be the better choice for most.
In no-holds-barred 1104bhp mode the ST1 is virtually as quick as
anything I’ve ever driven – Bugatti Veyron included. However, where the Bugatti cossets you and insulates
you from much of the violence taking place in the engine room, the Zenvo
assaults you with an aural and physical battering.
Unleashing the full
quota of power is partially achieved by opening up flaps in the exhaust, which
means noise levels instantly escalate to conversation-killing levels, and full-throttle
gearshifts are accompanied by a slight twitch from the chassis as 1055lb ft of
twisting force does its best to unstick the steamroller rear tyres from the
bitumen.
The Zenvo's brakes are
massive Brembos (380mm at the front and 355mm at the rear), but given that I’m
being intensely scrutinised by Vollersten, who’s riding shotgun, I resist the
urge to stomp all over them.
Ride quality is
somewhere between firm and rock-hard, but the production car will have a choice
of three settings – comfort, normal and sport. Vollersten says shock-absorber
specialist Öhlins could provide up to 30 settings for their dampers, but this
would be just too much choice for most owners.
The key question: is
the Zenvo special enough to warrant its exorbitant price tag? To be honest, I
can’t quite see £750,000 - the quoted figure at the time - worth of value in
the car, but perhaps the lure of being one of only 15 people to own an ST1 will
be the clincher for some. Those that miss the boat will have to hold out for
the ST2.
"Old very cute and small cars" is a delightful blog post that takes us down memory lane, reminiscing about the charm and allure of vintage, compact vehicles. These adorable cars have a special place in our hearts, evoking a sense of nostalgia and appreciation for their unique designs and timeless appeal.
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