Naran Automotive reveals GT3-inspired 1048bhp hypercar

That body is also considerable. In the west London garage in which Naran Automotive’s static model was revealed, it all but dwarfed a nearby Rolls-Royce, and the chief engineer of the project, former Jaguar Land Rover man Steve Pegg, claims the car is roughly as wide as BMW’s M8 GTE Le Mans car. However, weight is said to be around 1620kg, which would make the car lighter than Mercedes-AMG’s C63 S Coupé.      

Quite apart from the need for kerbside presence, the reason for the width is to manage weight transfer and create space for the adjustable rose-jointed suspension that uses a double-wishbone design. 

Along with much of the aerodynamic elements of the car, the suspension has been designed and engineered by Northants-based EY3 Engineering, which has held various works contracts in touring car racing. Controlling everything will be the same four-way adjustable Ohlins coil-over units seen in GT3-category racing, while broad, 22in carbon-aluminium wheels sit at each corner. AP Racing will supply the carbon-ceramic brake discs.  

Notably, the steering will use electro-hydraulic assistance, from which, Pegg says, owners can expect "fantastic feedback". 

Motorsport outfit Racing Dynamics is responsible for delivering the engine – a mighty 5.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with the headline 1048bhp and 764lb ft of torque, with the totality of the latter arriving at 3000rpm. 

Taking BMW’s 4.4-litre block (as seen in the latest M5 and BMW M8 models) as its base, almost every component is upgraded, although details on what, where and how are scarce at the moment. ZF’s eight-speed automatic transmission will deliver drive to all four wheels. Or, if the multi-plate clutch in the central transfer case is disengaged, to the rear wheels alone. To facilitate this kind of adjustability, Naran Automotive’s car will use BMW-sourced axle drive units. 

Inevitably, Naran intends to test the car’s mettle on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, which will include an attempt at the lap record for road-legal front-engined cars. 

Pegg says simulations, which factor in Pirelli Trofeo R tyres, currently indicate that a time of around 6min 40sec might be possible, not least because even at 125mph the car should generate more than 400kg of downforce. If and when an attempt is made, Naran will also benefit from the experience of EY3’s Daniel Mense, who was instrumental in the electric Nio EP9’s record-breaking lap.

Having spent the last year working in CFD (computational fluid dynamics), Naran Automotive says it will shortly begin shakedown testing at UK facilities from its R&D base near Coventry. Assembly will take place at Racing Dynamics in Aachen, Germany, at a rate of two cars per month.