Remember Gerald Wiegert and Claudio Zampoli? Probably not. Those two men were the founders of Vector Aeromotive and Cizeta Automobili -- both companies that built supercars that either never got off the ground or simply never mattered.
Let's hope we don't have to add Canadian Luc Chartrand to the list. Chartrand has dedicated the last 11 years of his life to his dream of building a supercar (also a recipe for trouble, sometimes culminating in barricaded doors, security guards and a hostile takeover in the case of Wiegert) and seems as keenly focused as he'll need to be to get it done.
The result of his pursuit is the Plethore LC-750.
The LC-750 utilizes a center-mounted driver seat, which Chartrand admits was inspired by the McLaren F1. Two passenger seats flank the driver seat, which is housed in a carbon-fiber tub reinforced by a chromoly safety cage to meet FIA certification in case owners or Chartrand himself decide to race the car.
Power comes from a mid-mounted LS9 V8 sourced from a ZR1 Corvette and goes to the ground via a Tremec six-speed transaxle. The engine is juiced up for duty in the Plethore and Chartrand claims it will make 750 horsepower. A 1,300-hp model will come later. Aluminum subframe assemblies bolt to the carbon tub on either end and locate the aluminum double-wishbone suspension front and rear.
At only 2,425 pounds the LC-750 is light and it certainly should haul the mail with even a stock ZR1 powertrain.
Whether any of this will actually reach buyers' hands remains to be seen. Either way, we're told we'll get a chance to drive the car in the next year. You'll be the first to know.
Josh Jacquot, Senior Road Test Editor
Murtman says:
07:19 PM, 11/ 3/09
Looks like a Pagani crossed with a Ferrari F430.
cruiserhead1 says:
07:28 PM, 11/ 3/09
Aw the Vector poster was on every kid's wall. It's an 80's icon, c'mon man give it some credit.
altimadude00 says:
07:47 PM, 11/ 3/09
Cool car, but they all start looking the same to me after a while. I like the use of the Ford Thunderbird tail lights though!
jackson611 says:
08:58 PM, 11/ 3/09
that's a pretty serious diffuser
parchisi64 says:
09:28 PM, 11/ 3/09
The radical lines of all these modern niche supercars do seem to kinda blend together and become...well...bland. There's something to be said for classic styling and restraint. Props, though, for the seating arrangement. I can imagine myself ripping up some of tarmac in that thing with two lovely ladies at my side.
ctpax says:
09:59 PM, 11/ 3/09
front looks like the SSC Aero =(
aznraptor says:
03:48 AM, 11/ 4/09
kind of generic super car but I still love it
the seating looks a little strange though
DLu says:
06:39 AM, 11/ 4/09
I have a Cizeta in my garage -- on Gran Turismo 4! hahaha I think a Vector or 2 as well ...
f1mom says:
01:34 PM, 11/ 4/09
El Guapo's supercar!