PRODRIVE has unleashed its 600hp (447kW) four-wheel-drive journey machine. The provocatively named Hunter is alleged to ship “unrivalled skill throughout any panorama”.
Prodrive says the Hunter, which appears to be like like a automobile from a film set, was born out of the Bahrain Raid Xtreme competitors automobile pushed by nine-time World Rally Champion Sebastian Loeb and, like that automobile, is equally able to tackling desert sand dunes and tough mountain tracks.
Powered by a front-mid mounted 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine producing peak torque of 700Nm, the beastly Hunter runs a six-speed paddle shift sequential gearbox and large suspension journey (400mm) to soak up the harshest terrain.
The Hunter’s strengthened steel-tubular construction and carbon-fibre composite physique is suspended by double-wishbone suspension all-round with twin adjustable dampers per wheel.
Prodrive says the Hunter is quicker, and much more succesful, than Loeb’s race automobile, but additionally extra refined.
Penned by Ian Callum (the ex-Aston Martin and Jaguar automobile designer), the Hunter’s design gives a reworked inside its maker says is “extra consistent with on a regular basis use than racing”, replete with a digital instrument show and centre console with the entire “conventional controls discovered on a highway automobile”.
“There are quite a few hypercars available on the market. Nonetheless, all of them want good roads and even race tracks to indicate their efficiency,” stated Prodrive chairman David Richards.
“We recognized that in sure components of the world, significantly the Center East, there are huge expanses nonetheless to be explored that go means past the entry supplied by asphalt roads.
“Subsequently, why not create a automobile that provides the chance to discover these areas with efficiency means past that provided by any off-road automobile earlier than?”
Mr Richards estimates the Hunter can speed up from zero to 100km/h in underneath 4 seconds and go on to a high pace of “practically 300km/h”. The Hunter rides on 35-inch off-road tyres, options an FIA-standard security cage and stopping skill is supplied by six-pot calipers.
“We took the deliberate resolution to maintain the Hunter hypercar as near the unique as potential. It’s about giving house owners the chance to expertise what it’s prefer to drive Loeb’s Dakar automobile throughout the desert, however with all of the comforts of a highway automobile and the power to drive it from your private home, via a metropolis, to any vacation spot of your alternative,” added Mr Richards.
Prodrive says the Hunter has been designed to minimise total weight and optimise the automobile’s weight distribution and centre of gravity. All of the bodywork is comprised of light-weight carbon composite, which incorporates recycled supplies produced by Prodrive Composites.
Inside, the Hunter options race-ready parts akin to carbon-fibre seats, six-point security harnesses, twin fireplace extinguisher system, a light-weight lithium-ion battery, and a 480-litre safety-cell gas system.
“The primary growth automobile is presently touring the Center East the place clients are being provided the chance to drive the Hunter and ensure their private specification for manufacturing automobiles to be delivered later this 12 months,” stated Mr Hunter.
The Prodrive Hunter is accessible to order for the sum of £1.25m ($A2.23m) plus native taxes.
