Frankfurt show: Eterniti’s Hemera SUV breaks cover

BRITAIN’S newest car brand, London-based Eterniti, debuted as a company at the Frankfurt motor show this week with its Porsche Cayenne-based Hemera concept, which it says will become the world’s first super-SUV when it goes into production early next year.

The company also issued some sketches of a forthcoming sportscar already in development “which could form the basis of a racing program” and appears to take design cues from the Lotus ‘new era’ cars unveiled at Paris last year and the Jaguar XJ220 supercar of the 1990s.

A similarity with the XJ220 is unsurprising given the background of Eterniti’s head of engineering, Alastair Macqueen, who was responsible for the development of that car.

At least one further Hemera variant is also planned for next year, with another (probably smaller) SUV already on the cards.

The Frankfurt show marked the first time anyone had seen the front of the Hemera, but Eterniti says the concept’s headlights – which are obviously Cayenne units – will be replaced by bespoke LED units.

Although sheathed in an aggressive body kit that appears to add significant width to the Porsche donor car, it is easy to spot the Hemera’s Cayenne connection.

The body is said to closely reflect the final production version, which will undergo a “complete chassis-up rebuild” and feature unique, lightweight carbon composite panels.

The interior, which will not be revealed until later in the year, promises to offer high levels of luxury and is claimed to be almost 100 per cent unique to Eterniti, with “limousine-like” rear quarters.

Bentley, Maserati and Aston Martin – through its Lagonda sub-brand – all have luxury SUVs in the works, but Eterniti’s aim is to hit the market first.

Its Hemera will be priced from about £150,000 ($A230,000) – £65,000 more than the retail price of the UK’s most expensive Cayenne variant.

A 460kW, twin-turbo 4.8-litre petrol V8 capable of pushing the Hemera to a 290km/h top speed is promised – likely to be a tweaked version of the 400kW/750Nm unit in Porsche’s top-shelf Cayenne Turbo (when fitted with the optional Powerkit).

Eterniti will hand-build the vehicles on site at the company’s base in London, which will also incorporate the showroom, servicing and atelier for bespoke specification vehicles, as is the norm for luxury brands.

The company will complete construction of its London facility later this year, with company-owned showrooms to spread across “key overseas markets” next year, including an Asia-Pacific hub in Hong Kong followed by showrooms in Tokyo and Taipei, and Chinese representation from 2013.

Brand spokesman Mark Carbery has told GoAuto previously there were no current plans to bring Eterniti to Australia but intends to establish a base in Asia-Pacific next year, which could “extend to Australia before too long”.

Eterniti will offer a three-year warranty with collect-and-return servicing, plus a ‘flying doctor’ service for urgent repairs.

In addition to the XJ220 role, Mr Macqueen’s CV includes being the engineering brains behind the success of both Jaguar and Bentley at Le Mans.

Former F1 and Le Mans driver Johnny Herbert will be involved in vehicle development, while acting as brand ambassador.