Rodin Cars unleashes 877kW FZero track monster

NEW ZEALAND sports car manufacturer Rodin Cars has released further details of its FZero “track hypercar” during a public showing of a production prototype at their Donington Park showroom this week.

The FZero – which hit the drafting table just three years ago – is said to be Rodin’s most ambitious and eagerly anticipated car, picking up on the legacy of its FZed predecessor, and offering customers the chance to experience what its maker says is “the ultimate in track performance, far beyond that of anything else seen before.”

Rodin Cars founder David Dicker said that building a car without the restrictions of road laws or race series regulations means the company was free to design a car with “no limits”, allowing for performance that would otherwise be unobtainable. He said the singular goal of the Rodin FZero is to be the fastest car around the track, without exception.

“The Rodin FZero is the physical representation of the ultimate heights in vehicle performance. Without the restrictions of building to a set of rules, we are able to make the car lighter, more powerful, and produce significantly more downforce,” said Mr Dicker.

“The only real restrictions we face are the laws of physics, and we have even pushed those to the absolute limit. We look forward to bringing the most intense driving experience conceivable to tracks around the world.”

Mr Dicker says the FZero will be available to customers in a configuration of their choice, allowing them to customise specific aspects of the car based on their driving style and intended usage.

In addition, Rodin owners receive access to custom racewear services, vehicle storage and delivery, and full driver training at Rodin’s picturesque private racetracks.

Which is probably a good thing when you consider the specifications of the model in question…

Powered by twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V10 engine and electric motor combination – designed and developed in conjunction with Neil Brown Engineering – the FZero produces a claimed 1000hp (746kW) at 9000rpm, an addition contribution of 131kW coming from the electric motor.

The lightweight RCTEN engine tips the scale at just 132kg and produces a staggering 910Nm from 7250rpm, or a combined figure of 1026Nm when factoring in electrical assistance. The unit’s rev ceiling is capped at 10,000rpm.

A bespoke eight-speed gearbox manufactured in conjunction with Ricardo UK is said to weigh less than 66kg, the gearsets encased in a 3D-printed titanium case are made on site at Rodin Cars’ state-of-the-art 3D printing facility. The differential is hydraulic and computer controlled.

All up, the Rodin Cars FZero weighs just 698kg and is said to be “ultra-responsive to minimal braking force.” The car is equipped with front and rear PFC carbon-carbon rotors measuring 380mm in diameter and clamped by six-piston titanium calipers at the front and four-piston titanium calipers at the rear. The model does not run or offer ABS.

The braking system also offers regenerative capabilities for the hybridised drive system.

The FZero rides on a bespoke set of 18-inch forged magnesium wheels manufactured in conjunction with Oz Racing and produced to “F1 standards”. The rims measure 14 inches in width at the front and 16 inches at the rear and are shod with full-slick Avon tyres.

Finally, and to assist in keeping the FZero planted, we find an aerodynamic package capable of generating as much as 4000kg of downforce, which Rodin Cars says is “impressive” when compared to the car’s overall kerb mass.

Rodin Cars will manufacture just 27 FZeros with the first expected to come off the production line “in the summer of next year”. Pricing has yet to be confirmed.