A new sports car boasting luxury fitments and high performance has been announced by engineering consultancy IFR Automotive. Known as the Aspid, the two-seater roadster will have a lightweight aluminium-carbon fiber structure and a total mass of 700 kg.

As with most newer roadsters, more than one powerplant is available depending on what you want.
Aspid prototypes feature a 2-litre engine; either naturally aspirated to deliver 270bhp or supercharged to 400bhp.Power is delivered to the rear wheels through a manual 6-speed gearbox and limited-slip differential. Zero-62mph should come in the 2.8 second range while 100mph will take 5.9 seconds. The top speed is restricted to 155mph.

The Aspid meets both FIA safety requirements and European homologation standards, so it can be driven from the road directly onto the race track without the need for any special preparation.

The electronics are highly innovative and include a sophisticated interface between the driver and the car; a mere touch of the interactive screen located in the centre console and the Aspid is instantly reprogrammed with a whole new set-up to suit different road and track conditions.

The IFR Automotive Aspid will make its world debut at the 2008 British International Motor Show *and will be produced in limited series from 2009. With a long list of options, and each one tailored to the precise needs of each individual customer, the anticipated base price is $150,000 with the top versions costing twice as much.

Source Press release / carbodydesign