Yahoo Autos The Wiesmann Project Thunderball Is 680 HP of All-Electric Fury
Remember Wiesmann? The small German company responsible for making some truly unique sports cars is back after years in dormancy. This time, with a purely electric roadster called the Project Thunderball. It's a carbon-fiber two-seater packing two rear-mounted electric motors delivering up to 680 hp and 808 lb-ft of torque, allowing for a 0-62 time of under three seconds. It looks rad as hell.
Wiesmann claims the Project Thunderball is the world's first convertible EV, though that title actually goes to the original Tesla Roadster. Nonetheless, this car sounds like a riot. Under the funky retro-inspired carbon-fiber body sits an aluminum spaceframe and a 92-kWh battery pack that runs on an 800-volt architecture. It's able to fling the Thunderball to 62 mph in an estimated 2.9 seconds while delivering a range of "over" 310 miles on the WLTP cycle, according to Wiesmann.
Beneath the fenders you'll find adjustable suspension and adjustable roll bars holding up six-piston brakes up front and four-pistons in the rear. They're shrouded by Wiesmann-specific 21-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. The company promises a curb weight of 3747 pounds which, by EV standards, is pretty damn light. So the Project Thunderball should excite in corners as much as it does in a straight line.
Inside, there's a handcrafted interior with a carbon fiber dashboard, carbon-backed seats, and plenty of comfy-looking leather. The steering wheel looks like it was taken out of a Lotus Evora—not a bad thing by any means.
Wiesmann has never sold its cars in the U.S., and we don't expect it to start with the Project Thunderball. Still, it's cool to see small manufacturers like this one pivoting into the electric future successfully. Maybe one day we'll get to drive one. One day.
You Might Also Like
