This Race Car Maker Is Launching Its Own EV Hatch

• Race car maker Vanwall plans a sporty electric hatchback with a slightly retro exterior and up to 580 hp.

• The EV hatch is slated to be offered in two variants, with up to 280 miles of range on a full charge.

• The planned electric model will see a 500-unit production run, making this a low-volume, handmade effort that will offer buyers some exclusivity.

If you're well versed in F1 history the name Vanwall will certainly sound familiar, but odds are most EV fans have not heard of it. The British team founded by Tony Vandervell competed only for a short time in the 1950s, making a comeback a few years ago into the world of racing. The Floyd Vanwall Racing Team is currently scheduled to compete in the WEC 2023 as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but it also wants to enter the EV market.

So it's not the most obvious candidate for fielding an electric performance hatch with a cyberpunk exterior. But that's exactly what Vanwall revealed this week in a rendering, previewing a hatchback planned to enter production later this year.

The planned hatch features a boxy shape with aggressive flares in addition to scoops in the C-pillars, resembling the Lancia Delta Integrale rally cars of the 1980s. Rectangular LED headlights certainly help that resemblance, while the wraparound single-piece taillight assembly adds yet another dose of the cyberpunk aesthetic. The hatch wears 22-inch wheels, with a large carbon-fiber front splitter and rear spoiler adding to the design's mean looks.

"From a styling design point of view, the front of the car has very bold and geometric lines, with an aggressive fender shape that incorporates the large cooling system air intake," the company notes.

The company plans to offer the EV hatch in two main flavors at launch, with the Vandervell S promising 380 hp with power sent to all four wheels, along with a range of 450 kilometers or 280 miles on a full charge.

The company says the hatchback will be able to rocket from 0 to 62 mph in 4.9 seconds, which is certainly a quick launch time these days, but not exactly industry-leading. The sportier Vandervell S Plus will dial up the output to 580 hp, offering about 260 miles of range and a 3.4-second launch time. The latter version will also have a 165-mph top speed, while the former will be restricted to 115 mph.

These numbers paint a curious picture for what promises to be a curious car, as Vanwall plans to build just 500 of these with a starting price of €128,000, or about $138,600. The company intends to start producing the hatch at its site in Greding, Germany, in the third quarter of this year.

However, Vanwall has not shared battery specs or other information about the powertrain, though by this point quite a few EV components are available off-the-shelf from suppliers. The company also hasn't shared renderings of the interior, only promising materials such as carbon fiber and leather with a number of stylistic nods to motorsport.

"Vanwall's goal is to create unique, new generation cars, high quality, and great performance, bringing them to the maximum possible development, able to convey the strong passion that animates the Vanwall Company," said Dr. Colin Kolles, Vanwall GmbH managing director.

You may be wondering by now just what the potential audience could be for such an EV: a slightly retro hatch with some potentially impressive if not earth-shattering numbers, and a six-figure price tag. If the production plan holds up, the electric hatch will be a niche offering in the EV world in Europe, with the company promising to cater to customers' wishes when it comes to interior and exterior colors and other details.

A planned 500-car production run certainly recalls the efforts of small-volume British manufacturers like Bristol and TVR, which is perhaps Vanwall's goal in this sphere.

Is Vanwall on to something with its sporty electric hatch, or is demand for something like this too niche? Let us know in the comments below.