Ian Wright is a name familiar to many electric car enthusiasts as the man who turned an Ariel Atom into the Ferrari-beating Wrightspeed X1 prototype. It's been a while since we've heard from Mr. Wright, who has been working on engineering a hybrid system for heavy duty pick-up trucks, but now there is news from the former Kiwi. And if you are still disappointed Wrightspeed didn't bring the X1 to market, the news is good. According to Michael Kanellos over at greentechmedia, the builder of the world's quickest electric car wants to produce a conveyance that's even quicker, with a 0 to 60 mph target of 2.5 seconds.
You see, back when Wright was visiting different tracks embarrassing Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, it seemed there was one gas guzzler that still could best him, the infamous 1001hp Bugatti Veyron. The X1 came up about a half second short from 0-60 mph while his 0-100-0 time of 11.2 seconds was a full second and a two whiskers behind that of the W16-powered supercar. With luck, 18 months from now will see a newly-fashioned, battery-powered bolt of lightning, code-named the "SR-71", destroy the Bugatti, leaving in its wake only salty $1.4 million-dollar tears. To show he's not such a bad chap, Wright will then be able to turn those frowns upside-down by offering this new machine up for sale.
Though sanctioned tracks may be the only asphalt the first "SR-71"s will be licensed to circulate, thoroughly road-ready machines, quite possibly featuring enclosed cabins, will follow after an additional 18 months. Hit the jump to watch a few videos of the original creation, the Wrightspeed X1, take on all comers.
You see, back when Wright was visiting different tracks embarrassing Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, it seemed there was one gas guzzler that still could best him, the infamous 1001hp Bugatti Veyron. The X1 came up about a half second short from 0-60 mph while his 0-100-0 time of 11.2 seconds was a full second and a two whiskers behind that of the W16-powered supercar. With luck, 18 months from now will see a newly-fashioned, battery-powered bolt of lightning, code-named the "SR-71", destroy the Bugatti, leaving in its wake only salty $1.4 million-dollar tears. To show he's not such a bad chap, Wright will then be able to turn those frowns upside-down by offering this new machine up for sale.
Though sanctioned tracks may be the only asphalt the first "SR-71"s will be licensed to circulate, thoroughly road-ready machines, quite possibly featuring enclosed cabins, will follow after an additional 18 months. Hit the jump to watch a few videos of the original creation, the Wrightspeed X1, take on all comers.
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