10 supercar failures

Plucky upstarts that didn’t go the distance

Launching a low-numbers supercar to challenge the old guard of European marques has long been a dream of those blessed with riches and a shed.

On several occasions, the pursuit has given us world-beating supercars – from the Noble M10 to the Lister Storm – that defy their humble beginnings to deliver outstanding performance.

Alas, such successes can’t always be replicated. Whether due to budget constraints, market conditions or just plain bad design, many concepts were doomed before they even left the drawing board.

From the underperforming to the woefully ugly, here are 10 supercars that resolutely failed.

Cizeta-Moroder V16T

Like the illegitimate offspring of a Lamborghini Diablo and Ferrari Testarossa, this 550HP, 6-liter monster was penned by Marcello Gandini and developed by former Lamborghini employees. 

The Sant’Agata link doesn’t end there, either: until Chrysler management vetoed the design for being too radical, this is how the Diablo was going to look. 

Cizeta-Moroder V16T (cont.)

Heavy and, at 81in, massively wide, the V16T could rev to 8500rpm and top 200mph. 

Launched as the global economy went into meltdown in the early ’90s, production ground to a halt after just a handful of cars had been built.

Tatra MTX 4 RS

Strongly resembling the Jaguar XJ220, this Czech oddity carried crowd-pleasing scissor doors and a 3.9-liter, 306HP air-cooled V8 lifted from the Tatra 623.

Tatra MTX 4 RS (cont.)

The response when it was unveiled at the ’91 Prague motor show was sufficiently positive for the firm to put it into production, but a fire at the factory killed the whole thing off after just four cars had been sold.

Aixam-Mega Mega Track

Speaking of which, Aixam-Mega was no stranger to supercar oddities: in the early ’90s, the microcar marque decided to build the Mega Track – a monstrous machine powered by a Mercedes V12 engine.

Aixam-Mega Mega Track (cont.)

More than just a supercar, it came equipped with suspension that could deliver up to 13in of ground clearance for off-road jaunts.

Alas, while it rode high on its 20in wheels, it didn’t shift so well, with just five units sold before production was canned.

Ikenga

Based on a McLaren MkI chassis and built by Williams and Pritchard, the Ikenga was the brainchild of Brooklyn-born David Gittens. 

The American arrived in London in 1964 and teamed up with race engineer Ken Sheppard to create his vision of a world-class supercar. 

Ikenga (cont.)

The result was displayed at Harrods in London in 1968 and featured a 6.5-liter V8 from a Camaro plus, bizarrely, a square steering wheel. 

The car had a claimed top speed of 162mph and styling that was said to resemble an African mask, but plans to put it into production fell through when Gittens’ backers pulled out.

Consulier GTP

Warren Mosler was so confident that his creation could outgun any other street-legal car – despite being powered by a puny 2.2-liter Chrysler turbo – that he offered a $25,000 prize to the first person able to beat its lap-time around a US circuit.

Consulier GTP (cont.)

Car & Driver took up the challenge in a factory-spec Corvette and promptly beat the Consulier easily around the Chrysler proving ground in Chelsea, Michigan. 

It was later suggested that the GTP in question wasn’t in the best of health but, as any photograph will attest, the car’s greatest failing wasn’t its performance.

Panther Solo 2

On paper, the Panther Solo 2 almost had it all: boasting a radical composite construction, clever aerodynamics and all-wheel drive, this mid-engined Brit could have been a serious junior-supercar contender. 

Endless development delays put the project under pressure, but the Solo 2 still made it into being.

Panther Solo 2 (cont.)

When Autocar finally got its hands on one its writers were full of praise for the superb handling.

It was less enamoured by the raucous and insufficiently potent Sierra Cosworth motor, mind – and, despite Panther’s plans to build 100 cars, only a couple of dozen left the factory.

Vector W8

Although the Vector W8 was first shown in 1977, it would be another 14 years until the Chevrolet-engined missile finally made it into production. 

Powered by a 625HP 5.9-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, the all-American monster could, according to the manufacturer, hit 218mph. 

Vector W8 (cont.)

When Autocar tried one for size in ’91, it achieved a Countach-beating 0-60 time of 3.8 sec, but the test car was plagued with reliability issues.

A three-speed automatic gearbox was rather at odds with the Vector’s supercar credentials, while the styling was ‘distinctive’ to put it kindly. Just 14 were sold.

Spectre R42

Created by GT Developments of Poole in Dorset, UK (better known for its GT40 replicas), the GTD R42 was powered by a 355HP, 4.6-liter Ford V8 and boasted a Group C-inspired composite and aluminum monocoque chassis. 

The maker claimed it could hit an impressive 175mph, but the cost of putting the car into production bankrupted the company. 

Spectre R42 (cont.)

The firm was subsequently reorganized and the car rebadged as the Spectre R42, but it suffered from a low-rent finish and clumsy styling compared to its long-established Italian and German rivals.

At an asking price of £70,000, there were few takers.

Dome Zero

With a jaw-dropping shape that melded Lamborghini Countach with Lancia Stratos, the Dome Zero looked like a work of science fiction.

In reality, this star of the ’78 Geneva Motor Show came from Japan and was the work of a small team of Osaka-based motorsport enthusiasts. 

Dome Zero (cont.)

Alas, without the support of a major manufacturer, homologating the 2.8-liter Datsun-powered wedge for competition proved impossible, while attempts at taking the car to Le Mans were no more successful. 

The Dome did secure a place in popular culture, however, having featured in the Gran Turismo video game.

Lotec Sirius

German manufacturer Lotec cut its teeth building Group C race cars in the ’80s, but in the ’90s it took a stab at building for the street with the C1000.

A one-off machine created for an oil magnate from the UAE, the C1000 was finished in 1995 and shipped with a 5.6-liter twin-turbocharged Mercedes V8 motor reportedly good for 1000HP.

Lotec Sirius (cont.)

Perhaps inspired by this effort, in 2004 the company followed it up with a concept three years in the making: the Sirius, a largely carbonfiber supercar driven by a 6-liter Mercedes V12 that could supposedly deliver up to 1200HP.

Despite these lofty claims, no roadgoing variants were ever sold. A revised concept was revealed in 2009 but that, too, has never hit the street.