Hulme CanAm Challenges Caparo T1

You've gotta love the remaining cottage-industry car builders.  While there aren't really all that many of them left, (where oh where did my TVR go?) you can always count on ultra-low-volume manufacturers to produce some of the most mental machines on the road.  And now, you can add one more to your list: The Hulme CanAm.

The CanAm is the labor of love of New Zealand's James Freemantle.  It is a rolling tribute to New Zealand's great racing drivers, namely Denny (Dennis) Hulme, the 1967 Formula 1 World Champion driving for Brabham.

Hulme Supercars NZ first came out with their prototype in 2005.  A closed-top coupe called the Hulme F1, it utilized a BMW M-division 5.0L V8 tuned to produce 550 horsepower.  The chassis was a carbon-fibre monocoque with the engine mounted behind the two passenger seats, driving the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential transaxle with LSD.

The production version of the car debuted at the New Zealand A1 Grand Prix last week, and the specifications have been changed a bit.

Most importantly, the F1 concept has lost it's roof, making it look like a mixture between an Ariel Atom, KTM X-Box, and a Lotus 340R.  The styling is purposeful; designed to create downforce at high speeds.  And high speeds are one thing the Hulme CanAm won't have any problem attaining.

For cost (or reliability) reasons, the CanAm ditched the old BMW V8 for a modified GM LS7 crate motor.  This 7.0L all-aluminum block, used in the C6 Corvette Z06, is tweaked to produce a round 600 horsepower (up from the stock 505).  It sends power to the ground through a Quaife 6-speed sequential transmission.  Stopping duties are handled by massive (362mm) AP Racing disc brakes with 6-piston calipers and Bosch ABS all around.

The Hulme CanAm weighs in at 2,645lbs (907kg), and Hulme claims it can accelerate to 100km/h in under 3 seconds(!), with a top speed edging up on 320km/h.

The CanAm will supposedly be priced at $700,000, which seems a bit steep for a track car with a GM crate motor to me.  Still, the performance is guaranteed to be absurd - 600 horsepower and 900kg will tend to do that - and exclusivity is guaranteed.  Hulme hopes to find 9 buyers for their CanAm in 2009.

The CanAm's biggest competitor will doubtlessly be the Caparo T1, which is famous for catching fire, almost killing people, and having it's Top Gear Lap invalidated because it can't clear a speed bump.  Despite it's visual similarity, the Hulme will probably be a bit less nerve wracking to drive - it does have twice the displacement of the lighter Caparo.

There's no word yet on whether or not Hulme Supercars will produce the F1 coupe; time will tell.  In the mean time, it seems like the Hulme CanAm is probably the quickest way to destroy your toupe.

No production dates have been announced yet for the CanAm.  Hopefully it can find some buyers in this economy.