By Bruce McCullochPrepare to rev ‘em up, gentlemen.
With the 2007 Frankfurt Autoshow now upon us, German tuner-car and automobile manufacturing company, Wiesmann, is preparing to launch an all new flagship called the “MF5”. Based upon the lesser “MF4”, Wiesmann’s new (and apparently limited production) supercar is set to take the company to a new level of status, exclusivity, and ultimately, performance. Wiesmann Automotive will now have a vehicle to compete with mid-engine wonders like the 483bhp Ferrari F430 and front-engine behemoths like the 505bhp Chevrolet Corvette Z06.
As the official show has yet to open, little is known of how different this new GT will be from its regular counterpart, but we can at least get an idea with the aforementioned picture. Evidently, Wiesmann’s reworking of the front facia and headlamps have left the quirky and almost English-like MF looking far sinister than it has every before; whereas the MF4 was more about exquisite detailing, the MF5 makes no apologies for looking like it just rolled out of the racing department.
Mind you, as the MF4 was already turning heads, styling updates are hardly what it needed; nevertheless, it’s nice that they decided to throw in some extra eye-candy for the expected 30k+ premium over the standard model.
The real delight of this car will be its engine, which is the same one you’ll find in BMW’s M5 and M6 variants. Make no mistake; it’s a large leap from the existing model which is currently running on BMW’s 4.8 litre 8-Cylinder with 367bhp. This 10-cylinder motor boasts 5.0 litres, an 8,250 rpm redline, 507 bhp and 384 lb-ft of torque which peaks at 6,000 rpm. Already praised and recognized as one of the best engines on the market, have no doubts that in a car weighing less than 1300kg, it’ll be able to take most any individual to the moon and back.
What is unclear at the moment is whether the MF5 will adapt the M Division’s “SMG” transmission. Although, considering that Wiesmann’s own MF3 (the roadster version powered by E46 M3’s straight six) borrows upon the option of an SMG gearbox, it’s very likely. Having said that, it’s also very likely that Wiesmann will let its buyers opt between the highly advanced and technological wonder of “SMG” and a conventional (and perhaps old-fashioned) 6-speed. And if so, I’ll take the latter…
And to further awe us, Wiesmann chose that light blue – arguably the funkiest of all colours – to reveal the car to the public. Stay tuned as more news will leak from Frankfurt!
3 comments:
I totally agree with your thoughts on the explosion of exotic sports car offerings in recent times. It's just too much. Ferrari is coming up with new models every couple of months it seems. I can't keep up any more. They claim a car is limited in number to stimulate sales, then re-body it and sell some more as a Maserati, Lambo is now doing essentially the same thing with the Reventon, and these rich people fall for it. You've got companies like VW and Mclaren building cars so expensive to make that they can't even turn a profit. Is profit no longer even an issue?
Hey Joe,
Thanks for the comment.
Glad to hear from someone who thinks the same.
Hello
Does anybody else love BMW's just as much as me?
This past May, I bought a used BMW Z3 roadster, and totally love it. BMW is honestly one of the best brand name autos you can get. I most certainly will always purchase BMW's from now on, however I must still say I like the older design a lot better than the newer versions. The older versions (really anything from 03,04 in some models back) look pure german born. The newer ones look more like japan makes, but nevertheless, they are simply remarkable.
Thank you
Jon
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