One of the most eccentric and less known supercars in the market, the Gillet Vertigo, which was created by former Belgian racing driver Tony Gillet, has ditched its predecessors' 3.0-liter Alfa Romeo V6, rated at 350 hp, in favor of a more powerful 4.2-liter Maserati V8 with 420-horsepower. The new model is named the Vertigo.5 Spirit.
Official performance figures are non-existent for the time being, but the less potent, Alfa Romeo-powered, Vertigo was already a fast piece of machinery. It was 40 kg (88 lbs) heavier, tipping the scales at 990 kg (2,183 lbs), but it could still reach the 60 mph (96 km/h) mark in a mere 3.3 seconds. So, it's a no brainer then: a lighter (950 kg or 2,094 lbs) and more powerful car should be faster.
To keep the weight down exotic materials were used, such as the carbon fiber found in the honeycomb monocoque chassis, which, by the way, weighs only 58 kg (128 lbs).
Power from the Italian V8 is channeled to the rear axle through a six-speed sequential gearbox, The car rides on 19-inch wheels, shod in 225/35 front and 275/35 rear tires. At this level of performance, stopping-power is a must, so Gillet's engineers took no chances fitting 300 mm AP ventilated disks all around.
The company states that the Vertigo.5 is a "100% personal supercar", meaning that each client can customize the car to their own individual needs, from interior amenities to chassis setup. Gillet hasn't announced prices yet, but the Vertigo cost US$265,000 (€190,593), so expect to pay a bit more for the Spirit.
By Csaba Daradics
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