You may not recall the name Vühl, nor that the company hails from Mexico – a country not known for its sports car heritage. With the first right-hand drive cars soon to hit UK roads though, the name may become more familiar.
A low-slung, lightweight sports car in the vein of KTM X-Bows and the Zenos E10 S, Vühl has just delivered its first ‘05’ vehicle to a Mexican car enthusiast, with deliveries to the Middle East beginning in the fourth quarter. UK sales should start shortly – the first right-hand drive car has recently passed its Individual Vehicle Approval test.
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When it does arrive, Vühl has pegged the price at £59,995. That does make the car more expensive than many of the other track-day specials currently on sale, though the Mexican firm claims supercar performance – 3.5 seconds to 60mph and a 150mph-plus top speed.
The key is light weight: a three-section bonded aluminium tub and a choice of either GRP or carbonfibre body panels (the latter shedding 30kg) results in a low kerbweight of 695kg.
With a mid-mounted, 285bhp, 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoost petrol engine, the Vühl 05’s power to weight ratio tops 410bhp/ton – greater than that of a Lamborghini Huracan.
A chrome-moly steel subframe carries the engine and double-wishbone rear suspension (the front is also suspended on double wishbones) while a three-stage forward crash structure and double-layer side structures help protect the occupants.
310mm and 280mm front and rear discs, with four-pot calipers all-round, help avoid incidents in the first place. Tyres are provided by Michelin, measuring 205/45 R17 up front and 245/40 R18 at the rear.
There’s a healthy option list, befitting both the price and the car’s track billing – from carbon bucket seats to a suede-covered steering wheel, built-in HD camera and a titanium bolt pack, there should be room for buyers to customise the car to their tastes.
