We love it when concept cars become reality — even more so when the concept car in question is as beautiful and bonkers as the Rimac Concept One.
The car, which was first unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, recently made another public appearance at the Top Marques Monaco 2012 event, where Rimac announced it had started taking reservations.
The Croatian car maker will build a very limited run of 88 Concept Ones for an asking price of $980,000 (£607,000). If that sounds a lot, you should bear in mind Rimac originally planned to sell the Concept One for £1.2 million.
In exchange for your cash, Rimac will provide one of the most extreme and innovative hypercars ever seen. The Concept One uses four 250kW (225bhp) electric motors — one powering each of its wheels — providing a total output of 1,340bhp. That figure, which, incidentally is 157bhp more than a Veyron Super Sport, facilitates a 0-60mph time of 2.8 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 190mph.
Power is provided by a 92kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery pack, which Rimac reckons can provide up to 373 miles of driving. The company is also working on a range-extending Wankel engine that will serve as an onboard generator that pumps extra juice into the battery as required.
The updated version of the Concept One shown at Top Marques Monaco 2012 boasted new Vredestein Ultrac Vorti tyres wrapped around lightweight monoblock HRE wheels. Unlike tyres fitted to most electric cars, these aren’t designed for low rolling resistance. Their sole purpose of these 186mph-rated tyres is to deliver extreme performance.
Production of the Concept One will begin in 2013. While you’re saving your pennies (or crying into cornflakes about the fact you’ll never be abel to afford one) take a look at the video below to learn more about its fascinating propulsion system.
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