German coachbuilder Wiesmann revealed the Spyder, an extremely lightweight two-seater roadster concept, at the Geneva Motor Show today. With a kerb weight of under 1,000 kg (2,679 pounds), the small roadster model is said to be able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 4 seconds and reach a top speed of 290 km/h (180 mph), thanks to a high-revving 4.0-liter 420-hp V8 engine.
While Wiesmann did not give out any details on the powerplant, the specs suggest that it could be the same eight-cylinder unit found on the current BMW M3.
Wiesmann calls the Spyder the most extreme car it ever built, and for good reasons: it has no doors or windscreen (so helmets are mandatory) and seems purpose-built for driving fun.
The design study is claimed to be based on the Wiesmann brothers' early designs and according to company, it was created in response to the brand's fans, who made requests "for an extremely purist model".
“We want to test the marketability of such cars in Geneva. The feedback of customers, partners and experts has high influence on the consideration of advancing the Spyder model,” said Friedhelm Wiesmann, general manager of the company.
Wiesmann's owners haven't yet decided whether to put the car into production, but reactions from Geneva could convince them to do it. If that's the case, the production version of the Spyder could arrive in the market within the next two to three years.
By Dan Mihalascu
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