There are a great many intrepid entrepreneurs who appear undaunted by the immense technical and financial challenges of starting a new car company. Every year, it seems there’s a flood of new supercars that promise to take on the big names, but often vanish faster than a corporate executive on tax day.
Sin Cars is one of the latest companies to give supercar building a try, and with a name like that, how could its products not be good? We’ll find out if that logic holds up this September, when the Sin R1 will debut at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show.
First shown in pre-production guise at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the R1 is the product of Bulgaria-based Sin (the company originally started up in Germany) and British supplier ProFormance Metals. Underneath the somewhat generic-looking skin, though, its heart is all-American.
That’s because the R1 uses a General Motors-sourced 6.2-liter V8, producing 430 horsepower. Buyers looking for more power can also opt for a 7.0-liter V8 with 530 hp, or a 6.2-liter supercharger V8 with 650 hp. Zero-to-60 mph times are reported in the 2.5 to 3.5-second range, depending on the powertrain.
The car has a tubular spaceframe chassis with carbon-fiber bodywork. A sequential gearbox with paddle shifters is standard, but buyers can also opt for a six-speed manual. Anti-lock brakes and traction control ensure owners have a chance of survival.
While Sin Cars also builds full-on racers, the R1 is intended to be a genuine road car. It will include creature comforts like an integrated infotainment system and multifunction steering wheel, plus Recaro sport seats to keep driver and passenger from sliding around during hard cornering.
Sin hopes to start production later this summer, and sell the first copies shortly after the R1’s Frankfurt debut in September. That’s when we’ll find out if it’s the real thing, or just vaporware.
