The Mexican-designed, Italian-built Inferno has all the makings of a supercar standout. It looks like an insectoid alien, boasts a 1,400-horsepower twin-turbo V8, and is crafted from an exclusive space-age material called “metal foam.” There’s just one catch though — the Inferno’s wild claims are difficult to verify, and its technical specs don’t exactly pass the smell test.
In a world where supercar startups come and go like American Idol winners, it’s hard to get truly excited about the Inferno, but that’s not stopping the company from trying. The stupefying two-door claims a 0 to 62 mph time of less than 3.0 seconds, a top speed of more than 245 mph, and a lateral acceleration figure of 1.33G — the same as a Ferrari 458 Speciale.
And then there’s the metal foam. A concoction of zinc, aluminum, and silver, the company says it “improves security, since it can decrease and absorb the impact in a car crash. This material’s strength is compared with that of a commercial armored vehicle, but with a big weight difference.” According to Dr. Said Robles Casolco of the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, “This metal can stretch until achieving 100 times its original length without affecting its properties.” Seems legit.
The Inferno does have some weight behind it in the form of its team. Its eye-catching looks were penned by Mexican design house DoZeRek, with support from Antonio Ferraioli, whose experience includes engineering components for the Lamborghini Asterion, Veneno Roadster, and Aventador Superveloce.
Will the Inferno ever see production, or is it yet another example of automotive vaporware? It’s still too early to tell, but as one of the few supercars to come out of Mexico, it certainly has our vote of approval.
