Are you brave enough to ride a 470 hp Maserati V8 on wheels?

When the midlife crisis inevitably hits you, the question of whether to buy a Maserati or a motorcycle becomes a pressing one. However, you won’t have to choose between those two if you fly out to France in the coming months with a big enough wad of cash in your pocket.

A French motorcycle manufacturer named Lazareth builds and sells a limited-edition, Maserati-powered motorcycle named LM 847 that’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen. This thing looks like what Spiderman will use to chase villains 2050.

As its name loosely implies, the bike is built around a 4.7-liter V8 that’s normally found between the fenders of a Maserati GranTurismo. It makes 470 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 457 pound-feet of torque at 4,750 rpm. Stop for a second and think about this: 470 horsepower in a motorcycle that weighs less than 900 pounds. It’s basically a engine with a seat and wheels attached to it.

Zero to 60? Forget it. Lazareth promises the LM 847 goes from zero to 90 mph in just a few seconds. It rides on four 17-inch wheels wrapped by Michelin Power Cup Evo tires, and it relies on eight-piston brakes up front that work with an ABS system to bring the action to a stop. A trick independent suspension allows it to lean into turns. It’s fully functional, and it’s fully street-legal — at least in Europe.

Lazareth told Digital Trends the LM 847 is priced at 200,000 euros (about $225,000), which seems like a small price to pay for such an out-of-this-world machine. Act fast if you want one: Production of the LM 847 is limited to just 10 examples, and three of them have already been spoken for.

The company hasn’t said why it’s only building 10 bikes. However, we’re going to assume it’s because that’s precisely the number of riders brave enough to barrel down the highway with a 32-valve Italian V8 screaming away a few inches from their groin area.

Editors' Recommendations

Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
Watch this famous musician fly in a car with wings

Jean-Michel Jarre is world’s first passenger to take off in KleinVision’s flying AirCar

The legendary French synth musician Jean-Michel Jarre has become the first passenger to take to the skies in Klein Vision’s incredible flying car.

Read more
The Tesla Model Y is at its lowest price yet — but should you buy one?

Despite increased competition in the space, the Tesla Model Y is still one of the best EVs out there. It has access to the best charging network, plus it offers among the best software experiences, as well as a solid range, especially in the longer-range models. And the Model Y is now down to its lowest price yet, meaning that if you were considering getting one, now is probably the time to buy.

The base price of the Tesla Model Y is down to $42,990 at the time of this writing, which represents a pretty huge price cut. That's before any tax incentives too -- and considering the car is eligible for the full $7,500 tax credit, that means you could get it for as low as $35,490.

Read more
Here’s how EVs charge as they drive on a stretch of Michigan road

Charging remains one of the biggest hurdles for mass EV adoption. Public charging infrastructure still isn’t extensive enough to merit driver confidence, and even the fastest chargers still require lengthy stops compared to refueling a gasoline car. But the State of Michigan and Israeli startup Electreon hope to prove that EVs can charge as they drive.

As detailed in a recent CleanTechnica explainer, the Michigan Department of Transportation is demonstrating in-road wireless charging hardware from Electreon on a quarter-mile stretch of 14th Street in Detroit. It’s being billed as the first such roadway in the U.S.

Read more