IFR Aspid Supersport

The IFR Aspid Supersport is an incredible machine, offering performance close to Formula One levels. Not even a Bugatti Veyron could keep sight of it on a twisty road. But it's much more than just a fast car – it's a showcase. IFR has patented many of the Aspid's innovations in the hope that it will be able to sell them on to major car manufacturers. So you could be seeing the Aspid's technology on cars of tomorrow.

The IFR Aspid’s mad looks turned heads at the British InternationalMotor Show back in the summer. And having driven it we can tell youit’s just as crazy from behind the wheel!

How crazy? Well atjust 2.8 seconds it’s faster to 62mph than a Ferrari Enzo. But with awheelbase shorter than a Lotus Elise and a chassis honed by a team ofex-rally engineers it’s got cornering ability that’ll better atarmac-spec WRC car on twisty mountain roads.

Following in thewheel tracks of the Rally Catalunya near to IFR's Spannish base, AutoExpress got the chance to do just that. With corners coming thick andfast and straights of barely a few hundred metres, the Aspid is in itselement. Acceleration is brutal and so is braking, via a patenteddouble-disc system on the front wheels. But direction changes aresomething else, the relatively soft suspension gobbling up cambers,bumps and weight shifts with impunity, the Aspid holding its line nomatter how hard you provoke it.

You need a strong stomach tocope with handling this savage but the rush of excitement is yourreward. On twisty roads nothing can come close.

The brainchildof Spanish engineering consultancy IFR Automotive, the Aspid packs anastounding array of technology. Built around an aluminium space framechassis the Aspid is super strong and stiff. And the open-wheeled lookshows off weight saving technology slashing unsprung weight – namelywheels, suspension and brakes – to half of that of conventionalroadgoing sports cars.

Baffled by the technology? Don’t be –the simple version is that the Aspid is both incredibly strong and, at740kg, lighter than a Lotus Elise. Power comes from a 2-litre HondaS2000 engine, supercharged in this Supersport version to give anastonishing 395bhp at a redline of 9000rpm.

And although it’sfast enough to see off even ultra minimal trackday specials the Aspiddoesn’t skimp on creature comforts – assuming of course you’re not putoff by the rather cosy accommodation. At least you can remove the doorsand roof panels if you’re feeling claustrophobic!

There arehardly any switches – everything is controlled by a fabulouslyintuitive touchscreen system developed in-house by IFR. Navigation,phone, MP3 music storage, air-con, driver-selectable parameters forsteering assistance and throttle response, all are at your fingertips.

Andit’s this combination of startling performance and surprising usabilitythat makes the Aspid so unique. The build quality – even on thispre-production car – is stunning too, with beautifully machinedaluminium components nestling within perfectly finished exposed carbonfibre.

So it should be, given a price tag expected to be notfar short of £100,000 when the first cars go on sale next summer. Giventhe technology it’s well worth it.