It starts at nearly half a million dollars and is seemingly stopped by nothing at all.
The flagrantly anything-goes Group B rally car era is long gone, but its memory and the spirit of its wildest overpowered race cars lives on. Need proof? How about the Laffite X-Road, a supercar with all-terrain capability that looks like the bastard offspring of a Group B car and a Ford F-150 Raptor. No, it’s not pretty, but the X-Road certainly charms—or affronts—in a dystopian, Mad Max sort of way.
Styling aside, there is no denying the X-Road looks ready to tackle just about anything that gets in its way. With its knobby tires, 17 (!) inches of suspension travel, and V-8 and electric powertrain options, the only thing seemingly capable of stopping this wild-looking machine is its own thirst for fuel or electricity.
Opt for the traditional internal-combustion power option, and you’ll get a GM-sourced 6.2-liter V-8 engine that produces 420 horsepower to start—and as much as 720 ponies, if you pay extra. That grunt is sent to the ground by way of a five-speed sequentially shifted transmission or a six-speed automatic gearbox. Top speed is limited to 143 miles per hour, although there’s no word if that figure is achievable with the “weaker” 420-hp tune.
The electric X-Road E, meanwhile, relies on a 60-kilowatt-hour battery pack to feed at least one electric motor. Laffite doesn’t specify how many motors the vehicle uses, only that total output stands at 460 horsepower. At 3,590 pounds, the X-Road E is a mighty 724 pounds heavier than its gas-powered counterpart. Nevertheless, Laffite claims the EV boasts a 200-mile driving range and a top speed of 136 mph. Those in search of more oomph can also option the X-Road E with an 800-hp electric powertrain. Alas, Laffite didn’t provide performance specs for the more powerful electric X-Road, but, dang.
With X-Road production limited to 30 units worldwide and deliveries slated to begin at the end of the year, the all-terrain super coupe is, predictably, quite pricey. Plan on spending a minimum of $465,000 to get into the gas-powered model and $545,000 for the electric X-Road E. Hey, you’d probably pay nearly as much for a well-used, race-prepped Group B car from the ’80s . . .
Source：automobile