Wartburg Melkus RS 1000

[faksta]

They wanted to relieve Melkus not so long ago. This is a 2006 project for Melkus RS2000.

[Ferrer]

Everything has gone suspiciously quiet, though.

[faksta]

That's what I've been talking about...

Melkus RS2000 scale model on show

Melkus was founded by Heinz Melkus back in 1959 in Dresden, East Germany and produced racing cars with Wartburg engines and Trabant parts which competed in the Formula III, Formula Junior and Formula E. One car made it to their production line, the Melkus RS1000 and 101 were produced. In 1979 Heinz Melkus stopped producing the car and in 1986 he closed the doors of the factory and instead started a BMW dealership in Dresden.

Almost 20 years later, Heinz' son and uncle Peter and Sepp Melkus decided to continue the legacy by taking the Melkus RS1000 back into limited production. On November 25th 2006 they officially revealed the RS1000 Special Edition, a copy of the original. Peter Melkus: “A wonderful feeling to finally be able to put it to the street, after so much hard work. It would be great if my father were still here to experience this moment.”

But this is not where Peter and Sepp Melkus stopped, they have also been working hard on the RS1000 successor, the RS2000. Last year we showed you some initial design sketches, and today we can bring you a few more, but on Oktober 13th Melkus will be presenting a 1:4 model of their latest design model. Also on that day the 10th newly built Melkus RS1000 Special Edition will find its way to its owner.

WorldCarFans.com

[faksta]

Some info

Prototype ready in spring 2008

It was always a dream of Heinz Melkus to construct a follow-up model of the legendary RS1000. Now, Peter and Sepp Melkus, son and grandson of the famous constructing engineer and automobile racer are going to realise his dream.

Melkus Sportwagen KG is the firm where the smart sportscar shall be manufactured by hand in small series, just like the production of the limited edition of the RS1000 replica today.

The goal is to produce up to 25 sportscars per year in the Melkus factory. It is planned to  build a new representative factory hall to have enough place for the production and storage.

The development of the RS2000 prototype starts in January 2007 in close cooperation with Sebastian Wolfram (HMW-Designer) and the Technical University Dresden. The ambitious aim until spring 2008 is to present the Melkus RS2000 prototype to the public and to start with the production of the limited series in the same year.

Design Concept

(Sebastian Wolfram, HMW-Designer)

The special challenge concerning the design was to save and perfect the exceptional extravagance of the RS1000.

It was out of any question to touch the stunning curves and shapes of the RS1000. But it was the unique classic design that should be perfected in a gentle way.

We are going to transform the clarity of the surfaces and shapes in a new period of sportscar engineering. It is a reinterpretation of the classic design without the idea of a retrodesign. We perfect facings, tighten outlines and curves, flatten surfaces and form volumes with more emotion.

The proportions are much stronger and sportier because of a bigger package volume. We create an independent and incomparable design with typical notes of the RS1000 and the use of specific modern details (lights, wheels, interieur).

The RS2000 acts well trained and avoids any importunity and aggresiveness. The RS2000 has its own style reasonable in the history of the car. It is an hommage.

Temporary Specifications

Concept

compact coupe with gullwing doors

mid engine concept (diagonally or horizontally)

Dimensions

overall length: 4000cm

overall width: 1800cm   ÂÂ

height: 1120cm

wheel dimension, front: 16 inch

rear: 17 inch

Chassis/Frame

tubular steel skeleton frame with integrated roll-over bar

Traction gear

front and rear axle with double triangular control arm and adjustable stabilizers

inner lying spring and damper unit (adjustable height and stiffness with Pushroads)

Brakes

front: 4 piston disc brake with fixed caliper

rear: 2 piston disc brake with fixed caliper

drilled and ventilated brakediscs

ABS

steelflex brakeline

Steering gear

rack and pinion steering without servo assistance (2-2,5 steering wheel turns)

Car body

bonnet,bootlid and doors made of GRP (glass fibre reinforced plastic)

aluminium underbody

steel or carbon car top

Safety

front carbon crashbox

side impact bars integrated in the doors

roll-over bar

ABS

Engine

4 cylinder in-line engine

up to 2000 ccm

performance between 130-200 PS depending on the version

Clutch

dry single disc clutch

Gear box

6 short stepped gears

Weight

under 1000 kg

Driving performance

top speed: max.250km/h

acceleration 0-100 km/h within 5 sec.

Price

ca. 75.000 EUR

[Sledgehammer]

Kinda looks like the offspring of Ferrari and Porsche

[faksta]

Kinda looks like the offspring of Ferrari and Porsche

The last pic reminds a bit of Marcos