Melkus RS2000

[go.pawel]

A planned successor to the legendary RS1000.

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum...ad.php?t=28999

[carsnut]

looks very interesting. any stats?

[Ecnelis]

There's no press release in english yet...

German press release: Melkus Sportwagenbau » Pressemitteilung

Most important facts (via AutoBild.de):
Mid-engine 1,8 turbo ~270 hp, possible track version ~320 hp
Weight: 950 kg
Dimensions: 3,90/1,75/1,12 m
Production: 25 per year, price 100k euros, start November 2009
First prototype very soon

[netburner]

Press text in english (translated by me):

Melkus lifts secret of RS-2000-Design

Unique door-concept – First sportscars available in November – 25 cars per year, handcrafted

The Melkus Sportwagen-Manufactur showed the final design-graphics of the new sportscar RS 2000 in mid of March. Spectacu­larest detail are the gullwing-doors. These were taken from the predecessor, the only sportscar from DDR: Melkus RS 1000. Those gullwing-doors bring you a much better ability to climb into the car compared to normal doors and need less space to the sides; a plus for narrow garages and parking lots. As a special customer-option the doors can be delivered with colored glass-segments in the roof-section, which are detachable, so you can drive it as a Targa­variant of the Melkus RS 2000. This doorconcept is unique in the world.


Racecar-Optics with distinctive design

„The rolling sideline of the RS 2000 remembers to classic GT-cars from Le Mans, without being antique at the same time“, describes Sepp Melkus, grandson of racedriver-legend Heinz Melkus and CEO of the sportscar-manufactur. „The distinctive rounds of the fenders show enormous power.“ With a view to the aerodynamics the underbody of the RS 2000 is completely closed. The splitter and the diffusor together bring ideal aerodynamic downforce and underline the racecar-character of the car. Further prominent design-details are the backside with inserted midpart and the side-air-intakes for brakes and engine. „In narrow cooperation with family Melkus we have newly interpreted the design-language of the RS 1000“, describes the renowned designer and professor for transportation design, Lutz Fügener from studioFT. Since spring-time 2008 he and his partner, diploma-designer Jens Timmich, worked out the final design of the RS 2000. They came up with a completely new concept. „We came up with a timelessly beauty and independent form, which is pleasant different to the current trends of the car-industry“, said Fügener.


Debut in summer

Also the construction-principle of the RS 2000 based on the family-tradition: the light-weight-philosophy of factory-founder Heinz Melkus. The bodywork is made from fiberglass and carbon, the chassis from aluminium. On this way the weight should only reach 1.000kg, maybe less. At the chassis the family-factory from Dresden used well known technics. „For us it was important“, said Sepp Melkus, „that all safety-relevant components were taken from a well-proven mass-production.“ The chassis is a high-tensile monocoque, which together with the carbon-crashbox, side-impact-protection and roll-over-bars completed all necessary tests successfully. Father Peter Melkus supplemented: „Because of that we can bring a new sportscar to the market in this summer, after only three years of development.“

25 cars will be built per year, handcrafted in Dresden – first eight in 2009. „With these number of cars it is possible to care for everey customer individual and build a personal contact“, explains Sepp Melkus. „That is our factory-philosophy.“ – Pre-orders can be send to the Melkus sportscar-manufactur from now on.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Press text in english (translated by me):

thanks chap