The Hayabusa V8 engine we like so much here at The Kneeslider, powered a Radical SR8 to a new lap record for production cars at the Nurburgring. The former record holder, a Porsche 996 GT2 was eclipsed by 20 seconds! Records like this normally get lowered by a second here and there, the Radical SR8 just demolished it. For those of you who wonder why I spend so much time talking about motorcycle powered cars and their variants, this should give you an idea. They’re fast! Really fast! Remember, too, these guys have a larger displacement version of this engine now going into their new SR9. Neat.
via Autoblog
Herb Bell says
What’s the story about importing Smart cars into the USA? I need one for four reasons (maybe more!): 1.- No room in my garage for more than the Smart and one motorcycle. 2.- Need a car with the best possible economy (am retired). 3.- Need a tiny tow car for my Winnebago Rialta. 4. – Need to replace my “commuter car”, a ’95 Chevy G20 van. Won’t be able to keep doing volunteer work unless I have a car with much better mileage, such as the Smart Diesel. Has anyone mentioned a workable scheme for buying a Smart in Canada and then registering/insuring/servicing a Smart in the USA?
What is the price for the Thunder Star 1200 likely to be?
tzracing says
Why not try from UK import like the motorcycles?
Smart UK: http://www.smart.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/mpc-uk-content-Site/-/-/-/SVCPresentationPipeline-Start?Page=issite://mpc-uk-Site/mpc-uk.com/RootFolder/smart/home.page
The V8 for the Suzuki is great advantage on small and light engines with perfect rotation between engine parts, giving the full power where is needed.
Richard Ewer says
I want Mr Suzuki to get on board with sort of engineering. And build the next Hayabusa with a motor of this caliber. This sort of bike would turn the bike world upside down…
Regards Richard
TClar says
The SMART CAR is built by MMC in France owned by Mercedes-Benz and is sold in the USA starting Jan ’08 and ranges from roughly $12,500 to a convertible model at maybe $17,500+/-. Why have you not discussed one of the earliest and most succesfull moto engined car–the BMW Isettawhich was a license built Italian Isetta powered by a 250cc BMW moto engine with around 13hp. Often people think it had 3 wheels but actually it had 4 with the rears very close together. Other odd things the front door opens the front of the car. Built around the late ’50s to early 60’s. TClar
zach brown says
hey I like the cars you guys have thats smart I was going to put a Hayabusa engine in my 4 wheeler but sweet car