Eterniti launches the Artemis

Eterniti, a small British luxury carmaker has launched its first model, the Artemis. Based on the current Porsche Cayenne Turbo, the Artemis began life as the Hemera and was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The ‘Super-SUV’ (a term coined by the company for this vehicle) was re-christened the Artemis and then re-launched at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show.  

If the Cayenne is a luxurious supercar on big wheels, then the Artemis is a Cayenne decked up to replicate the luxuriousness of Buckingham Palace.  On the outside the car has been hand-built with panels made from carbon composites. It can be painted in a variety of colours and be trimmed both inside and outside as per the buyers choice. The Artemis sits on massive 23-inch alloy wheels which have been shod with 315/25 tyres. 

However, the ‘my crossover is a moving palace’ theme really starts to come alive when you step inside. The rear cabin has been kitted in a combination of leather seats, quilted floor coverings and lambswool rugs. This in combination with a wood and carbon fibre finish on the doors gives it a super luxurious feel. 

The back also gets its own climate control, reclining seats, drinks chiller (complete with crystal glasses) and optional star-light roof lining.  Up front, most of Porsche’s electronics, stalks, controls and gauges have been retained albeit with a bit of re-branding and the luxury treatment. 

Underneath the hood, a 4.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine produces 600bhp and 750Nm of torque. This pushes the crossover from 0-100kph in 4.5 seconds to a top speed of 290kph. The company says the car was test-driven by former F1 driver Johnny Herbert. 

Here is the bombshell, all this luxury is yours for a ‘modest’ 210,000 Pound Sterling (Rs 1.8 crore before taxes and duties), except in China where the company has planned a different pricing strategy altogether.  While it is strange that Eterniti has released this car in midst of a financial crisis across Europe, their special pricing policy for China provides hints as to where they actually want to target the crossover.