- The Vazirani Automotive Shul claims to be India’s first hypercar.
- It is powered by a turbine-electric powertrain.
- The development of the concept was helped by Michelin and Force India Formula 1 team.
Vazirani Automotive has finally taken the wraps off the Shul Concept at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Shul Concept looks futuristic, to say the least, and the new-found carmaker promises to put the prototype for testing later this year.
The highlight of the Shul Concept is its unconventional powertrain. It has an eco-friendly, jet turbine powerplant feeding a four electric motor set-up. The rapid, torque-heavy performance promises instant acceleration without compromising on the range. Vazirani has worked with a company in the UK for the development of the turbines. There is also a single ratio gearbox.
The Shul has a carbon-fibre tub chassis similar to the one in BMW i8. In fact, carbon fibre has been extensively used, which helps in reducing the overall weight of the car. The exterior shape is specifically designed to keep the car as aerodynamic as possible. There are smooth body panels with no over-the-top design. Most of the styling is reminiscent of the Pininfarina H2 Speed Concept. The headlight design is sharp and it is complemented by a sleek profile. A fin-type spoiler sticks out at the back with boomerang-shaped tail lights. The styling is minimalistic with no flamboyant elements.
The futuristic wheels hide Brembo brakes and the car sits on Michelin tyres. There have been some inputs from the Force India Formula 1 team during the development, and the support will continue when the prototype commences testing later this year. No other technical details are available at the moment.
Chunky Vazirani, founder and chief designer of Vazirani Automotive, insist that the Shul is India’s first hypercar, however, the development will be carried out in California. When it does go into production, however, it will be toned down a bit. But we hope it carries over the styling. The limited production run will keep the price tag exorbitant.
All the same, the Shul Concept delivers its promise of bringing an Indian-bred hypercar to the global platform. Now all we need to do is twiddle our thumbs and wait until we can witness the Shul on Indian roads.
