SA's First Super Car

[Dadz Toy BFI]

SA's first supercar
Article By: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:54
Right now, the finishing touches are being put to South Africa's first supercar in a secluded factory outside Bloemfontein. And once completed, this bespoke, Porsche-powered ultra-performance machine is expected to be capable of well in excess of 300km/h and a 0–100km/h sprint time of under four seconds.


It’s called the Barnard, and it is locally-conceived, designed and built. Its inspiration is the designer’s passionate love of endurance racing and Chris Barnard's car is based loosely upon the machines which dominated races like Le Mans.

So this is not a sports car. It is a racing car for the road. It doesn’t have power steering. It doesn’t have vacuum-assisted or anti-lock brakes. It doesn’t have traction control. It doesn’t have electric windows.

What it does have is a monocoque chassis made from high-tech steels, which combine strength with light weight and the ability to be bent and shaped in a way which ordinary metals can’t. The layout of the chassis resembles that of the seminal Porsche 962 endurance racer.

The front suspension attaches directly to this rigid structure while at the rear a sophisticated tubular steel cradle accommodates the engine, gearbox and rear suspension. The car has been designed to accept a number of different powerplants, specifically high output overhead camshaft V8s sourced from the European premium brands.

In the case of the development car, the engine is a twin-turbocharged Porsche V8. Altered and strengthened both internally and externally, this engine is rated at approximately 460kW but that number can be upped significantly — the Barnard has been designed with the potential to achieve 400km/h.

With this in mind, it is cloaked in a composite body with aerodynamics which, like the chassis and engine, are inspired by competition. A flat undertray, rear diffuser, and cutouts in the front wheelarches generate a low pressure cell below the car and suck it against the tarmac.

"This is a car which has been built with the objective of breaking down barriers and no expense has been spared to make it into what I believe is the most single-minded performance machine to ever come out of this country,” says Barnard, who through his other business interests is able to tap into a pool of engineering expertise around the globe.

"This is a piece of art, but it is functional art. It is designed to be driven in an enthusiastic manner and appeal to the senses of the performance aficionado."

Barnard’s other love is aviation and the car’s interior, while still in the development phase, is inspired by the cockpit of an fighter jet. A bank of white-faced gauges monitor everything from engine oil pressure to the temperature of the gearbox and even exhaust gas temperature, while a battery of switches in the roof control lights and wipers and — in a concession to the driver’s comfort — the air conditioning.

“There is no question that South Africa has the engineering expertise and production skills to build a low-volume car such as this,” says Barnard. “I think when potential customers examine it closely — whether it be the suspension layout or the fact that the windscreen and side glass have been made locally specifically for this car — they will realise that it is designed to offer not only a very special motoring experience, but also exceptional quality.”

The Barnard can be built to an individual’s requirements and preference in terms of drivetrain, the only constraint being the budget. However, the car is expected to retail for around R1.1-million, with the first deliveries to customers scheduled for the middle of the year.

What's a million bucks between friends?

[Scorpion]

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