If this looks to you like an Ariel Atom with a front-mounted V-Twin engine, you're not seeing things. And no, it's not a photoshop. Michigan-based TwinTech has built what they think will be a unique competitor in the specialty trackday toy market. The 1.75-inch tube frame chassis appears to be a little broader than the Atom's but aside from that they look quite similar. Until you spot the S & S V-Twin protruding from the snout.
So it has a motorcycle engine in the front instead of a Japanese mill out back as God intended. The unique design is said to achieve a perfect 50-50 weight distribution. A VW transaxle and Hewland gearbox are inverted and mounted in the rear. The design allows a slew of engine options including supercharged 200+hp variations, but at a curb weight of just 1,120 pounds, even the stock 125 horse version in this prototype should be good for 0-60 in 4.5 seconds.
And lest you think this is some backyard burner built by a couple of guys with too much tubing and time on their hands, the design team includes former Ford engineers and techs Dave Piontek, Jay Novak and Kip Ewing. Between the three of them they have racing and engineering expertise in formula racers and production cars and expect that the production version of the V-Twin Formula Car will sell for around $50,000. Perhaps a lot of money for a car with no track record, but the team expects that people will recognize the quality of engineering and materials used and that will translate into sales. A possible kit version is also being discussed.