The Jannarelly Design-1 Is A Cool Retro Roadster For Throwback Buffs

Who says they don’t make ’em like they used to?

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You may already know car designer Anthony Jannarelly’s work from the audacious $3.4 million W Motors Lykan Hypersport, but now the Frenchman has set up his own company to build an equally desirable, but much less expensive throwback roadster, the Jannarelly Design-1.

Photo: Jannarelly Automotive

The riveting new Design-1 takes its inspiration from classics like the Shelby Cobra and the Ferrari Dino 246GT.

Photo: Jannarelly Automotive

“The Jannarelly is a tribute to the golden age of sports cars for today’s drivers” Anthony Jannarelly explained in a release. “It was conceived to be the start of an emotional journey through the essence of motoring: the thrill of driving and the emotion of owning a beautiful object expressing their very own self with the same free spirit taken from the golden age of sports cars”

Photo: Jannarelly Automotive

As with the classic Cobra, the Design-1 is built on a steel tube frame chassis, though it uses Corvette-like fiberglass and carbon fiber in place of the Cobra’s aluminum body panels.

Photo: Jannarelly Automotive

The drivetrain more closely reflects the Ferrari Dino influence. As with that car, the engine is a transverse V6 sitting behind the cockpit to power the rear wheels. In this case, it is a 304-horsepower version of the well-regarded Nissan VQ-series V6, mated to that company’s six-speed manual transaxle, as seen in the front end of Nissan Maxima sedans.

Photo: Jannarelly Automotive

With an expected curb weight of about 1,600 lbs., the Design-1 will be plenty quick even without the benefit of a multitude of cylinders or a proliferation of turbochargers. Acceleration to 60 mph should take just 4 seconds and the car tops out around 135 mph, which is plenty when driving with an open cockpit.

Photo: Jannarelly Automotive

The company said it has taken orders for 20 of the planned run of 30 initial Design-1s, with the first cars being delivered to customers this summer. Jannarelly is working on a plan for US distribution and says that about 80 potential North American buyers have expressed interest in the car. The expected US price will be about $80,000, according to a spokesman.

Photo: Jannarelly Automotive

That means you can buy 42 Design-1s for the price of a single Lykan Hypersport, though the new car may be just as cool as Jannarelly’s previous design

Photo: Jannarelly Automotive
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