1991 Lotec C1000

The Lotec C1000 was a 'one-off' supercar constructed in the early-to-mid-1990s for a member of Dubai's ruling Al Maktoum family to the tune of $2.2 million. The 'C' in the vehicle's name stood for 'carbon fiber' and the '1000' represented the amount of horsepower produced by the engine.

The Lotec C1000 was a joint project between German automotive manufacturers Lotec and Mercedes-Benz. While the latter is a household name, the former is less known. Founded in 1962, Lotec was a German sports car maker that later switched to building aftermarket parts for Mercedes and other manufacturers, including Ferrari.

The C1000 was given the dimensions worthy of a proper supercar, with an overall length of 170 inches, a width of 79 inches, and standing a mere 45 inches tall. The sophisticated chassis received a mid-mounted 5.6-liter V8 Mercedes-Benz M117 engine that was capable of producing 1000 horsepower and 723 lb-ft of torque with the help of a pair of turbochargers. It was paired with a Hewland five-speed manual transmission. Stopping power was via 4 ram AP IMSA racing brakes. The sleek and aerodynamic body was formed from carbon fiber wrapped over an aerospace material frame.

The design of the Lotec C1000 was influenced by the Sauber C9, and its remarkable aesthetics and mechanical features culminated in a vehicle that can be regarded as a road-legal version of a Group C Le Mans racing car. Zero-to-sixty mph was accomplished in 3.2 seconds and had a theoretical top speed of 268 mph (431 km/h). The speedometer tops out at 400 kph (around 248 mph).

The estimated cost to design and engineer the C1000 was in excess of $1,000,000, and the actual construction cost was even higher, bringing the cost to around $2.2 million. Other estimates report that the C1000 cost over $3.6 million to produce.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2006