Danish supercar maker, Zenvo, has unveiled its latest crazy creation at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. It’s an update for the Zenvo TSR-S, and it features one of the most powerful production engines of all time.
The new TSR-S is an evolution of the original ST1 and is basically a road-legal, ‘street’ version of the TSR track car, hence the ‘S’ in its name. You wouldn’t think it’d be suitable for the streets though, looking at the insane aero components, let alone getting your head around the mental engine.
Sitting behind the cabin is a bespoke 5.8-litre twin-supercharged flat-plane-crank V8 that produces 878kW (1177bhp) at 8500rpm, and an immense 1100Nm. This is all forced through a seven-speed ‘dog box’ sequential transmission with, yep, rear-wheel drive. We think we’re right in saying it is one of the most powerful production rear-drive vehicles around.
If you can find traction, Zenvo promises a 0-100km/h time of just 2.8 seconds. But more amazing is the 0-200km/h time of just 6.8 seconds, which tells you more about the sheer power. For reference, the new Ferrari F8 Tributo does 0-200km/h in 7.8 seconds, and the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ takes 8.6 seconds. The top speed is electronically limited to 325km/h.
Obviously the TSR-S isn’t all about straight-line speed. Zenvo has retained as much of the track credentials as possible from the TSR. For starters you can see the huge rear wing which actually features a new patented active technology. It uses two rotational axes so it can function as an air-brake and to aid stability around corners. Zenvo calls it a “Zentripetal Wing”. Explaining more, Kasper Berthu Damkjær, senior fluid mechanics specialist and founder of Aerotak ApS, said:
“Conventional movable wing and flap designs, focused on inboard tyre load, function by a penalty concept where downforce is increased on the inboard section of the cornering car but not on the outboard section. The TSR-S wing concept is able to maintain the high downforce and generate a large inwards-directed force. When the wing is tilted, downforce is only decreased by 3%, while an inward-directed force of 30% of the wing downforce is generated.”
At the front is a deep and low chin with a full splitter system to cut through the air and direct some air to the underbody. The front bumper itself has also been updated over last year’s TSR-S and features new wheel housing outlets. It’s all held together with a steel and aluminium semi-monoque chassis with front and rear sub-frames.
Of course, most of the TSR-S’s body is made from carbon fibre as well as other lightweight composite materials. Even the seats are made with a carbon shell, with CNC-machined trimmings including black anodised aluminium for that racy feel. All in all the dry weight is 1495kg. Speaking about the car, marketing director at Zenvo, Peter van Rooy, said:
“Like all our cars, the Zenvo TSR-S is 100 per cent Danish-designed and hand-built in an extremely limited number. Each car is fully customisable and built to order, tailored to the precise specifications of the discerning client. For example, the TSR-S show car presented in Geneva includes an airbag steering wheel and passenger airbag, something we didn’t feature on last year’s show car when we were looking to maximise weight reduction.”
Zenvo is planning to build just five examples of the TSR-S per year. Pricing really depends on what options you tick, but it’s expected to kick off at around the US$2 million mark.
