Melkus RS2000 Final Design and Details Released

Melkus RS2000

The rebirth of a classic brand

By Michael Gauthier
March 24, 2009 10:24 PM
Filed Under: German, Specialty Marques

Melkus has released several new pictures of their upcoming RS 2000 sports car that will go on sale in November with annual production limited to 25 units.

Although information is scarce, the new RS 2000 will have an extremely aerodynamic body which draws inspiration from the classic Melkus RS 1000 which went out of production in 1979. Like the 1000, the new RS 2000 features gullwing doors which have been specially engineered to swing out only a few centimeters to enable entry and exit in tight spaces. In the quest to reduce drag and improve downforce, Melkus outfitted the sports car with a completely closed underbody, a large front lip spoiler, and a rear diffuser.

Designed by Lutz Fügener and Jens Timmich, the new model follows the lightweight philosophy pioneered by company founder Heinz Melkus. To keep weight down the RS 2000 rides on an aluminum chassis which is wrapped in a body constructed from carbon fiber, the end result means that the sports car weighs less than 1,000 pounds (454 kg).

While the company failed to provide information regarding the car's powertrain, they did state that additional details would be released this summer.

Source: Melkus

Comments

Kepe
March 24, 2009 10:53 PM
Cool. If only the big car manufacturers also understood the meaning of "adding lightness" to their designs. New models are almost always heavier than the the models they are replacing. Combine light weight with modern engine technology and aerodynamics, and we'd get cars that are VERY fuel efficient. There would be no need for stupid hybrids like the Prius...

Joe_Limon
March 24, 2009 11:02 PM
the problem facing modern cars, are safety ratings. It is easy to make a light weight car, but with weight savings you also make a less safe vehicle. Personally, I think that if all cars stayed in the 1960's design philosophy and we weren't all cushioned, driver awareness would be much higher and the overall crashes down. Plus we would all have wicked handling light efficient cars.

sub39h
March 25, 2009 12:05 AM
a car with gullwing doors that only weighs 454kg?! it's going to have the structural integrity of a wet paper bag!

v6s_stink
March 25, 2009 12:23 AM
Is Melkus the german term for "Bradley GT"?

Max_Speed
March 25, 2009 3:44 AM
Is it me, or this looks like a smaller Ford GT ... at least from the side.

noworkday
March 25, 2009 9:59 AM
What? 454 kg? are you kidding. guys get your numbers right. You cant mean this seriously.

Bristol411S3
March 25, 2009 12:13 PM
454kg does seeme suspiciously light. And this looks like a slightly less attractive and more gimmicky Artega GT.

tsiebrand
March 25, 2009 12:43 PM
Well, in the german magazine "Auto Bild" which I have,it says they are trying to gain a weight of 950 kg and on the Melkus website they speek of keeping the weight under 1000 kg.


Edited by user on March 25, 2009 at 12:43 PM
xLumino
March 26, 2009 9:04 PM
I know, that they mean 1000kg and not pounds. I like the new interpretation of this small sportscar. Unfortunatly there are only 25 Melkus planned.. The Design is great. Especially the topview is stylish. The side looks like the old RS1000! Rest is a bit Lotus like. I think the engineers and designer are inspired by this british company too.

good hopes for that project

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