Italian design studio ICONA is officially taking the wraps off its brand new titanium hypercar at this year’s Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance in England. A concept version of the Icona Vulcano Titanium made earlier appearances at last year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California and this spring’s Top Marques in Monaco.
The one-off Titanium hypercar was inspired by the world’s fastest plane, the titanium-made SR-71 Blackbird. The hypercar is the first car in the world that has a body fully constructed of titanium and has the word ‘unique’ written all over it. Regarding the car’s futuristic design, Icona’s head of design, Samuel Chuffart, commented: “Inspiration for the Vulcano came from the most recent airplanes and architectural challenges where we find exquisitely sharp and dramatic silhouettes complimenting sensual surface transitions. This was key to the styling of the Vulcano.”
Constructing the titanium bodywork was outsourced to prototype manufacturer CECOMP and involved over 10,000 hours of hand-crafted work. The interior of the car is said to be just as high-end and features an abundance of carbon fiber and black Alcantara leather. The driver’s seat is entirely made out of carbon fiber and faces a cluster of screens including a 12.3-inch TFT touch display.
On the technical side of things the car’s drivetrain and suspension are the work of famous ex-Scuderia Ferrari engineer Claudio Lombardi. Together with Mario Cavagnero, head of Italtecnica, he worked on getting the best possible performance to the Vulcano Titanium hypercar. The supercharged 6.2-liter V8 powerplant produces 670 hp and 820 Nm of torque. With a power-to-weight ratio of 2.38 kilograms per hp, the titanium hypercar rushes to 100 km/h in just 2.8 seconds, and 200 km/h in 6.8 seconds. It also managed to conquerer the Nürburgring Nordschleife with a best lap time of under 7:20.
For a large part responsible for the car’s balance and handling capabilities are the lightweight forged aluminum wheels shod with Pirelli PZERO tires and Brembo supplied carbon-ceramic brakes. The car’s 6-speed single clutch automatic transmission is courtesy of Automac Milano and doesn’t come with a central gear lever in the center console. Instead the driver is forced to use the shift paddles on the steering wheel that are said to boost simplicity and engagement.
Priced at €2,500,000 excluding taxes, this unique piece of Italian design and engineering could be yours if you’re quick enough. For those of you that want to see it in real life, head over to Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace in the UK in the weekend of September 1st to September 3rd! We are once again proud to be Salon Privé’s official digital media partner, for more information and updates please visit their website.
