GTspirit are invited to visit a number of showrooms across the globe where we see some extraordinary cars and vehicles. Last week we drove down to Neckarwestheim, Germany, to visit VOS. VOS is an acronym for ‘Vision of Speed’ and the vehicles that reside within the showroom certainly live up to that title.
Only the most exclusive, rare and special cars will ever roll onto the showroom floor and the sight that met us is not one that we will never forget!
As we enter the showroom the eye is immediately drawn to a bright orange Maserati. The Maserati MC12 Corsa is the hardcore variant of the MC12 intended for racetrack use. The Corsa shares its engine with the MC12 GT1, the 6-liter V12 produces 755 horsepower at 8,000 rpm — 122 hp more than the original MC12. This car has a top speed of 330 km/h and it is capable of accelerating from 0 to 200 km/h in just 6.4 seconds.
Alongside the Corsa is a ‘standard’ MC12 finished in its typical pearlescent white and blue livery. Two of the rarest and most hardcore cars on the planet being kept under one roof.
Lining one wall is a row of rather more ordinary supercars, the mandatory McLaren 12C Spider, Lamborghini Aventador Roadster and Ferrari 458 Spider fitting in with the brightly coloured cars.
The Ferrari 458 Spider brings us on to another aspect of VOS, tuning. The 458 has been tuned by Novitec and has been fitted with the tuners instantaneously recognisable wheels design and a pair of race spec dive planes. There are a number of well known tuners that are operating not only in Europe but across the globe such as Gemballa and Novitec. VOS are venders of many machines and as we head up to the first story of the huge showroom, that would not look out of place in Beverly Hills, the shock and awe of the ground floor is a distant memory overwritten by a stunning Novitec N-Largo,
based on the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, and a heavily modified Lamborghini Murcielago.
The N-Largo front fenders create a striking hour-glass-shape effect. They replace the production components in their entirety and add six centimeters to the width of the F12 on the front axle. Key factors in the aerodynamic properties and the appearance are of course the fascia and spoilers of this Novitec-Rosso special model.
In the rear, the combination of five-piece diffuser on the N-Largo fascia and the large rear airfoil create additional aerodynamic downforce at high speeds. The body conversion kit is manufactured from ultra-light, yet ultra-strong, carbon fiber. Also part of the conversion are tailor-made three-piece Novitec-Rosso NF5 NL forged wheels combining 21-inch rims in the front and 22-inch rims on the rear axle. Further features are a revised suspension with front lift function, and a power upgrade to 574 kW/781 hp, which propels the two-seater to a top speed of about 350 km/h.
Elsewhere we stumble across a car that looks like nothing else on the road, one of the most spectacular looking tuning projects to date, the Gemballa Mirage GT. A total of 19 Mirage GTs exist globally, making it one of the most exclusive and rare supercars out there. The basis for the vehicle is the Carrera GT, Porsche’s fastest and most expensive supercar in its time, challenging the Ferrari Enzo and the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (also in the showroom!) for the title of ultimate supercar of the early twenty-first century.
Stock, the 5.7-liter V10 engine from the Porsche Carrera GT on which the Mirage GT is based delivers 612 hp at 8,000 rpm, 590 Nm at 5,750 rpm and it will take you to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, and from zero to 193 km/h in 9.9 seconds. The red line is at 8,400 rpm and the top speed is 330 km/h. By comparison, the Gemballa Mirage GT delivers 670 hp at 8,000 rpm and 830 Nm of torque at 5,700 rpm.
It is not only the cars that dropped our jaws. VOS also have a collection of car inspired motorbikes something we have never seen before. The white Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR sits with its doors up with a matching chopper styled bike in close proximity. A Porsche inspired bike looks awesome as does the Lamborghini bike, but our favourite design without a doubt was the Maserati MC12 chopper, a bike which shares the traditional livery of the MC12 and wheels that resemble those of the MC12.
The cars that the VOS showroom houses are remarkable and the secluded, remote location only adds to the experience of visiting. Every aspect is unique; the showroom itself features a swimming pool and cinema, reflecting how VOS is as much a lifestyle oriented organisation as it is an automotive sales one.
A huge thanks to VOS for hosting GTspirit at their remarkable facility!
