Zac Quinn 
You may recall the Ares Modena S1 Speedster from the past, a supercar that plans to graft the skin of an exotic supercar onto the chassis of a C8 Corvette. That was two years ago. Turns out one does not simply do so. However, that hasn’t stopped Ares Modena, and over the course of about two years, they’ve refined the vehicle. They are stepping back on some of their previous performance claims and taking the car a few steps closer to something that could be put into production.
Ares S1 Speedster: Current Details
The vehicle’s performance is what we’re most interested in. While Ares Modena doesn’t directly state what engine they are using, the car shares many similarities with the C8 Corvette. The engine is a mid-mounted, naturally aspirated V8 engine with direct injection, connected to an 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox that sends power to the rear wheels. Its double-wishbone suspension, forged aluminum axles, and adaptive Magnetic Ride Control assure excellent handling. In addition, the exhaust system features outlets located directly on the rear bonnet, which helps give optimum voice to the powertrain.
Ares Modena doesn’t mention the maximum power or torque of the engine, which is undoubtedly a safer route than the claims they had previously made, which were absurd. While there is a lot they have yet to reveal about the car’s performance specs, the wheels and tires have been decided. 20″ wheels in the front with 275/30 ZR20 tires and 21″ wheels at the back with 345/25 ZR21 tires.
The S1 Speedster‘s bodywork is made entirely of handmade carbon fiber, and its shape has been optimized through in-depth CFD analysis. In addition, the extensive aerodynamic study ensures that the car has an intelligent and recognizable design, perfect engine cooling, and balanced dynamic handling that would be predictable and engaging on both the road and track.
While the car doesn’t look like a C8 Corvette, the powertrain remains one, and with the release of the Z06, perhaps Ares Modena now has what they need to make their supercar a reality.
