Picture mid-engined production exotics with over 1,000 horsepower. If you’re like most, your mind immediately turn to the Europeans. Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz, Koenigsegg – all built overseas. America hasn’t garnered the recognition of European automakers when it comes to hypercars. There have been some attempts, such as the SSC Ultimate Aero or the Hennessey Venom GT. Both cars achieved brief glory as the fastest cars in the world, only to be snubbed by the Europeans.
Now, the good old U.S.A. is back for a rematch with this – the mid-engined Aria FXE Advanced Sports Car concept. This car is an evolution of 2017’s concept, and features some amazing numbers. First, it houses a 6.2-liter V8 engine. It’s four-wheel drive, and features an “E front axle” with a 10 kWh lithium ion battery back for serious torque vectoring. Aria claims the horsepower figure stands at 1,150. Torque is even more massive, at 1,316 lbs-ft. Its 3,450 pound dry weight coupled with that power launches the vehicle to 60 in 3.1 seconds.
Aria Group, backed by experience handling projects for Honda, Toyota, Tesla, Ford and GM, has every intention of producing the FXE. Here’s the rub, though – they’ll only build 400 units worldwide.
If all the numbers prove to be accurate, the FXE may well give the European supercar elite something to think about. It has the power of a bona fide exotic. Aria’s also manufacturing the car from exotic materials, such as a carbon composite chassis utilizing a “new proprietary manufacturing technique”. If Aria builds this car, CEO Clive Hawkins’ claim of Aria’s vision to build “a truly world class American Mid-Engine sports car” should also attract eager buyers.
Aria Group just revealed this car at the LA Auto Show, but potential prices are not available at time of writing. Aria is a boutique manufacturer building a car in limited numbers from exotic materials, so it likely won’t be cheap.
What do you think of this mid-engined, American V8 sports car? Let us know in the comments below! Check back to TFLcar.com for more LA Auto Show news, views, and real-world reviews!
