Minerva resurfaces with 400 kph J.M.Brabazon supercar

They may not be the most familiar carmakers in town, and chances are, you may not know them either. But automotive manufacturer ‘Minerva’ was founded in the fall of 1897 by a gentleman named Sylvain De Jong. And, as the story goes, after building more than 50,000 passenger cars in the early 20th century, with names such as Type C, Type D and Type E, the company shut its doors in 1956. However, they’ve decided not to be dug into the graves of history, and after more than 50 years of dust, the company has been revived. Hence, they say that the company has “risen again from the ashes”, as they announced its first modern vehicle – a supercar, no less.

The Minerva J.M. Brabazon, reportedly named after a famous British racing driver, is a plug-in hybrid gasoline-electric, built with a carbon-fibre monocoque chassis and Kevlar-carbon bodywork. The mid-mounted combustion engine is expected to be a twin-turbocharged V12, running through a 6-speed sequential F1 gearbox. Two electric motors are said to be powering the front wheels too.

The operator will also be able to select between five performance modes (Economy, Normal, Sport, Race and Safe Mode), each intended to keep the coupe aligned with the driver’s mindset.

With an estimated maximum speed in excess of 400 kph (248 mph), and a promised power-to-weight ratio of 1:1, expect the performance to be mind boggling. Minerva has not announced an on-sale date, but a prototype should make an appearance during the upcoming auto show season.