This is the story behind the 2005 Hulme F1/2009 Hulme CanAm Spyder Prototype project! These bright orange track-ready vehicles were part of a proposed sports car project by New Zealand based company, Hulme Supercars Ltd., and had intentions to become a tribute model for 1967 Formula One World Champion, New Zealander, Denny Hulme. The first prototype/concept made an appearance in 2005, after beginning development in 2002, and was shown as a hardtop coupe, simply named, the F1. In the early 2000’s, the development of the hard-top F1 variant was a collaborative between a gentleman named Jock Freemantle, who was responsible for creating the company and formulating the idea, and Associate Professor and head of Massey University's Industrial Design department, Tony Parker. The idea was to create a vehicle that would give buyers a formula-1 driving experience while still remaining road-legal. Plans for production seemingly disappeared as the years went by although the F1 showed great promise in it’s mission of becoming a visceral road-legal track-focused machine. In 2009, Freemantle revealed what was intended to be the consumer-ready variant during the A1GP racing event in Taupo, New Zealand. Unlike the first example, this vehicle had a new name, and a new mid-engined roadster design that was intended both for track and road use. This new car, named the CanAm Spyder, featured a number of unique race-inspired elements such as a Quaife six-speed manual gearbox, an A.P. Racing brake system, Bosch designed safety aids, and seats developed by Recaro. The car features a chassis built using carbon fiber, titanium and Kevlar with composite body panels to ensure for weight savings. Plans to produce up to three variants and create a limited number of units per year were made, but that never became a reality.
How many made? 1 coupe, 1 roadster
Engine: 5.0L BMW M5 V8 - 450hp (claimed) / 7.0L Corvette-sourced General Motors LS7 V8 - 600hp (claimed)
Debut: '2 Hot 2 Handle' motor show, Westpac Stadium, March 2005
Top Speed: 198mph (claimed)
0-60mph: 3.5 seconds (claimed)
Photo Credit: Hulme Supercars
Research: @rarecarsonly