Ducati 1198s

Posted on 04 December 2010 by Scott Hayes

Posted on 27 September 2010 by Scott Hayes

Bike-engined cars, or BECs for short. They’re the ultimate goal of a good chunk of the truly speed-obsessed, especially those that can’t get the sweet soundtrack of a 10k-plus rev range out of their heads. If you’re not up to welding your own tube-framed Locost/Lotus 7 or similar, the blokes from ‘Down Under’ have the solution: the Spartan V.

Sure to give even the most hardened of speed freaks a heavy dose of adrenalin, the Spartan V is a very focused piece of kit. Weighing less than 300 kilograms – excluding the driver – the Spartan V is powered by a 125 kW engine borrowed from the Ducati 1198S superbike. All that power in something weighing less than a pallet of 2-ply toilet paper means insane levels of performance. Top speed is 278 km/h, but the first 100 km/h of that will be done in just 3 seconds, while in-gear acceleration times will surely be impressive too.

The carbon fibre bodied, chain driven, Spartan V, features fully adjustable double-wishbone suspension, both front and rear, a 6-speed sequential gearbox, 17-inch lightweight alloy wheels and FIA-approved safety equipment.

The car costs around AU$90 000, roughly R600 000, which is a hefty price for a track-only toy. Then again, it comes ready for you to jump in and drive, has space for a passenger – unlike some other dedicated track racers – and is far more exclusive than the typical Locost/Lotus 7 kit car.