Ares Design S1 shown in Europe as limited-run NA V8 supercar

Italian coachbuilder Ares has displayed a new naturally aspirated supercar in Europe that's set to go into highly limited production in 2021. 

The S1 Project has been shown as a full-size model at the Salon Privé event at Blenheim Palace in the UK, ahead of entering production in 2021. Just 24 examples are planned to be built. 

The S1 Project is claimed to have been built to a simple brief: “A car to comprise hypercar design, supercar performance and a sports car price tag”. Although no price has been detailed, that would suggest that the S1 Project will be more affordable than the usual crop of low-volume, bespoke hypercars. 

The body was shaped by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for “maximum downforce and minimum aerodynamic resistance” and is created from “hand-crafted” carbonfibre panels. The exhausts for the mid-engined engine are found on the bonnet, as with the Porsche 918 Spyder.

Ares’ new model is powered by a naturally aspirated V8 powerplant of undetermined origin. The unit puts out 705bhp and is claimed to be able to rev to an 8800rpm redline for a “deeply satisfying sonorous roar”. The unit is mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and has a specific ECU tune and bespoke exhaust system.

Although it doesn’t appear that much real-world testing has taken place, Ares “anticipates” a 0-62mph time of around 2.7sec from calculations. No weight figures has been given for the car. We do know, however, that it features double-wishbone suspension, forged aluminium axles and adaptive ride control for a “potent yet uncomplicated drive”.

A rendering of the S1 Project's interior showcases a concept-like design with hand-stitched leather and Alcantara, plus high-tech user interfaces and a separate touchscreen for the passenger.

Ares, previously dubbed Ares Design, is run by controversial ex-Lotus boss Dany Bahar. He and his Dubai-based business partner, Waleed Al Ghafari, founded Ares and built a 23,000sqm design-and-engineering facility in Modena, Italy, in 2018.