Wiesmann Project Thunderball

After many announcements and a long period of silence, Wiesmann is finally back. With the digital world premiere of the Project Thunderball, the sports car manufacturer is back on the scene – but in a whisper. The two-seater roadster is powered by an all-electric drivetrain instead of the six-, eight- or ten-cylinder BMW engines to which Wiesmann was previously accustomed. In terms of performance, the new car picks up where the MF5 left off around ten years ago. The two electric motors installed on the rear axle produce a combined 500 kW (680 hp) and deliver 1,100 Nm of torque to the road. Despite the concept-related high kerb weight of 1,700 kilograms, the sprint to 62 mph is to be achieved in 2.9 seconds. Its 83 kWh battery pack enables a range of up to 311 miles. These batteries can be charged with up to 800 volts and 300 kW. The car also has a five-stage recuperation system.

Visually, Project Thunderball is clearly reminiscent of the MF5 Roadster. The clear reminiscences include the oval radiator grille and the round lights at the front and rear. Now under British management, the Wiesmann company has also adopted the round body shapes from the predecessor models. Inside, on the other hand, modern carbon fiber sports bucket seats and a large touchscreen display are used. As in the past, however, the touchscreen is located below the seven analog round instruments in the center of the dashboard. Exposed carbon, aluminium and the finest leather create a feel-good ambience. During the presentation, Roheen Berry, Wiesmann’s new CEO, didn’t yet provide any information on the planned number of units, market launch or prices. Instead, he held out the prospect of further models. Project Gekko doesn’t appear to have been written off yet.

Images: Wiesmann