AURELIO SUPERCAR

AURELIO SUPERCAR

THIS IS THE AURELIO – A SLEEK, PRETTY-EYED WET-DREAM TURN

D SUPERCAR, BUILT BY A FOUR-MAN PHILIPPINE CREW CALLED FACTOR AURELIO AUTOMOBILE. AND TO BE HONEST, IT ISN’T EXACTLY HARD TO TELL WHAT THESE GUYS WERE DREAMING OF AT THE TIME.

THE AURELIO’S PROFILE NIPS AT THE HANDSOME CONTOURS OF THE FERRARI 458 ITALIA, THE DOORS HAVE AN AIR OF MCLAREN P1, AND THE REAR END PICKS UP SOME CUES FROM THE LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR. HOWEVER, THOSE CERTAINLY AREN’T BAD JUMPING-OFF POINTS, ARE THEY?

UNDERNEATH THE SLEEK BODY LIES A TUBULAR SPACE FRAME CHASSIS AFFIXED WITH A TURBOCHARGED MITSUBISHI 4G63 FOUR-CYLINDER THAT ALLEGEDLY BOASTS 457HP PER TON, CAPABLE OF SHOOTING THE AURELIO UP TO A TOP SPEED OF 186MPH.

ACCORDING TO THE MANILA TIMES, ABOUT 80 PERCENT OF THE CAR’S COMPONENTS WERE SOURCED FROM WITHIN THE PHILIPPINES, WITH THE ONLY EXCEPTIONS BEING THE WHEELS, BRAKES, ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, AND A FEW SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. TALK ABOUT GRASSROOTS ENGINEERING.

THE COMPANY CAN PRODUCE ABOUT SIX TO 10 UNITS A YEAR WITH THEIR CURRENT MANPOWER, WHICH ARE PEGGED TO GO FOR ABOUT 1.6 MILLION PHILIPPINE PESOS OR THE EQUIVALENT OF $37,000 A POP.