De Tomaso P900 Packs Naturally Aspirated, 900-HP V12 and Weighs Less Than a Ton
Another ultra-expensive V12 monster enters the ring.
V12-powered cars may not be disappearing wholesale but just becoming toys for the ultra-rich. Hypercars from Gordon Murray, Ferrari, and now De Tomaso prove that if anything, 12-cylinder machines are going more extreme to stay alive. The latter upstart's new P900 is a good example of a classic supercar formula taken to the extreme. Its 6.2-liter V12 produces 900 horsepower, it has a dry weight of 900 kilograms (1,984 lbs), and power is sent to the rear wheels only via a sequential Xtrac transmission.
By looking at it, it also appears to be made almost completely of carbon fiber. To be clear, what we're seeing here are renders. The final car, however, will actually look like this according to De Tomaso. Yes, that wing will make production. It's also active.
The P900 will cost $3 million each, assuming you're one of the lucky 18 people to get your name down for one. It officially will be unveiled in summer 2023, V12 and all. Much of the vehicle's testing has already been completed, too. The aerodynamics has been validated at a Formula 1 wind tunnel and the 60-degree, naturally aspirated engine has been built and tested by Capricorn GmbH. Capricorn, for reference, is a company that brands including Porsche trust to get its race cars right.
De Tomaso's boss Norman Choi understands that electric vehicles are the future and that an electric equivalent to this car would be faster. He also doesn't care. There is no replacement, as far as he is concerned, for "the feeling of a naturally aspirated engine firing on all cylinders." He also states that it "is difficult for [him] to accept a silent EV driven future." Eat your heart out, Rimac.
That being said, the P900 can run on synthetic fuels created through green processes. That's nice and all, but the carbon emissions of just 18 of these things can't be significant either way. Also, I doubt any owners will be seeking out environmentalist-approved fuels. I would wager they're not exactly the type.
Sustainability aside, the P900 is plainly a monstrous machine and has a short list of impressive suppliers. The bespoke V12 is also not the only engine on offer. If a customer wants their vehicle sooner than summer 2023, a V10 engine from former F1 engine builder Judd is also available. This engine saw use in the Benetton B197 F1 car and produced in the range of 750 horsepower at 17,000 RPM in race trim. Its state of tune in the P900 is unclear.
Specs like its 0-60, quarter mile and braking times, as well as a Nurburgring lap time will likely be released closer to launch. Until then, all we have to enjoy is some renders. Come summer, though, we'll get to enjoy some V12 noise, rest assured. De Tomaso has a program to make it easier for owners to track these things, so we're definitely gonna get some noise at full-tick.
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