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First Foose Coupes get delivered to customers - Posted
on Saturday 19 July 2008
Chip Foose’s space-age hotrod, called simply the Foose Coupe, is an
exercise in the extremes of automotive design and materials. So far,
only four have been built however, and only two of those have been
offered to the public, the last one at Barrett-Jackson’s famed auction
in 2007. The newest Coupe was delivered to its owner this week in
California, marking the official kick-off of sales of the unique car.
Featuring a unique look, custom features and supercar-level performance,
the Foose Coupe last claimed a retail price of $330,000 in open bidding.
That may seem like a hefty price for a hot rod, but the Foose Coupe is
as much exotic as it is American iron. A dry carbon fiber monocoque
helps keep the car’s weight down to about 2,300lbs (1,050kg) while the
power provided by this example’s 6.4L Hemi yields a power-to-weight
ratio that many Ferraris and Lamborghinis can only aspire to. Weight
distribution is also excellent thanks to the mid-engine design and
rear-wheel drive ensures classic handling tendencies.
Rated at 500hp (373kW) and 480lb-ft (648Nm) of torque, the Foose Coupe’s
4.6lb/hp (2.81kg/kW) tops even the Ferrari F430’s 6.6lb/hp (4.0kg/kW).
But it’s not all about power. The Coupe is also a completely custom
hot-rod inspired work of automotive art. Plush leather seating, carbon
fiber trim, and in this customer’s car, a pistol grip shifter for the
five-speed manual. A fully independent front and rear suspension,
14-inch brake discs with six-piston Baer calipers and 20-inch polished
alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero tires complete the package. The
flames lining the car’s exterior were hand-painted by Chip Foose
himself.
The Foose Coupe is limited to a run of 50 vehicles. Despite only four
having been built since the car’s debut at the 2006 SEMA show, the
latest delivery indicates the pace of production may be picking up.
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