citação:AL Melling says it#8217;s been described as the British Ferrari #8211; but it#8217;s much more than that.
It#8217;s the car that will put Rochdale back on the motoring map, nearly 50 years after the town#8217;s other famous racer, the Rochdale Olympic, first made its debut.
The 63-year-old engine designer#8217;s V10 Hellcat is the pinnacle of a lifelong association with fast cars and motorbikes.
Mr Melling#8217;s engines have helped power cars from Jaguars to Ferraris and Lamborghinis to podium success.
"It#8217;s the climax of my career, the car I#8217;ve been working towards all my life," he said.
The car, the prototype of which is now in its final production stage in Mr Melling#8217;s Rochdale factory, is a mean machine.
Capable of reaching speeds in excess of 200 mph, it is powered by a 700bhp 6.0 litre engine.
It takes just 2.8 seconds to get to 60 mph.
It#8217;s a classic front-engined, rear-drive coupe with a carbonfibre monocoque body and chassis, with all independent wishbone suspension.
And what#8217;s more it weighs only 1,220 kg.
At £100,000, it doesn#8217;t come cheap.
But it#8217;s been described by many motoring experts as the Rochdale supercar itching to take on Aston Martin and the others.
Instead of having a luxury salon interior, as with so many performance coupes, the cabin will be race-bred with deep bucket seats, four-point harnesses and carbonfibre panels as trim.
Royton-born Mr Melling is planning to build four cars a month in his factory, now being fitted with special production bays.
He#8217;s also signed a deal with Detroit based Rouche #8211; part of the Ford company #8211; which will build 100 cars a month.
In Britain the Hellcat will be sold through one expert dealer.
Mr Melling will also take on an extra 25 to 30 staff at his Rochdale factory to cope with full-time production, which begins in November.
Because it#8217;s been designed and will be built in Rochdale, Mr Melling has high hopes it will put the town on the motoring manufacturing map.
He hopes the car will catapult the town to classy vehicle fame in the way that Cosworth is associated with Northampton and Blackpool the TVR.
"Cars with my engines have been successful at the Le Mans 24-hour race on six occasions.
"But it#8217;s always been my wish to go back to France with my own car and my own engine.
"And next year I#8217;m going to do just that with the Hellcat.
"The car will be launched at next year#8217;s Motor Show at the NEC."
He#8217;s had 10 orders already and requests by such eminent motoring writers as Jeremy Clarkson to test drive the Hellcat.
First published by the Rochdale Observer
It#8217;s the car that will put Rochdale back on the motoring map, nearly 50 years after the town#8217;s other famous racer, the Rochdale Olympic, first made its debut.
The 63-year-old engine designer#8217;s V10 Hellcat is the pinnacle of a lifelong association with fast cars and motorbikes.
Mr Melling#8217;s engines have helped power cars from Jaguars to Ferraris and Lamborghinis to podium success.
"It#8217;s the climax of my career, the car I#8217;ve been working towards all my life," he said.
The car, the prototype of which is now in its final production stage in Mr Melling#8217;s Rochdale factory, is a mean machine.
Capable of reaching speeds in excess of 200 mph, it is powered by a 700bhp 6.0 litre engine.
It takes just 2.8 seconds to get to 60 mph.
It#8217;s a classic front-engined, rear-drive coupe with a carbonfibre monocoque body and chassis, with all independent wishbone suspension.
And what#8217;s more it weighs only 1,220 kg.
At £100,000, it doesn#8217;t come cheap.
But it#8217;s been described by many motoring experts as the Rochdale supercar itching to take on Aston Martin and the others.
Instead of having a luxury salon interior, as with so many performance coupes, the cabin will be race-bred with deep bucket seats, four-point harnesses and carbonfibre panels as trim.
Royton-born Mr Melling is planning to build four cars a month in his factory, now being fitted with special production bays.
He#8217;s also signed a deal with Detroit based Rouche #8211; part of the Ford company #8211; which will build 100 cars a month.
In Britain the Hellcat will be sold through one expert dealer.
Mr Melling will also take on an extra 25 to 30 staff at his Rochdale factory to cope with full-time production, which begins in November.
Because it#8217;s been designed and will be built in Rochdale, Mr Melling has high hopes it will put the town on the motoring manufacturing map.
He hopes the car will catapult the town to classy vehicle fame in the way that Cosworth is associated with Northampton and Blackpool the TVR.
"Cars with my engines have been successful at the Le Mans 24-hour race on six occasions.
"But it#8217;s always been my wish to go back to France with my own car and my own engine.
"And next year I#8217;m going to do just that with the Hellcat.
"The car will be launched at next year#8217;s Motor Show at the NEC."
He#8217;s had 10 orders already and requests by such eminent motoring writers as Jeremy Clarkson to test drive the Hellcat.
First published by the Rochdale Observer
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