Press day at Frankfurt begins tomorrow, but annoyingly I won’t be there for it. Meaning I’ve got to make the most of the show now before I head off. Sadly, the managers haven’t let me had a sneak peak at the show hall, so I’ve got to go on what I’ve been given.
RJM clarified what the Eden concept is, more specifically responding to my comments on its price and how to compare it to other cars. Turns out it’s a lot, lot more expensive than the GBf Bellua I thought it was meant to be against.
Petoskey sent me an odd email, or at least I thought it was Petoskey who sent it, containing a picture of a V8 turbo engine. And, er, that’s it. Gosh, this takes the uninformative teaser to the next level. To the point where it isn’t a teaser at all.
Hodan revealed their two main releases at the show, including a final version of the Okayama entry-level sports car called the Final Edition. It’s red, with a big black stripe down the middle and a dinky boot spoiler. That ticks most my boxes.
A new version of the Rizun, revised from the one we saw back at Geneva, was unveiled. It’s tidier and more well formed now, with the company revealing that a “GT4” model will be coming soon. Intriguing…
Maine Motors are going to be showcasing two classics at the show, one being the company’s early 70s pony car the Scorpio. A 301 hp yank of a car, it’s bullish looks do have a charm to it, though the faded beige paint isn’t working for me. The nice “well baked cake” peach of the 1956 Imperator though is much more welcoming, as are its bubbly style and soft look. It’s not exactly as imposing as its name wants it to be, but its a fine classic nonetheless.
Zenshi gave us another teaser for something. Looks to be some sort of mass lineup of cars we may or may not see at the show. I honestly don’t know, what else are you supposed to take from a line of car silhouettes?
In response comments made some people, Erin have responded saying they are “very interested” in a shootout between the Nardella XR and the Okayama FE.
And now, for today’s main feature! Contendiente took me out for a special drive on some German roads in the new Victoria sports car.
Semi-Review: 2019 Contendiente Victoria S
“A Sportscar Oddity”
I should just point out that this isn’t quite a review. I was allowed to drive the Victoria on a few roads and on the autobahn, but not ‘push it to the limit’. Instead, a company driver did that for me. Not quite the same is it, but what can you do.
The Victoria is a quirky little thing. Bubble cockpit meats angular light designs, tied together with this odd squatness. I like it, I think. But it’s not going to be for everyone, and it’s not overtly sporty either. It feels more like a “sports” concept, by which I mean the company behind it has spent a lot of time writing some droll text about “what sportiness means” and has “expressed” this in physical form with whatever car they’ve built. Or maybe, this is just a bit ahead of its time. Depends on how much you read into it.
Whatever you think of it, Conte are clearly confident in what they’ve made. The amount of press they’re trying to get this thing evidently shows how dedicated they are to making it a success.
What exactly is it though? A mid-engined, lightweight 2 seater sports coupe. 1.8l V6, 224 hp, carbon fibre monocoque with aluminium body resulting in a 894kg kerb weight, good for 0-60 in 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 138 mph. Is it trying to be efficient or just advanced? I’m going to assume the latter, though were they to make a less powerful version (which wouldn’t exactly be much slower, would it), they could have a budget eco sportscar masterpiece.
Well, they will once I know how it feels on the road. How does it feel? Well, on the few corners where I was able to test the handling before we reached the autobahn, it felt concise. Conformed. Compact. Stubby wheelbase plus low weight makes it a very chuckable car. It manages to be sharp without being rough, it feels quite tender if anything. No where near as soft, however, as the E.O. I tested a few days back. Still, this was only based on nailing it on a few roundabouts and on the sliproad down to the Autobahn 3.
At least we get to test acceleration and speed. It’s a nippy car, that’s for sure. Similar 0-60 time as some of those performance sedans I tested a few months back, but with more go-kart feeling to it. Seriously, the lack of weight makes this thing handle like a RC car. It responds brilliantly, and while the top speed isn’t exactly high, I don’t think that matters. It’s a yappy dog compared to most performance cars; it won’t keep up in the high end, but boy it’ll shout like the bigger dogs.
Pull over, swap seats and let my driver Marco drive me around some twistier corners. It holds very well on the road, and the roll is almost non-existant. Some more lumber support in the seats would most certainly be appreciated, but I’m still impressed at how well it grips despite the fairly thing wheels.
The tiny V6 buzzes away like a small swarm of bees. The sound isn’t exactly defined, but compared to the four bangers of most cars in its class, the Victoria sports a more exciting sound for sure.
I’ll need to do a proper roadtest and not be taken for a roadtest before I can give a full review, but the package the Victoria is offering is tempting. The lightness will be its key selling factor; it’s a proper featherweight, though they really need to improve the interior and make it more suitable for performance driving. Eveything else though? Very promising indeed.
- Gavin Anderson
