With the successful launch of the Veranda and Reverence, Adenine now had a solid stream of revenue, and its renown was slowly growing. Penrose was ready to get working on the next car in the Adenine lineup, and he set his sights squarely on the fledgling pony car market. The success of the ‘65 Mustang had shown that an affordable, compact sports car could be highly appealing to a wide audience.
The pony cars already on the market achieved their affordability by adding a stylish, sporty exterior on top of an existing chassis, sharing as many parts as possible. Adenine’s pony car would follow the same formula - but its front-wheel drive architecture was totally different.
In order to be competitive in the pony car market, the new car would have to have sexy, sporty styling - quite unlike the other cars in the Adenine lineup. The Mustang had set the guidelines - long hood, short deck, muscular fenders - but Penrose wanted to bring some European flair to the design. He had been carefully following the design of European sports cars like the Maserati Ghibli and the Ferrari 250GTO, and wanted to incorporate their aerodynamic advancements. The exotic Toyota 2000GT was also an influence. Adenine aerodynamicists and exterior designers agreed on a striking new profile for the car. A narrow, slender body and rakish Kammback tail would allow it to cut through the air like no other American car before it.
In order to support the aerodynamic design, the Advent’s chassis was modified to be narrower, and the rear trailing arms were replaced with double wishbones from the Veranda. While the narrow body was great for reducing frontal drag area, it posed a major problem for the transverse front-wheel drive architecture: none of Adenine’s sixes or eights could fit between the front wheels. The Advent’s 2.2L I4 was the only engine that would fit.
Penrose had a plan for this, though. While the four-banger was small, he could wring out additional performance using some newer technologies. The engine was upgraded with forged steel conrods, more aggressive cams, and a freer-flowing exhaust. A special highlight was the use of Weber DCOE carburetors, which delivered snappy throttle response. The new engine could produce 160hp gross (124hp net), competitive with Ford’s straight-six with nearly twice the displacement.
While impressive, this obviously still wasn’t enough to compete with contemporary V8 engines. For the higher-output engine option, Penrose turned to forced induction - foreshadowing Adenine’s later usage of turbocharged four-cylinder engines. The 2.2L I4 was fitted with a mechanical roots-type supercharger, pushing output up to 220hp gross (167hp net). This put it in the same class as Ford’s 4.9L Windsor V8.
Obviously we don’t have superchargers yet so I’m substituting a V6 engine
The original pony cars were intended to be lightweight and compact (at least compared to full-size sedans), with a weight of around 1200-1300kg. However, by the late 60s, America’s thirst for big-block V8s had caused their weights to balloon to over 1500kg. The Vindicator was a refreshing step in the opposite direction, with a weight closer to British roadsters like the Lotus Elan or MGB. Yet it was still able to offer 2+2 seating, largely due to the lightweight and space-efficient FF architecture.
Like the Mustang, the Vindicator was offered with a variety of options in order to suit a wide audience. The base trim came with the naturally aspirated four-cylinder, standard interior and safety, and power steering, but no radio. With the 5-speed manual, it could do 0-62 in 8.9 seconds and a quarter mile in 16.6 seconds. With its grippy sports tires and fully independent suspension, it could corner at well over 0.9g. With a starting price of $10,800 (+30%), it was highly competitive with entry level six-cylinder Mustangs, and offered significantly better performance and fuel economy.
The Sport variant was fitted with the supercharged four-cylinder and a unique, aerodynamic front fascia. It featured signature ‘swiveling’ headlights which gave it a distinct character. The Vindicator Sport could do 0-62 in 6.9 seconds and run the quarter in just 15.2 seconds. This put it in a dead heat with the Mustang GT with its 5.7L V8 engine. But even more impressive was its racecar-like top speed of nearly 150mph - far exceeding even the most powerful muscle cars. Best of all, the Vindicator Sport could be had for just $12,500 (+40%).
Luxury-oriented customers could choose a premium interior, a radio and phonograph player, and advanced safety features. With the supercharged engine and a 3-speed automatic, it did 0-62 in 8.9 seconds and the quarter mile in 16.5 seconds. And it could still reach 140mph. Priced at $16,800 (+50%), it was stylish, comfortable, and well suited to the affluent suburban buyer.
The 1969 Adenine Vindicator was a truly impressive sports car for its time. Penrose had proven that a four-cylinder, front-wheel drive car could be just as fast as a V8 Mustang - and look sexy doing it. Plus, it was fuel-efficient, comfortable, and easy to drive, like any Adenine. The Vindicator had all the key ingredients that made the Mustang so successful - affordability, sporty styling, and fun-to-drive performance. And customers agreed, buying up as many Vindicators as Adenine could sell.
But the Vindicator never quite achieved the iconic status of the Mustang, or even the Camaro. Perhaps it was because it was introduced a little too late, when the pony car market was already becoming oversaturated. Perhaps it was because it was just a little too civil, a little too secure - it didn’t have the tail-happy, burnout madness of a RWD pony car. Perhaps it was just the cognitive dissonance of Adenine’s fastest car having its smallest engine.
Nevertheless, the Adenine Vindicator set a precedent for a new style of sports car in America. The Mustang had shown Americans that a great sports car didn’t have to be expensive - and the Vindicator showed Americans that a great sports car didn’t have to have a big engine. Adenine would refine its sports car formula in many ways over the years, but the Vindicator’s core concept would remain a lasting influence on Adenine engineers.