CAR just tested the newly updated Farbio GTS 400 and they seem to have enjoyed it. The original Farbio GTS was already available in normally aspirated or supercharged form, but the old engine put out just 384 hp with the blower. This year's new GTS 400 flagship puts ot 410 hp thanks to new pistons and connecting rods, among other things. Former Marcos and Invicta head Chris Marsh is the man behind this V6-powered carbon fiber-bodied supercar. He bought Farboud from its founder Arash Farboud and restructured the company, renamed it Farbio, and moved it to the Cotswolds near Bath.
He has stuck with off-the-rack, treid-and-true components wherever possible to make this lightweight supercar somewhat affordable, reliable and workable. Still, at £94,000 or 110,000 Euro, it's no Hyundai Accent. Some will say that's way too much for a little-known brand, especially when that amount could get you something like an Audi R8, but where's the fun in that? These cars appeal to the person who wants something different. If this sounds like your cup of tea, know that the GTS 400 will now do the the sprint from zero to 100km/h in just 3.7sec while charging to a top speed of 180 mph. The force-fed V6 is also said to be good for 24 mpg imperial. While many of the details remind us of other supercars on the market, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Knowing these cottage builders still exist is one of the things we are most thankful for this time of year.
Britain's history is punctuated in no small part by the proliferation of its cottage industry. And while the industrial revolution may have taken care of that to a large degree, it's still alive and thriving in the realm of the supercar. Small independent exotic automakers abound, including names like Ascari, Ultima, Noble, Farboud, Farbio and Arash, to name just a few. Trying to keep track of them all is enough to make your head spin, especially when the same guy is behind the latter three. After selling off Farboud, the new owners changed the name to Farbio and founder Arash Farboud started a new outfit under his first name. What you see here are the first proper images of his latest creation, the Arash AF10. The carbon-fiber body, which (aside from the adjustable front wing) bears a startling resemblance to the Ferrari Enzo, is laid over a carbon fiber chassis for a sprightly low curb weight of 1,200kg (about 2,600 lbs). Power is provided by the 7-liter pushrod V8 out of the Corvette Z06, tuned from the stock 498 hp up to 530 thanks to new intake and exhaust systems, driving the rear wheels through a manual Graziano gearbox and kept in check by AP Racing brakes. The supercar is expected to sell for about 170k pounds sterling – a fair bit less than the £220k a Lamborghini Murcielago will cost a British customer – and begin delivery sometime next year. A sequential gearbox is expected to join the catalog, as well as the potential for dropping in the supercharged V8 from the Corvette ZR1 a year and a half down the line.
Bespoke exotic automakers are popping up like reality TV shows in the spring lineup, but none seem as driven as Arash Farboud, the man behind the Farbio GTS. We have no idea how many GTSs he's unloaded, but plans are underway to create another V8 coupe called the AF-8 to slot in between the 911-fighter and the soon-to-be-released AF-10.
The AF-8 seeks to be a more civil version of the AF-10 that's less hypercar and more daily driver. Power will come from the Corvette Z06's 7.0-liter V8 producing over 500 hp and weighing in at between 2,600 and 2,800 pounds. For comparison, the AF-10, sporting the same motor tweaked to 550 hp, will tip the scales at just under 2,500 pounds. The AF-8 should be good for a sprint to 60 in around 3.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 204 mph.
