10 August 2022 – Donington Park Circuit, UK: This week, New Zealand performance car manufacturer Rodin Cars has announced that their new track hypercar, The Rodin FZERO, is officially entering production.
Three years after it was first revealed as Rodin’s next venture, the forward-thinking company has released more FZERO production details, including some impressive specs, a release date and the public unveiling of major completed vehicle components at their Donington Park showroom.
Rodin’s most ambitious and eagerly anticipated car yet, the FZERO continues where the previous model, the FZED, left off. Where the purpose of the FZED is to deliver a driver experience aligned with being behind the wheel of a modern Formula One car, the FZERO takes that a leap further, aiming to be the ultimate in track performance, far beyond that of anything seen before.
Building a car without restrictions of road laws or race series regulations, means it can be developed with no limits, allowing for performance that would otherwise be unobtainable. The singular goal of the Rodin FZERO is to be the fastest car around track, without exception.
“The Rodin FZERO is the physical representation of the ultimate heights in vehicle performance. Without the restrictions of building to a set of rules, we are able to make the car lighter, more powerful, and produce significantly more downforce. The only real restrictions we face are the laws of physics, and we have even pushed those to the absolute limit. We look forward to bringing the most intense driving experience conceivable to tracks around the world.”
David Dicker, Founder of Rodin Cars
The Rodin FZERO will be available to customers in a configuration of their choice, allowing them to customize specific aspects of the car based on their driving style and the track on which they will be using it. In addition, Rodin owners receive access to custom racewear services, vehicle storage and delivery, and full driver training at Rodin’s picturesque private race tracks.
Based in New Zealand, David Dicker has crafted Rodin Cars from the ground up, resulting in possibly the most unique and technically advanced vehicle manufacturing facility in the world. Located on a remote 550-hectare property in the South Island, in the shadow of a jagged mountain range, the impressive site, complete with a manufacturing plant, build facility, world-leading 3D printing resources and three test tracks, certainly has the credentials to achieve the company’s vision – to build the fastest car on earth.
27 Rodin FZEROs will be available to buyers, with the first coming off the assembly line in the summer of next year.
FZERO IN DETAIL
CHASSIS, WEIGHT & DIMENSIONS
As the car is made to attack lap times, the emphasis of the FZERO is on weight and airflow aerodynamics. The chassis is constructed from nose to tail of carbon fibre composite, with all components manufactured on site at Rodin Cars.
| WEIGHT | ||
| 698kg | ||
| DIMENSIONS | ||
| Length | 5500 mm | |
| Width | 2200 mm | |
| Height | 1130mm | |
| Track, Front | 1852 mm | |
| Track, Rear | 1790 mm | |
| Wheelbase | 3000 mm |
ENGINE
Designed and developed from the ground up by Rodin Cars and in conjunction with famed engine manufacturer Neil Brown Engineering, the Rodin FZERO is powered by a revolutionary 4.0-litre V10 twin-turbo engine with the assistance of an electric power unit.
At just 132 kg, the engine named the RCTEN, is designed to be the lightest and most compact V10 ever built. A very impressive accomplishment given the engine hasn’t compromised on power, still producing a combined 1176 PS and 1026 Nm of torque. All whilst revving all the way up to 10,000 rpm.
| DISPLACEMENT [cc] | 4,000cc not created to be bored to 4.5L or 5.0L |
| MAX ENGINE POWER [PS]@ rpm | 1000 @ 9000 rpm |
| MAX ENGINE TORQUE [Nm]@ rpm | 910 @ 7250 rpm |
| MAX COMBINED POWER [PS] | 1176 |
| MAX COMBINED TORQUE [Nm] | 1026 |
| MAX ENGINE SPEED [rpm] | 10,000 rpm |
| BORE [mm] x STROKE [mm] | 86 mm x 68.8 mm |
| COMPRESSION RATIO | 10:1 |
| FUEL INJECTION | Direct Bosch running at 200 bar |
| THROTTLE | Bosch drive-by-wire |
| OVERALL UNIT WEIGHT [kg] | 132 kg not including intake and exhaust systems |
| Hybrid motor power | 130kW |
DRIVETRAIN
A bespoke gearbox unit manufactured in conjunction with Ricardo UK gives the FZERO 8 gears whilst only adding just under 66kg. The gearbox is encased in a titanium 3D printed case, printed on site in Rodin Cars’ state-of-the-art 3D printing facility.
The differential is hydraulic, and computer controlled.
BRAKES, WHEELS AND TYRES
Weighing just 698kg, the FZERO is ultra-responsive to minimal braking force. However, the car has been equipped with front and rear 380mm PFC Carbon-Carbon brakes, with Titanium callipers (6-piston front and 4-piston rear). The braking system has both ABS and traction control.
Not just used for stopping the car, the brakes also offer regenerative braking from the hybrid system.
The wheels are a bespoke set of 18-inch forged magnesium rims, manufactured in conjunction with OZ Racing and produced to F1 standards. The rims are 18 x 14-inch at the front and 18” x 16-inch at the rear.
The tyres are a race-spec full-slick compound developed by Avon and can be changed depending on weather.
AERODYNAMICS
The massive wings and floor of the FZERO are capable of producing up to 4000kg of downforce, which when compared to the cars weight of just 698kg is impressive.
