Cobra
International Galmer Arbitrage GT
Thailand
may not be the most likely place to spawn a supercar. But the Arbitrage GT
produced with a combination of Cobra International's composite materials
experience and Galmer Engineering's race car design and engineering expertise
looks set to buck the trend. Cobra International have been making composite
surf boards, sports equipment and propellors for 20 years and have tons of
experience in composite materials. But not in sports car chassis design. Which
is why they drafted in the help of Alan Mertens, lead engineer of the Arbitrage
GT project, and ex-racing driver, to make sure the car handles as good as it
looks.
Cobra
International and Galmer Engineering intend to build only 350 Arbitrage GT
supercars. The main markets for the Arbitrage GT are the United States, where
Cobra International hope to sell around 250 cars, and Thailand where they hope
to find homes for 50-75 cars. Although the lightweight construction and track
biased design of the Arbitrage GT would probably find itself at home in Europe.
Made
almost entirely from carbon fiber the Galmer Arbitrage GT will be powered by a
mid-mounted 7 litre General Motors LS7 V8, developing 505 horsepower mated to a
custom made six-speed transmission.
The
interior of the Arbitrage GT was a very important aspect for the team. Critical
factors involved with the interior included style, flexibility, left hand
drive/right hand drive changeability, and overall access to gauges, HVAC, and
accessories. The chosen interior design gives the owner an infinite number of
choices for color and texture of materials as well as easy change-outs for
gauges and data loggers or Motec type dashboards. An inovative option for the
Arbitrage GT will be fingerprint recognition for access to the car as well as
starting the vehicle.
It
should be pointed out that Cobra International and Galmer Engineering have
absolutely no affiliation or connection to Carrol Shelby or the Shelby Cobra.
The
Cobra International Galmer Arbitrage GT is a well funded project, with
customers getting personalised service throughout the build process, and if
things stay on schedule, which looks likely, track testing should begin in 2007
with the first deliveries taking place in 2008.
Source
: topspeed