The first images and details of the Minerva JM Brabazon supercar have been released, marking the apparent return of the former luxury marque.
The Minerva brand – dubbed ‘The Goddess of Automobiles’ because of its name namesake’s role as the Roman goddess of wisdom – was a Belgian luxury automobile manufacturer founded in 1897 that became defunct in 1956.
According to reports, a Belgian start-up has given the company new life with its first model in nearly 60 years to be the hybrid-powered Minerva JM Brabazon.
Claiming a 1:1 power to weight ratio and a top speed in excess of 400km/h, and JM Brabazon takes its name from one of Minerva’s earliest drivers, British aviation pioneer John Theodore Cuthbert Moore-Brabazon.
Featuring a carbonfibre monocoque chassis, a carbon Kevlar body and a six-speed sequential gearbox, the JM Brabazon powers its rear wheels via a mid-rear-mounted twin-turbocharged V12 engine and its fronts with a pair of electric motors.
The car is said to get a limited-slip differential and incorporate both regenerative braking technology and a five-mode intelligent drive control system.
With a wide front grille, angular LED headlights, deep side air intakes and 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels, the sleek supercar shows hints of the Audi R8 and Maserati MC12.
If the company’s new website is any guide, more details will be revealed soon.
