The Super Car vehicle segment has been dominated by Italian brands such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bertone, Maserati, Alfa- Romeo and Pagani Zonda for decades. Other Super Car manufacturers like Lotus, Aston Martin, McLaren (UK) Chevrolet, Hennessey, SSC, Shelby (US), Porsche, Gumpert (Germany), DC Avanti (India) and Koenigsegg (Sweden), have also produced some memorable super Cars but now it is finally time to introduce a new entrant into this battleground the Factor Aurelio from the Philippines, the first Filipino made Super Car.
Produced by the four-man all-Filipino crew who call themselves Factor Aurelio Automobile, the Aurelio has the undeniable look and feel of a super car. The car’s exterior design is a mash up of some of the leading names in this car segment. Its doors are similar to that of the McLaren P1, the front fascia and contours have a hint of the Ferrari 458 Italia and its rear end appears to have been inspired by the Lamborghini Aventador.
Add that to its brightly colored paint job (of orange or yellow), low-slung ground clearance, and well-defined sharp edges and you could easily mistake this car as European made car. However, according to its San Pedro, Laguna-based manufacturer, around 80 percent of the car’s parts and components came from the Philippines. Except for the wheels, transmission, some suspension components, brakes and the engine, everything in this car was sourced locally. The Aurelio has two engine choices, and although they may not compete with the engine performance of traditional Super Cars made abroad, the Honda B16A V-TEC engine and the 2.0 liter Mitsubishi 4G63T turbocharged engine can still pack a punch. The Mitsubishi engine muscles up 457 horsepower and is capable of propelling the car to a top speed of almost 300 Km/h. The car is made of both carbon fiber and fiber glass and is equipped with 18” Rota wheels and uses a VR4 front and rear suspension.
Car producer Factor Aurelio Automobile said that it can only produce six to 10 units a year, based on their current man power. Currently, the Aurelio is priced at Peso 1.6 million, the same price as a mid-range sedan. Behind the company are the siblings Kevin, 22, and Bryan Factor, 25, and Brendan Aurelio. The three have said they share the same passion for cars and decided to create the Aurelio Super Car to further boost local automotive manufacturing in the Philippines. The first Filipino made Super Car was also featured in the 2014 Trans Sport Show last May.