Supasse V is a new sports car from the small and largely unknown Japanese company Suzusho. It is a high-tech effort and a very big step from the kit Lotus-7 clones that Suzusho currently sells. The Supasse-V is similar in concept with the Lotus Exige. It uses a direct injection turbocharged 2.3 liter Mazda engine (from Mazda 3/6 MPS) and has an aluminum frame.
It is designed by Kenji Mimura and it looks like a mini Group-C racer. Its design has a lot of classic Super Car cues and although in places it isn't very polished, it looks at least in the same class with the Exige and far away from any -simpler and cheaper- kit car. It has almost the same dimensions with the Exige (it is slightly larger, especially in width and wheelbase) but it weighs only 850 kg, about 100 kg lighter than the Lotus (it is even lighter than the basic Elise). With 267 ps from the stock Mazda engine it will be very fast.
Like the Lotus it has a chassis with a central bathtub from extruded aluminum and also aluminum front and rear sub frames where the suspension, engine and mechanical parts are attached. For rollover protection there is a steel roll cage. The radiator for the engine is in the front placed in an almost 45 degree angle and the inter-cooler is placed in the rear, just below the rear small wing. The suspension is as expected double wishbones in every wheel with a linkage mechanism that transfer the loads to horizontally placed coils.
The packaging and overall design looks very good and it has the potential for more powerful versions or race car derivatives. The interior is simple but well designed and as usually with very small manufacturers one can tell from it, how serious the constructor is about its product from a consumer approach. Suzusho is certainly has big plans for this car.
(Text & Images: RobotPig)