You may well have never heard of the Orca C113, but this killer whale can sure make a splash on the racetrack. The supercar was designed and built by Rene Beck of the Orca Engineering company based out of Liechtenstein, Sweden. Many people have the dream of creating their own supercar, but few are ever able to take that dream and create something of it. This specific model of the Orca took nearly fifteen years from inception to production and was first introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 2003.
As with many supercars, the overall idea is quite simple. Keep the weight down, use aerodynamic architecture, and have plenty of power under the hood. Through the hard work of Rene Beck and several other aftermarket tuning companies, the Orca came from concept car to production model in 2005. Its shape was reminiscent of other supercar greats from Lamborghini and of smaller firms like Mosler.
The use of a heavily modified Audi sourced V8 and the lightweight construction have made this car one of the fastest on the road. Albeit, the top speed has never been “officially” tested, the company claims that the car will top out around 224mph.
Hit the jump for more details on this Orca C113.
Design
The exterior of the Orca is certainly striking and its introduction at the prestigious Geneva Motor Show did not go unnoticed. The car was quite different in 2003 than the current model, but underlying systems remained intact. After its initial introduction, the company moved to its current location in search of more investment dollars. Producing your own high-end, limited production supercar is not cheap and the company had no previous background.
The modular design of the car allowed it to be constructed in several sections. The use of carbon-fiber and nomex components not only makes it lightweight, but highly durable as well. Furthermore, each panel is individually removable so that maintenance can be performed without hassle. The body consists of ten large pieces screwed into the structure. Aluminum is also used extensively in the chassis for strength and durability.
Three different versions of the Orca were available at one time or another including a convertible and super lightweight racing model. Of the latter, only seven individual cars were built. The Orca remains a limited production car as is, with the company only finishing several hundred throughout its run. The exotic feel of the car is capped off by Lamborghini style scissor doors.
Performance
The tuning company most touted for their Audi expertise, MTM, was brought on board to help develop the engine for the Orca. The car shown at the Geneva Show used a Volvo 2.3-liter T5 engine, but that simply was not enough. Partnering with Ford was also an option at one point in time, but Ford saw the Orca as a direct competitor to its GT40 program and thus backed out. When Orca turned to MTM, it became a beneficial partnership considering the large network and knowledge that MTM possessed.
Orca decided to use an Audi 4.2-liter V8 engine as the basis, but then added twin-turbochargers. The end result became a monstrous engine producing 641hp at 5,400rpm. The turbo’s provided 11.6 psi of pressure so that the engine could make this massive number and propel the 1,800 lb. car to well over 200mph.
Another reason that the car is able to travel at such high velocities is thanks to its suspension system. The double wishbone setup front and rear became the best setup for the application and also incorporated coil springs and alloy uprights. Orca used a CNC machine to make each piece of the all-aluminum suspension and also covered them with a layer of carbon-fiber for added protection. Speeding at 200mph requires some serious stopping power as well and cross-drilled carbon composite brakes stand ready at all four corners to bring the big whale to a stop quickly.
Pricing
The Orca C113 was built in limited numbers and production has ceased. The original cost of this car would have been in the neighborhood of $200,000
Competition
The most compelling competition to this vehicle would have been the American Supercar, the Saleen S7. With both of these cars being personal projects developed under close supervision of the company owners, they have a certain shared history. They are both limited production models, although many more Saleen models were built, and they are the epitome of high performance. The Saleen S7 used a 7.0-liter Ford Racing 427 V8 engine that produced 550hp. The original car was capable of reaching 200mph, but that is substantially below the claimed top speed of the Orca. Hardly due to pressure placed upon it by the Orca, Saleen developed a twin-turbo version of the S7 that made 700hp and could nearly reach 250mph. Both of these cars display high performance and speed in its purest form and both were individually crafted to represent their respective owners belief of what a supercar should be.
Exotic look
One-off Custom Parts
Powerful and reliable Audi engine
High price
Limited-Production
Outdated vs. other supercars
Posted on
12.6.2011 @ 02:48