Who doesn't love supercars->ke177? They come from all over the world. Ferrari->ke252 and Lamborghini->ke44 come from Italy, Germany has Mercedes-Benz->ke187 and Porsche->ke1, and Aston Martin->ke13 and Lotus->ke49 hail from England. We here in America have the Viper->ke1404 and Corvette Z06. In 2014, we now receive a new supercar from the Philippines, sort of. The company is known as Factor Aurelio Automobile and its latest prototype -- still unnamed -- shows just what two creative minds can come up with.

The Philippines is known for its lush, tropical beauty, gorgeous beaches, and amazing culture. However, when you think of supercar origins the Philippines probably isn't the first country that pops into your mind.

This relatively sleek and sexy supercar is still very much in development, and there is news of grumblings between its two founders, Kevin Factor and Brendan Aurelio, so this may be a short-lived dream. Regardless, it is cool enough to pass onto our faithful readers.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Factor Aurelio Automobile Aurelio.

2014 Factor Aurelio Prototype

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2014 Factor Aurelio Prototype
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 350
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

It's pretty obvious that this car takes styling cues from several established, high-end supercars and molds them together. It's not necessarily a bad thing, as the Aurelio is attractive and definitely looks the part. Considering that this car -- from inception to production -- came from a four-man team led by a 21-year-old engineering student, I would say they have done a very good job here.

The front-end is obviously inspired from the Ferrari 458 Italia, with its almost snake-eye headlights. The air-intake scoops are different, though. Whereas the 458 has a large lower front bumper with integrated air intakes, the intakes in this application are huge scoops on the sides of the bumper. Also notable is just how far down the hood slopes, making the front end appear to barely clear the ground.

From the side, I see a lot of the McLaren F1->ke1159. Two distinct character lines run down the side, though this application is more dramatic than the car that inspired it. These character lines feed into very large rear air-intake scoops likely to aid in aerodynamics and cooling. Other styling aspects that it shares with the McLaren is the rather long-looking wheelbase and scissor doors.

Out back, it's classic Lamborghini Murcielago->ke1267. From the center-mounted, same-shaped exhaust tip to the taillight treatment, it nearly looks identical. The only major difference that I see is that this prototype has a much larger rear window. Also, the rear air outlets take on a slightly different shape.

Interior

Interior information has not been released, so this is a little difficult to speculate on. Based on exterior shots where you can see inside, expect extreme-looking racing seats and plenty of carbon-fiber trim.

We aren't sure if the Aurelio will include modern luxuries, such as air conditioning, navigation, or even a radio. This could very well be a stripped-down car, devoid of any items that would add unnecessary weight (and cost). Perhaps this is the reason there are no interior pictures yet.

Drivetrain

Drivetrain information is limited, too, but we do know that the Aurelio will be powered by either a Mitsubishi->ke58 four-cylinder 4G63 turbocharged engine or a Honda B16A VTEC four-pot. The former is an older motor, with roots tracing back to the early 1980s. The latter engine is also rather old, dating back to the early 1990s. Despite their age, these engines has been updated throughout their lives and improved over the years. On top of that, these engines are also very popular tuners, and have been proven reliable and robust over the years. Many enthusiasts add more bolt-ons to them and report great results.Seeing 350-plus horsepower from either of these engines wouldn't be a total shock.

According to the online publication BoldRide the Factor Aurelio Automobile Prototype is claimed to top out at 186 mph. Actual acceleration figures haven't been released, but expect them to be blistering. The body is made from fiberglass-reinforced plastic, with carbon-fiber bits here and there and the chassis is a tubular space-frame. Based on this, we expect the car to be extremely light. The developers claim that with the Mitsu engine installed, this car pumps out 457 horsepower per ton, which would put this supercar at a mind-blowing five pounds per horsepower. To put that number into perspective, the Lamborghini Aventador has a 4.96-pounds-per-horsepower rating.

Prices

Here's where it gets rather interesting: the Aurelio will cost about 1.6 million Philippine pesos. Sounds like a lot, doesn't it? Well, converted into U.S. dollars that's $37,000. Kind of hard to believe, right? Perhaps I was right when I speculated that this car will be lacking many features. But, $37,000 for 186 mph? Can't really beat that!

Don't get that checkbook out yet, however. Because funding is limited, and Factor Automotive Auerilo is a company comprising of four people, they only have the capability to between six and ten of these cars per year. Likely, the cars will only be released in the home country as well.

Competition

Ford Mustang GT

America's iconic Mustang has just received a full redesign for the 2015 model year. Sharp new looks, an exciting, 2.3-liter, EcoBoost, inline-four engine, and the addition of an independent rear suspension are among the most notable highlights.

Performance is excellent, particularly in the GT version with its 5.0-liter V-8. The 2015 upgrade gives the V-8 a bump in horsepower to an even 435. Expect acceleration in the low four-second range and all the right sounds.

Pricing starts at around $23,600, but a heavily optioned V-8 GT model will set you back around $40 grand.

Nissan 370Z NISMO

The 370 is already a very capable sports car in its standard form. The NISMO, track focused edition takes it to new heights with a power boost, upping the venerable, VQ-series V-6's power rating to an even 350.

More than just an power increase, the NISMO edition includes aerodynamic and styling tweaks, with a tuned NISMO exhaust rounding out the package. The NISMO version is a shocking six inches longer than the regular Z, due to said aerodynamic tweaks and body kit. However, the NISMO model is a legitimate, track-worthy sports car with a 0-to-60-mph sprint of just 4.7 seconds.

Pricing for the NISMO Z starts at $43,020.

Conclusion

This is a valiant effort, and these guys have done a commendable job engineering and assembling this car. We have no official performance details and no driving impressions have been released yet. In theory, it should be quite capable.

Unfortunately, when a car is designed with such limited capacity the idea usually trumps the finished product in the long-term. The big question is, "Will this all work?" With such a limited budget, and no dealer networks -- not to mention engineering and reliability concerns some consumers might have -- I don't anticipate seeing any Aurelios stateside anytime soon, even here in car-crazed Los Angeles.

Cars like these usually work for about 1,500 miles before they literally fall apart. Having saying that, if I ever see one I'll gladly eat my words.