Lightweight, track-ready sports cars->ke506 have turned into its own market these days, so much so that more and more companies are coming out with their own versions. We've seen a number of them in recent years, including the Ariel Atom->ke564, the KTM X-Bow->ke2333, and heck, even the Flip Car from Fast & Furious 6.

Recently, two companies are joining in on the fun, and they're preparing a car that will pack a chest-caving punch.

The companies are Palatov Motorsport and Sector 111 and their mission is to build an 1,800-pound sports car that will not only make use of an emissions-compliant, V-8 engine, but do so while also producing 430 horsepower. Using Palatov Motorsport's D2 racer as the base car, the vehicle, which has been coined "Project Dragon," is being developed with the purpose of turning it into a full-fledged pocket rocket that can give its more esteemed competitors a serious run for their money.

Other than their ambitious plans and stated goals, both Palatov and Sector 111 are keeping tight-lipped on the progress of Project Dragon. Rest assured, though, the two are serious are about this project, and with Sector 111 having some experience in building the US-market BAC Mono->ke3794s, this project figures to gain more traction in the coming months.

Someday, we'll probably see Project Dragon get an official name and someday, we might even see it go toe-to-toe with the Atoms and X-Bows of the world. Like everybody else, that's a day we can't wait to see.

Click past the jump to read about the Palatov D2 Race Car

2014 Palatov Project Dragon

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2014 Palatov Project Dragon
  • Engine/Motor: V8
  • Horsepower: 430
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Palatov D2 Race Car

As part of Palatov Motorsport's fleet of lightweight, two-seat sports cars, the D2 Racer is said to be able to handle the rigorous demands of a racetrack while still keeping the versatility and safety of being street legal. Palatov says that the company accomplished this by developing an exo-skeletal chassis architecture and combining it with an engine package that adheres to 50-state emissions standards.

The company actually sells the D2 as a kit with customers getting the engine from a third party, but the selling point with this racer is the freedom it provides clients to build their own model and fit it with the engines they want and equally important, the budgets they have.

Palatov also said that the D2 is capable of becoming a mid-engine, rear wheel drive, powerhouse that can produce as much as 700 horsepower while keeping the weight at just around 1,600 pounds.