If you’re a product of the American public education system, it’s more than likely you don’t know all that much about Slovenia. That’s ok though, because when it comes to cars, the country doesn’t have much to show for it – or so you may think. Meet the TS 600, a bona-fide Solvenian supercar, complete with lightweight, aviation-spec materials, a thumping V-8 engine mounted behind the cabin, and enough speed to challenge the established range of high-end performance vehicles.

Produced by sports car manufacturer Tushek & Spigel, the TS 600 isn’t the company’s first effort. That designation belongs to the Renovatio T500, which first made in appearance in 2012 at Top Marques Monaco.

Since then, the company has gained new investors and relocated its operations to a former military airbase in Graz, Austria, rebranding itself from Tushek to Tushek & Spigel in the process (thus, each model it produces now carries the “TS” prefix).

It’s also been busy been hammering away on the new TS 600. At first glance, the car has every attribute of a true-blue speed machine. But is it really?

Continue reading to learn more about the Tushek & Spigel TS 600.

2015 Tushek T600

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2015 Tushek T600
  • Engine/Motor: V8
  • Horsepower: 630 @ 7900
  • Torque: 427 @ 2900
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

Tushek & Spigel know exactly what it wants its cars to look like. Both the TS 500 and the TS 600 use the same basic styling cues – low, wide, and sharp creases all around. To my eye, I see influences from Noble, Lamborghini, McLaren and even a little Lotus as well. The design is modern and bold, but oddly familiar to those well acquainted with contemporary sports cars.

The fascia appears to hug the ground, with a central grille that sits just above the pavement (ground clearance front to back is only 4.33 inches). This effect is enhanced thanks to a nose section sporting unpainted carbon fiber, which seems to push the front bumper downwards. Suspension components can be seen poking through holes near the windshield. The headlights are thin wedges with bright LED daytime running lights and blacked-out backings.

More hard lines and folds are in the car’s profile, with enormous fenders that almost burst out from the fuselage in a smattering of vents and intakes. Lambo-style doors aid ingress, while a removable hardtop invites the elements in. 

Moving towards the back, we find an extended, blocky rear deck, either with or without a GT-style wing. Tushek & Spigel have declined to mention specifics on the aero appointment, but just by the appearance of the extended front splitter and all the curves, I think it’s safe to say this thing offers a decent amount of downforce at speed.

All told, the car looks purposeful and mechanical – not necessarily beautiful, like a Ferrari or Aston Martin, but absolutely striking, like the top prize in an arcade racing game.

Speaking of purposeful, Tushek & Spigel used a variety of exotic materials in the car’s construction, including titanium and carbon fiber. In conjunction with the car’s simple drivetrain, curb weight comes in at just 2,630 pounds – downright feathery compared to most other supercars. Chrome-moly is used in the integrated roll cage for added crash-worthiness and rigidity. The wheels are multi-spoke, forged aluminum pieces with a race-style design and single center locks. Sizing is staggered, measured at 8.5x19-inches in the front and a rolling pin-esque 11x19-inches in the rear. 

Dimensionally, the car is roughly the same width and length as the Lamborghini Huracan, measured at 78.81 inches side-to-side and 174.01 inches nose-to-tail (the Lambo is 75.7-inches wide and 175.6-inches long.) The TS 600, however, is slightly lower at just 41.33 inches in height compared to the Lambo’s 45.9 inches. 

Exterior Dimensions

Total length

4,420 mm (174.01 inches)

Total width

2,002 mm (78.81 inches)

Total height

1,050 mm (41.33 inches)

Ground clearance

Rear 110 mm (4.33 inches)
Front 110 mm (4.33 inches)

Wheelbase

2,510 mm (98.81 inches)

Front track

1,630 mm (64.17 inches)

Rear track

1,750 mm (68.89 inches)


Interior

Given the extreme racing performance theme presented by the car’s exterior styling, it should come as no surprise that the interior is decked out in even more carbon and aluminum. The composite steering wheel has a large yellow top-center mark and several buttons for basic functions like the windshield wipers and turn signals, while paddle shifters are mounted on the sides. The steering wheel is also removable. Passengers are squeezed by narrow, Hans-device compatible carbon-fiber bucket seats mounted low in the cabin, while four-point harnesses are installed to keep limbs from flailing about. Three driver-facing gauges sit high on the dash.

While clearly aimed at taking the checkered flag, the TS 600 also touts itself as a mild-mannered streetcar when asked, which means the basic amenities are still present. These include A/C and an audio entertainment system. Alcantara and leather also make the materials list, with the dash, seats, central tunnel and pillars all seeing treatment.

What’s more, the extremely limited production nature of the TS 600 means customers can speak with Tushek & Spigel’s atelier to customize their ride with exact specifications. The automaker expects each model to be personalized and unique, so expect a variety of trims and colors.

Drivetrain

While the major supercar manufacturers move towards complicated drivetrains, complex engineering tricks and astronomical horsepower figures, Tushek & Spigel is content with simplicity and low weight to make its speed.

That’s isn’t to say the TS 600 isn’t powerful – mounted behind the cabin is a 4.2-liter V-8 plucked from an Audi R8, featuring 32 valves, roller cam rocker arms with hydraulic lifters, chain drives for camshaft adjustments on the intake and exhaust, and a drive-by-wire throttle. Stroke is 92.8-mm and bore is 84.5-mm. It also weighs less than 500 pounds.

Output from this unit is rated at 630 horsepower at 7,900 rpm. The torque curve is fat and flat, with 428 pound-feet of twist available from as low as 2,900 rpm. Redline is set at 8,200 rpm. And since this is a streetcar, it should also bear mentioning that the TS 600 returns a combined fuel mileage of roughly 16 mpg. Surprisingly, despite the sizable amount of muscle and poor economy, Tushek & Spigel claims the TS 600 is actually classified as a low-emissions vehicle under the LEV II emissions standards.

Routing the power is a sequential six-speed Ricardo gearbox from Pro-Shift with PS3 technology for lightening-quick cog changes.

With only 2,630 pounds to motivate, this drivetrain produces an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 4.17 pounds per horsepower. While not exactly Koenigsegg One:1 territory, it’s still in the same realm as the Porsche 918 Spyder (4.11 pounds per horsepower).

With figures like that, the acceleration is impressive: 0-to-60 mph arrives in 2.9 seconds, 0-to-124 mph in 7.4 seconds, and 0-to-186 mph in 17.4 seconds. Top speed is in excess of 218 mph. All in all, those numbers are deep into modern supercar territory.

Of course, the low curb weight also helps substantially in the corners. Complementing this, you’ll find double-wishbone suspension in the rear and pushrods in the front. Ride height is adjustable. Making the stick are uber-gummy Continental Force Contact semi-slick tires, measured 235/35R19 in the front and 305/30R19 in the rear. A dance on the skidpad will render an astonishing 1.8-G of lateral cornering force.

Additional handling perks include a low center of gravity, with weight distributed 48 percent in the front and 52 percent in the rear. TRW Automotive provides the electro-hydraulic power steering.

The ventilated brake discs are enormous (but ultra-lightweight) carbon-ceramic units, measured in at 390-mm (15.4-inches) in the front and 370-mm (14.6-inches) in the rear. The power-assisted calipers are 6-pots up front and 4-pots in the back. Combined with the low weight and sticky rubber, braking distance from 60 mph to a dead stop is just 95 feet – yet another figure inline with contemporary supercars.

Drivetrain Specifications

Type

Audi R8 Engine 4.2-liter V8 90° V

Displacement

4,163 cm3

Stroke

92.8 mm

Bore

84.5 mm

Power output

630 hp @ 7,900 RPM

Torque

427 lb-ft @ 2,900 RPM

0 – 100 km/h

2.9 seconds

0 – 200 km/h

7.4 seconds

0 – 300 km/h

17.4 seconds

Top speed

351 km/h

Braking distance (100 – 0 km/h)

29 m

Lateral g-force

1.8-G


Prices

The TS 600 will see only 33 units produced. Tushek & Spigel has yet to announce availability. Price is also unknown, but considering the Renovatio T500 carried a base price of 300,000 euros (nearly $330,000), this hand-built supercar won’t come cheap.

The automaker has also expressed interest in offering a track-only “Pista” model packing more revs, more torque, and an additional 50 horsepower, but so far, details have been scarce.

Competitors

Noble M600

On paper, there are quite a few similarities between the M600 and TS 600 – they are both hand-built by small marques, they both boast a low curb weight, they both have a powerful V-8 mounted behind the cabin, and they both offer blistering acceleration figures for a little more than $300,000.

However, while the TS 600 touts itself as a car you can take on a roadtrip, the Noble is far less forgiving. There are no drivers aides to be found on the M600, the interior is stripped down, and if you mess up a corner, it’ll spin faster than a politician looking to get reelected. But some folks are into that kind of thing. If you want something hardcore, this is the one for you.

Read our full review here.

Arrinera Hussarya

What’s that? You want a limited-run supercar, but it’s gotta be named after 16th-century cavalry unit? Don’t worry, because Arrinera has you covered.

The Hussarya is Poland’s first supercar, and interestingly enough, Lee Noble, the same guy behind the U.K. company that makes the M600, did the design work. Making the go is a mid-mounted, 8.2-liter V-8 good for 800 horsepower and 663 pound-feet of torque. The chassis is made from carbon fiber and Kevlar, while the rear aero is active. Production is scheduled to begin later this year.

Read our full review here.

Conclusion

Before I render my final verdict, I feel as though a little background is in order.

Tushek & Spigel’s original founder is a man named Aljosa Tushek, a Slovenian race driver who turned to producing cars after a string of successes in race series in his home country. He says this experience helps inform vehicle development, and that the TS 600 was engineered to outperform with copious competition-spec equipment, an obsessive focus on weight reduction, and an inherent balance geared towards real drivers.

To summarize – the TS 600 is lightweight, powerful, fast, and the product of a race car driver’s dream to make something great. Sounds good, right?

Here’s the problem – why would anyone choose something from Tushek & Spigel over a product from McLaren, or Lamborghini, or Ferrari, or Koenigsegg, or any of the other supercars currently on the market at this price point?

In a word: exclusivity. At only 33 examples, each TS 600 will carry bespoke features specified by each individual customer – you can bet your TS 600 will be a truly unique ride.

Of course, purchasing a limited-run vehicle from a startup supercar manufacturer is always a gamble, so really, it all comes down to the customer. Does this car make you feel special? Do you lust after it? Does it seem extraordinary next to a F12berlinetta or 650S? Then it sounds like the decision is already made.

Updated History

Updated 06/17/2014: Tushek Supercars unveiled a very cool video showing its latest supercar during its first testing session at the Avstrija ring. Enjoy!

Updated 06/27/2014: Tushek Supercars unveiled a new video for its latest TS600 supercar. Enjoy!