Hulme announced today that they are ready to take orders on the new CanAm supercar named in honor of F1 World Champion, Denny Hulme. As a New Zealand race car driver, Denny Hulme was made for the track from the very beginning. He participated in the Formula 1 series, the CanAm series, and the Indy 500. Hulme's championship in the CanAm series and his wins in McLaren CanAm cars are honored in the CanAm supercar.The CanAm can be yours for a price of £295,000. That is if you can place your order fast enough to take advantage of the limited number of 20 units that will be produced. Deposits of £10,000 will need to be made and are fully refundable if the consumer decides not to purchased the vehicle. Delivery will begin in the UK in Autumn of 2011 and into 2012.

The Hulme CanAm is an ultra high-performance, mid-engined roadster powered by a 7-liter Chevrolet->ke199 LS7 V8 developing 600bhp and 600Nm torque, fed through a close-ratio, six-speed CIMA manual gearbox (paddles or sequential shift will be options available). As a consequence of its lightweight construction, the Hulme CanAm weighs in at less than 1,000kg. This combination promises a sub-three and a half second sprint to 100kph and top speed in excess of 200mph.

Full story and press release after the jump.

Of course, with a special vehicle like this, the consumer is not only buying a vehicle, but an experience. Once the customers have laid out the specifications of their vehicles and the vehicles have been built, the 20 lucky owners will receive "two 'Air New Zealand Business Premier' (Fully flat bed) return tickets to Auckland, New Zealand, with one-week luxury accommodation, for their final fitting in the car and further road and circuit driving, before the car is shipped to their chosen destination."

Once the owners receive their vehicles they will also receive a guaranteed certificate of authenticity, a 1/8 scale exact replica finished in the same livery and specification, and a full photographed dossier of the car’s build. If that isn't enough to wow the consumer, they can check out the number etched in the vehicle for its authenticity.

The developers of the eagerly-awaited 200+mph Hulme CanAm Supercar, named in honour of New Zealand racing legend and F1 World Champion, Denny Hulme, have announced an attractive proposition for those wishing to purchase an option to order one of an extremely limited production run.

The Auckland based Supercar developer-manufacturer, Hulme Supercars, has launched a package which is designed to guarantee rarity value by offering options to purchase the total production run of just 20 Hulme CanAm supercars, on a first-come, first-served basis.

The only production road car to bear the name of a F1 World Champion, The Hulme CanAm is an ultra high-performance, mid-engined roadster. Created for both road and track use, the car blends the raw flavour and appeal of a Formula racing car with dramatic design, superb craftsmanship, exceptional performance and a thrilling and achievable driving experience.

An order for the CanAm will be secured by the deposit of £10,000 which, as Jock Freemantle, Hulme Managing Director, explains, is fully-refundable if the option is not converted to an order.

Deposits will be held in a Trust account”, he confirms, “pending a private viewing and driving experience of the car at or before the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed for those who have purchased an option to order. Following that, if anyone does not wish to proceed, the terms on which the deposit is paid will provide a guarantee that their total deposit will be returned immediately.”

The 20 customer cars will be coach-built and equipped to customer order, with delivery commencing in the UK Autumn of 2011 and into 2012, the 20th anniversary of Denny Hulme’s death.

Those who proceed to purchase are promised an experience as unique as the Hulme CanAm itself. Having determined the specification of their car, Hulme customers will enjoy two “Air New Zealand Business Premier” (Fully flat bed) return tickets to Auckland, New Zealand, with one-week luxury accommodation, for their final fitting in the car and further road and circuit driving, before the car is shipped to their chosen destination.

All production cars will be numbered, with a guaranteed certificate of authenticity, and a 1/8 scale exact replica, finished in the same livery and specification, plus a full photographed dossier of the car’s build.

For Freemantle, the purchase offer is a significant milestone in the development of the Hulme CanAm.

The concept car, in coupe form, was first revealed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2006. Such was the interest that Hulme Supercars conducted extensive research to assess demand, culminating in the decision to initially offer an open-top CanAm version, celebrating Hulme’s victories of the “Can Am Championship” in 1968 and 1970.

Development of the ultra-sleek F1-inspired CanAm car continued, with a finished prototype extensively tested on both road and track before the decision was made to accept orders.

Designed and hand-built by the Hulme Supercars technology team in New Zealand - including members who were responsible for the nation’s America’s Cup triumphs - the road-legal “Hulme CanAm” features an ultra-lightweight carbon composite tub and bodywork, and race-orientated chassis, suspension and braking.

To honour Denny’s “CanAm Championship” wins in McLaren CanAm cars powered by Chevrolet V8’s, the Hulme CanAm is powered by a 7-litre (427cu.in) Chevrolet LS7 V8 developing 600bhp and 600Nm torque, fed through a close-ratio, six-speed CIMA manual gearbox (Paddles or Sequential shift will be options available). As a consequence of its lightweight construction, the Hulme CanAm weighs in at less than 1,000kg. This combination promises a sub-three an a half second sprint to 100kph, and top speed in excess of 200mph.

Despite its ultra-performance and emphatic race car credentials, the Hulme Supercars’ design and development focus has been on driveability, with power delivery and handling dynamics optimised for maximum driving enjoyment on track and on the road.

For Greeta Hulme, the widow of Denny - who passed away in 1992 – the announcement of the Hulme CanAm’s production is warmly welcomed: “Jock Freemantle’s desire to honour Denny’s life with this unique car has been matched by his irrepressible enthusiasm and passion to create it. I am both proud and immensely impressed with what he and the Hulme Supercars team have achieved.”

The purchase price of the Hulme CanAm will be fixed at £295,000, (plus local taxes) on receipt of an order, including delivery worldwide.

To purchase one of only 20 options available please e-mail Jock Freemantle at jock.f@hulmesupercars.com or write to Hulme Supercars Limited, P.O.Box 97853, Manukau City 2241, Manukau, New Zealand.