Ascari Ecosse

The Ascari Ecosse is a grand touring supercar built by British manufacturer Ascari between 1995 and 2000. The name "Ecosse" is the French word for Scotland.

Ascari blasted onto the supercar scene in 1995, with a tantalizing new concept car, named the FG-T. The new car, designed by Lee Noble, promised class-leading performance allied to flawless engineering and innovative forward-thinking.

The car wasted no time in getting onto the market, and was available by the end of 1995. Priced just under the Ferrari F355, the Ascari had very stiff competition, but had exclusivity on its side - the company had vowed to produce seventeen cars.

The production version of the RGT was named 'Ecosse', in reference to Ascari's owner having made his fortunes in the Scottish Oil and Gas industry. Two versions were available: both with a midmounted BMW V8, tuned by German BMW-meisters Hartge, producing 400 BHP and 300 BHP, from capacities of 4.7 litre and 4.4 litre respectively. Whichever engine the Ecosse was endowed with, performance was breath-taking - 0-60 mph under six seconds and a top speed of around 200 mph. BHP per ton? 387. Right up there with the best from Stuttgart, Modena or Sant'Agata.

The mega-performance figures were not difficult to come by with such a cleverly designed car - the car was built around a tubular steel spaceframe, and clothed in fibreglass. The end result weighed less than 1250 KG. The wishbone suspension was moulded from aluminium to keep weight down.

Although the car was very light, no weight-expense was spared in the interior. It was given all the toys - air conditioning, electrically operated windows and mirrors, and a proper stereo. The Recaro seats were leather trimmed, and the dash sparked a trend for carbon fibre panels.

All good things must come to an end, and so it was for the Ecosse in 2000. Ascari had created their seventeen, and had translated their learnings into the development of the successor - the KZ1. The final Ecosse - a 400 BHP model, naturally - was finished in Burgundy Metallic with grey leather interior. Special alloy wheels were added. It didn't take long to sell.

See Wikicars' comprehensive  Review.

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