Grosjean working with Praga to develop new road-going hypercar

24/11/2022 00:21

Andretti Autosport IndyCar driver Romain Grosjean has been working with Czech racing car manufacturer Praga to develop an all-new road-going hypercar. Grosjean, a Praga brand ambassador, set the company the target of delivering a ‘genuine uncompromised two-person road/track performance car’, and he subsequently became fully involved with the project: the Praga Bohemia. “I was astonished by the Bohema’s amazing performance on track, its accessibility on road, and the ease of transition between the two,” said Grosjean. “Praga has truly delivered on my challenge – on the road, you get a smooth ride, the car eliminates the bumps, you can chat with the passenger, and everything is calm and okay. “Then simply switch focus and you are on the track. The same clothes, the same car, but the feeling changes and you are pushing the limit and collecting amazing lap times again and again, discovering unbelievable possibilities in the Bohema. And we still have a few months to fine-tune the on-road compliance and on-track lap times.” Most recently known for its racing cars, the Bohemia is the first production road-legal effort for the 115-year-old brand since its revival last decade. Powered by a mid-mounted 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 from the Nissan GT-R and developed by UK-based Litchfield Engineering, the Bohemia will put out 700 horsepower while weight will be under 900 kgs (1985 lb) – a wet, but unfueled weight of 982 kgs (2165 lb) being the manufacturer’s stated target – thanks to the use of a carbon fiber monocoque construction along with magnesium, aluminum and titanium. Suspension is independent pushrods all round, and the carbon bodywork has been refined through extensive CFD modelling and time in an unspecified Formula 1 wind tunnel to develop over 900 kgs of downforce at 250 km/h. Its overall top speed will be a touch over 300 km/h and lap times are said to rival those of GT3 racing cars. Both inside and out, particular attention has been paid to keeping the car’s weight low, but performance high. Nevertheless, it’s not completely compromised, with the exterior showing spectacular form despite its function, and the interior capable of comfortably seating two tall adults as well as custom-fitted luggage. Praga aims to hand-build around 20 cars a year over four-to-five years at a facility in the Czech Republic in partnership with rally team Kresta Racing. A total of 89 will be produced, the number being a nod to the 89th anniversary of Praga’s win in the 1933 1000 Miles of Czechoslovakia, with each costing €1.28 million/USD $1.33m before tax.