Joss Supercar draws closer
June 17, 2009 by David Twomey
It’s been five years in the making so far and some may have thought it would never happen, but according to the people behind the home-grown Joss Supercar, the mid-engine Ferrari and Lamborghini challenger is very close indeed.
The company says that the first Australian built mid-engine sports car is gearing up to roll out, as interest from buyers and investors increases ahead of its production car development phase.
The Joss Supercar will sell for close to $600,000 with production expected to take place in Victoria.
The Joss Supercar, created by industrial designer and automotive modeler Matt Thomas, was first revealed to the market five years ago, and since then his international team has been refining the car and the company’s business model.
Joss says its Supercar has been designed for general road use and will compete against elite marques such as the Ferrari Enzo, Lamborghini Murcielago and the Porsche Carrera GT, with superior performance and a smaller price tag.
Its impressive statistics including a 2.98 second acceleration time from zero to 100km, and an as yet undisclosed, high-tech V8 engine that will generate more than 370kW and give the Joss a top speed in excess of 340km/h.
Mr Thomas says it’s a long-term dream that he can see finally coming to full fruition.
“I’m passionate about what I’ve created and have gathered a first-class team with the necessary experience to help get the car into full production,” Mr Thomas says.
“We have been refining the mechanics of the business model and the car and are now satisfied that we have the right product and systems in place to move forward.
“This is now not just about producing an Australian first and world-class supercar, but ensuring the business is resourced adequately to meet pent-up production demand.”
Mr Thomas recently restructured his business into an unlisted private company to take advantage of increasing investor interest. The company already has 10 confirmed orders and dozens more expressions of interest.
“The supercar industry worldwide is a significant business, with some buyers willing to part with well over $1 million to secure the latest and fastest performance vehicles,” Mr Thomas says.
“From a business point of view we are providing a super prestige vehicle which will rattle the supercar industry, outperforming most others in its class but with sharper performance and at a fraction of the cost.
“The interest generated form potential buyers through our trials and previews over the past few years has been phenomenal and we expect our initial annual production of 25 to be snapped up very quickly.”
The car’s popularity has even seen it featured as a racing option on Microsoft’s XBOX games Project Gotham Racing 3 and 4.
Mr Thomas has extensive experience in the automotive design industry including aerodynamic work with the Stewart Grand Prix Formula One team (prior to being bought by Jaguar), design and clay modeling for prestige European manufacturers including Aston Martin, Bentley and BMW, and clay modeling for Ford and HSV in Australia.
The company is also aiming to engage the Joss Supercar in racing.
“Our belief is that any strong brand must be heavily involved in competition and this is why we are aiming our sites on GT racing as a spring board to races such as Le Mans,” Mr Thomas says.
“Currently we are in talks with an established racing team with a proven track record to help realise this goal.
“All these factors are strategically designed to take on the big guns of the industry and to establish Australia as a serious supercar design and manufacturing hub.”
For more information visit the Joss website www.joss.com.au
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*****PRIMO!*****
So happy for these guys, i though this was dead like so many other Aussie cars in the past.
It would have to be the BEST feeling to make your own car.
I think if this is done right it could lap the TopGear track in UK as quick as the Ultima GTR 720, THE fastest lap time ever [even though TG WONT test it???]
Remember meeting Mr.Joss at the motorshow, he was as proud of his car as you would of a new born baby!
Go Team Joss!!
Cheers
F-0
PS/ Are they looking for a development driver? :-)
I just cant see anyone buying one over a traditional exotic
Good luck to the guys, but I’ve gotta say that design absolutely reeks of the McLaren F1, particularly the rear and side views.
Wow. You could get 50 Getz’s for that.
^ Ha, and the sad thing is that there’d be quite a few people on this website who’d try to convince you the Getz is a better car!
Wow!
So good to see this sort of car being developed in Australia. I wish them every success.
ScottB, I tend to agree, the back-end looks particularly McLaren F1-esque but then I guess this is the shape of speed? The Pagani, Enzo and Lambo’s all adopt this supercar shape.
It would look even better with nicer wheels. Those in the photos cheapen it a bit for me.
build it. and they will come.
Say it with me people.. $600,000??
Most people who are ‘ultra high net worth’ individuals got there by not taking huge risks with their ‘capital’. This is a huge fishing boat investment… and you can use that alot more. Just saying this is Lambo Murcie money. This would have been better timed for launch about 2005 I think.. This or a F599? ohhhh tough.
Wish you best guys.. competing in a total Australian market of 1000 sales per year (sales over $500k) must be hard work. Sure you sell a few but be careful of the difference between marketing and hype!
I would have thought the Giocattolo would be considered the first Australian built mid-engine sports car?
AlsoI imagine once you get to the sharp end of designing performance cars that you lean on other designs as it is cheaper than figuring it out yourself..
High tech engine… Chevy LS7 would do as a BM V10/AMG V8 would be to expensive
I remember reading about this a few years back.
Good to see that they are still in the game and it is looking very proposing.
Cant wait to see the final product on the street/track representing AUS
Very cool Aussie supercar,but no matter how good it is still wont be good enough for some Euro snobs,ever,even if it whips them silly.
Good to see Mr Thomas is still as shy as he was 3 years ago. Bold claims for someone who hasn’t got an engine partner.. the same as three years ago.
I remember he was asked which engine supplier would be in his car.. he said ‘whoever pays me the most’. ahhhh dont think it works that way.
http://www.newsmaker.com.au/news/1094
Nice job on copying and pasting, Car advice. Quality of news on this site has gone down the tube lately, why?
On a more positive note the reviews are still good.
This is about 300k over priced. Ferrari makes the panties drop….not a 600k LS7 in a MacLaren F1 replica shell.
In Nz we have a similar type of car called the Hulme –
http://www.supercarsnz.com/
Different shape but same purpose and on the same timeline it would seem (delivery was meant to be years ago)..
I think they thought they could finance the production on all the deposits, from promises made via a wooden buck.
“Kiwimark”
The article said they were using a “High-Tech” engine so
“Chevy LS7″ doesn’t qualify. Sorry.
$600000????
lAMBORGHINI??????
I’m pretty sure a second hand Diablo wont set you back that much!!!
Schah7, please tell me what a “high tech engine” is? Lots of valves, cams and complexity or something that is lighter, more efficient (for the power/tq) and is cheaper to make (try getting a AMG 6.3 for about $20K USD).
Your comment reminds me of the US building a pen to work in space, the russians used a pencil
Kiwimark a decent “sports car”,as you know, requires a decent engine.
If the LS7 is such a wonderful design why doesn’t virtually
any other sports cars uses THAT 1950’s technology.
So Merc,Porsche,Lambo,Aston Martin,Jag,BMW,Audi,Ferrari
yeah even Ford LOL., dont know what they’re designing, hu.!
Oh that is what is called,in you words,”efficient”
hey guys that is an awsome car but….
could you try and make it a bit more to the aussie style like come on we are a unique country so why cant we have our own unique style car.
Schah7,
so by your logic a porsche 911 is not high tech or a sports car? as no other “sports car” maker uses a boxer engine and also place the engine behind the rear axle.
Also remember that dohc’s existed in peugeot’s around 1912, so 1950’s tech is much more modern…
on a final note it was good to see the Corvette Gt1 win at Le Mans the other day, (beating lambos and astons) the engine in it suprisingly a modified ls7 engine (same block, heads etc)
“Kiwimark”
Haven’t checked out the Le Mans results yet, so if you are correct well Kiwimark perhaps you should ‘ave also mentioned that the:
Corvette had a 7 litre engine, where as the
Aston Martin only required a 6 litre engine, like your
“super”? Chev the Aston also used stock engine block&cyl. heads.
Ahh, you guys are rabbiting on about PETROL engines, are you? I was under the impression that the 24 hours at Le Mans was slugged out between Peugeot and Audi DIESELS … and the second-oldest brand in the motoring world won by some 7 laps.
i hope they keep it australian by fitting a 202 with dual carby and a hydromatic,wow what a mover.