The Wiesmann brand, founded in 1988, is undergoing a stage of a relaunch after its bankruptcy in 2014. The company, which specialized in the production of retro-futuristic roadsters equipped with engines of BMW origin, wants to return to the fore with a sports car 100% electric known until now as Project Thunderball.
Wiesmann CEO Roheen Berry says the arrival of the new model is “a remarkable moment in the history of the Wiesmann brand and the culmination of a dream of years of design and engineering excellence”, as it will be the “car world’s most exciting electric sports car.
Aesthetically, the Wiesmann Thunderball has a very similar design to the models that the manufacturer has been producing for decades in low print runs. The optical groups, formed both in front and behind by two vertically superimposed projectors, are without a doubt one of the clearest nods to the past of the firm.
However, the raindrop-shaped radiator grille, the rounded fins, and the general proportions of the vehicle (long hood, passenger compartment set back on the rear axle, very short rear) not only take us back to other Wiesmann proposals but also make us dream about some classic convertibles from the ’50s.
The Wiesmann Thunderball will have around 500 kilometers of autonomy
The vehicle is equipped with two electric motors, both coupled to the rear axle (it is rear-wheel drive). They produce a combined power of 680 hp and 1,100 Nm, which allows you to do 0 to 100 km / h in 2.9 seconds. This set has been developed in collaboration with Roding Automobile, which is also responsible for supplying its 92 kWh battery.
The vehicle, which weighs about 1,700 kg, has an 800-volt electrical architecture, which allows it to reach charging powers of 300 kW in direct current. The autonomy for its part will be around 500 km. In addition, it will have a specific regenerative braking system with five settings specially designed to increase driving pleasure.
“As the automotive industry undergoes its biggest revolution in a century, there could be no better time to herald the return of an automotive icon refreshed, reborn, and recharged. Thunderball will continue Wiesmann’s reputation for setting new standards for performance, craftsmanship, and pure enjoyment. With his unmistakable style, this is the Wiesmann for the 21st century, and this is just the beginning.”
