A Rare V10 Spanish Supercar Is Up For Auction Next Month

Tiny Spanish supercar firm Spania GTA had grand plans to make 99 examples of its Spano, but it didn’t quite work out that way. To date, just 12 have been completed, only two of which were in Spania’s updated specification. Of that pair, there’s only one survivor, and it’s up for auction next month.

Unlike a lot of boutique supercars, the Spano wasn’t created via a re-body of an existing model. It sits on a bespoke platform made from carbon fibre, titanium, kevlar and graphene (yes, really), weighing a paltry 80kg on its own. With the bodywork made from carbon fibre and kevlar, the kerb figure was kept down to a respectable 1450kg.

Powering this relatively light weight machine is a mid-mounted 8.0-litre V10. Given the displacement, it should come as no surprise that the engine was originally a first-generation Dodge Viper unit, before being extensively modified by Ilmor Engineering in Plymouth, Michigan.

The company, famed for its work with Indycar engines, added dry-sump lubrication, a forged crankshaft and titanium valves. With the help of these changes and a pair of turbochargers, the 10-cylinder engine is good for a whopping 925bhp and 900lb ft of torque. This gives the Spano a power-to-weight ratio similar to a Bugatti Veyron SuperSport. Not bad.

All of that is sent the way of the rear wheels via a seven-speed CIMA automated manual gearbox. Leave the line cleanly enough, and 62mph will arrive in 2.9 seconds, on to a top speed of 230mph. When its time to slow down, six-piston AP Racing calipers squeezing 380mm carbon-ceramic discs are called upon.

For the second generation, Spania GTA also had a bash at tweaking the looks. Like a lot of low-volume supercars from obscure companies, the styling is rather busy, but it’s a clear improvement over the original.

This Spano is the car Spania GTA showcased at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show in its original white finish. A year later, it was driven by John David Washington’s character in TV series Ballers.

It’s showing under 8500 kilometres on the clock, and most of that was from “factory testing and motor shows,” auction house RM Sotheby’s says. The car will go under the hammer at its Paris sale on 13 February, with no estimate currently given.

Since these things don’t often come up for sale, it’s hard to predict how much it might go for. The prototype used in the filming of 2013’s Need Ford Speed was up for sale a few years ago at a whopping $1.62 million, but since Spania GTA is said to be in possession of that car still, it seems there were no takers at that price.