Monday, December 23, 2024

RML channels Hypercars with new 911 project

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You’ll all know of RML. Whether it’s from prepping a host of championship-crushing touring cars, lending a hand in Nissan’s wild Juke-R concepts, or more recently with its Short Wheelbase, it’s forged quite the reputation for itself in motorsport over the decades. Ray Mallock Limited is now 40 years old in fact, and the company is marking the occasion with four new projects. 

Perhaps the most interesting one is the car previewed in these pictures, codenamed P39. It’s a Porsche 911, but one that RML says is influenced by current Le Mans Hypercars to ‘extend the car’s speed and handling well beyond standard’. When a company of this stature is saying that, you know it’s going to be something pretty serious. Interestingly, RML reckons the P39 upgrade will be compatible with the entire range, which will be fantastic news for anyone whose Aerokitted Carrera needs an update. It also sounds like buyers will be able to pick and choose from engine and aero modifications if they don’t want to go the whole hog. One to watch with interest, for sure. 

Those who do want to go the whole hog, however, will be best served by RML’s P40 car. Presumably this is the main focus of its anniversary year given the name and its positioning as an all-new track day car. Expect extreme: RML has said the P40 will use F1 aero technology ‘to reach new levels of speed and handling for track-day cars.’ Again, those claims carry rather more weight when they come from a company with proper motorsport pedigree. And if track day cars now include the Red Bull, then something extraordinary could be coming. 

Project number three comes from RML’s Bespoke department, and sounds a bit more approachable for the everyman. At least in terms of driving it. Drawing on its long history on road and track with Aston Martin – plus likely taking some learning from the SWB – something based on the original V8 Vantage is coming. It’s described as a ‘SuperClassic’ version for the moment, as we all grapple with another name for mega restomods, redoing the original bodywork in carbon fibre and mating it to 21st-century mechanicals. RML believes it’ll be ‘one of the world’s finest and most capable grand tourers.’ So if you missed out on a Valour

Finally on the anniversary project list, from RML’s Power team, is something called the VarEVolt battery module. Apparently it has powered a current Festival of Speed record holder, having proven itself on the Nurburgring also. Rimac perhaps? Likely not the last we’ll hear of it, for sure. 

CEO Michael Mallock said: “RML Group has achieved an enormous amount in the previous 40 years, we are still focused squarely on the future as these product launches show. I am excited to bring all of these new high-performance products to market. They are just the beginning of a long product pipeline for us. I look forward to sharing more details on each soon.” Very exciting indeed. And if it’s the RML back catalogue that holds more interest, look at the BTCC icon going under the hammer soon…

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