Nikolay Fomenko, who was probably busy enough being a popular singer, television new anchor and theater actor, also found time to become an FIA N-GT champion. And if that wasn't enough to keep this Russian renaissance man busy, he has just launched his country's first sportscar company, Marussia. To top it off, it's a hybrid, just to make things more difficult.
Fomenko says that he brought a lot of knowledge from his racing career to bear on the Marussia. We see elements of just about every supercar on the market in its appearance, but it manages to still look unique. While he envisions producing a pure electric car sometime down the road, the company's first project is a hybrid.
The Marussia is slated to use a 240-hp, 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine, most likely from Renault or Nissan, but it's unclear where the electric drive components will originate from. While much of the car's parts are expected to be sourced from established companies, approximately 35% of the content will be Russian.
Adding a bit of sizzle to its speed, the Marussia will also have "a host of gadgets," including a 4G Yota network with 10 Mbps data transfer rates at vehicle speeds of up to 120 km/h. Bluetooth, GPS and video screens all around, plus a 320 GB hard drive to round out the electronics.
The goal for the electric supercar is a 400km range, but Russian winters mean the batteries will need a boost. That's where nanotechnology comes in. Fomenko thinks the solution might be in a "nanotech project made at one of Russia's big construction bureaus." The company foresees a 0-62 mph dash of around five seconds and a Tesla-like price tag of $100,000. Plans call for the first customer cars to be delivered next Fall, with race versions taking part in the 2010 edition of FIA GT championship. Fomenko is clearly nothing if not ambitious.
[Sources: Russia Today, Luxury Version]
