Car XIV

Car XIV (internal designation Car 14) is a grand tourer.
It is long, low, and its wide rear wheels are powered by a mid-mounted twin-turbo V8 power plant.
The full aluminum space frame is clad in a combination of carbon fiber and aluminum panels.
With 20" forged alloy wheels front & rear, wrapped in low-profile tires, the XIV feels as at home on the track as it is on the road.

And yet, the Car XIV will never be a success. Although I am incredibly fond of the design, I am not naive enough to believe any Canadian-designed no-name car would be able to compete in this global supercar market. The reason for this is very simple.

Supercars are a very precise recipe. They need to possess a sense of theater and deliver in all quantifiable areas of performance. The engine must be in the middle, and it does not matter so much if that doesn't leave any room for a driver. To thrash around a race track in a supercar must be a very engaging experience. And most importantly, the car must be Italian.

The last detail is the controversial bit. I am not suffering some sort of national pride; after all, no part of me is Italian, and I do not place favour for Italians over any other nationality. The truth is, the supercar is as much a part of the Italian way of life as their cuisine and fashion design. As a nation, they live supercars in a way no other country can claim to. Italy gave birth to the supercar, after all, and the resemblance between the vehicle class and the nation's culture is striking. Thoroughbred Italian supercars will never lose their appeal because the Italian culture is so deeply embedded in their genes. Italian culture is so appropriate for the art. Loud, artistic, and absolutely obsessed with style and speed, Italy is a nation devout to the supercar. With a legacy of world-renown supercar manufacturers, Italy is synonymous with automotive finesse at its most appealing.

Of course, exceptions exist.

Audi recently released the R8, and it is, in all quantifiable measures, just as good as its competition. According to my recipe, it shouldn't be the resounding success it is; however, this is where the exception lies. The R8 is a very attractive, eye-catching automobile -- despite its somewhat subdued styling. More than that, it is exceptional in one substantial way: it has pulled off that incredible feat of being both a track-ready supercar and a comfortable daily driver. Sitting in the roomy cabin of the R8, you experience the Bavarian leather-clad interior; you are not intimidated by the controls; you are delighted by the insubstantial aura of the R8's German engineering.

A similar story is told for the Koenigsegg CCX -- it is an intoxicating Swedish blend of unparalleled lunacy and absurd amounts of speed.

The Spyker C8 may be Dutch, but it is a beautifully crafted all-aluminum pile of magnificence.

Have you heard the Porsche Carrera GT's V10 howl?

The Ascari A10 is fully hardcore.

Car XIV, therefore, will never succeed on its own. That is because it is not exceptional in any meaningful way. Although it may very well be a brilliant car in design and performance, without being Italian, it does not stand to compete in today's global supercar market.

That said, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani, Maserati, if you are at all interested in adding another GT to your model lineup, just ask. Car XIV is available.