The Vortex F1 sports car

The Vortex F1 is a lightweight, purist sports car which was unveiled at the 2010 SEMA show.

The F1 is produced by the Vortex Motor Company based in Seattle, Washington, and for an upstart car company producing an entirely new model, the Vortex F1 has a few safe hands to guide its development. The company's boss is a graduate of Cornell University and Purdue University, where he earned a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters in Industrial engineering respectively. The chief designer at Vortex is a veteran at both Ford and Mazda design departments where he was responsible for concepts as varied as the Ford Bronco and Mazda Taiki.

The Vortex F1 is based around a MIG welded steel spaceframe chassis which is engineered to handle engines up to 340 horsepower. The majority of the bodywork is formed from fiberglass, with the option of carbon fiber for those with fatter wallets. The wheel arches are made from lightweight aluminium.

Inside, the Vortex F1 features a pair of supportive bucket racing seats and harnesses. The standard dash features analogue instruments, but there is the option of a racing-style digital dash.

The suspension system of the Vortex F1 is based around TIG welded aluminum unequal length wishbones coupled with fully adjustable coil spring dampers.

Powering the Vortex F1 is a GM-sourced 2.0 litre turbocharged engine which produces 290 horsepower and 340 ft-lbs of torque. This is mated to a six-speed manual transmission which drives the rear wheels. The projected 0-60 sprint time of the Vortex F1 is an almost unbelievable 2.7 seconds.