The astounding Edonis was built by B. Engineering, run by Jean Marc Borel, to demonstrate the abilities of this design and prototype building house in Italy. It is a sensational performer, with a 0-60 time of under 4 seconds, and a maximum speed of 225 mph - definitely an exotic car.
Inspired by the first post-war Bugatti, the car is no match for the
Bugatti Veyron 16.4, but is very different. It was something of a trailblazer – the idea of an engine developing over 650 bhp was very extravagant in those days.
The Edonis looks striking rather than elegant, with very low lines and an amazingly long and deep windscreen which runs well down into the very short sloping nose. The lines are angular, and this effect is heightened by the V-shape plastic covers for the headlamps, which makes it look a truly exotic car. There are also large air intakes behind the cockpit, and the rear view mirrors are stuck high up on the sides of the body. With its slick shape, it is not surprising that the Edonis very, very fast.
Twin turbochargers on V-12 engine
Power is provided by a highly turbocharged 3.76 liter V-12 engine. There is one turbocharger for each bank, and despite the very high boost pressure, maximum torque is developed at 3,200-3,600 rpm. Maximum power is a staggering 680 bhp at 8,000 rpm! This is the real reason the car can do 225 mph, but with this level of boost the engine is in the racing car class. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.
Carbon fiber hull
With an all carbon fiber hull, evidently developed, like the engine from the Bugatti EB110 prototype, the Edonis is very strong and light. The suspension is conventional with double wishbones. To reduce weight, aluminum brake calipers are used. ABS is fitted.
One of the most interesting features of the car is the Michelin PAX run-flat tires. This a worthwhile on a supercar as the spare wheel would take up a lot of space. All the exterior body panels are aluminum, which combined with the carbon fiber tub results in a light car.
The weight is quoted as 1,300 kg (2,860 lb) which is about right for a car that's almost a racer, but juste a bit more than the Ferrari Enzo. Even without it's stunning performance the Edonis is a real traffic stopper - it's so rare that it would even cause a stir in Modena, Italy, where they're used to such things.
