Wiesmann’s “Project Thunderball” is yet to have been given an official name, but that does not seem to have affected the hype around the upcoming EV roadster. The German boutique carmaker announced mid-February that the entire first year of production has already been sold out. The order books first opened in September 2022, and have now been filled by customers eager to get in on the carmaker’s renaissance as the brand flags off a new electrified era.
Project Thunderball is a carbon-fibre two-seater with retro-futuristic lines. Instead of a traditional fossil-fuelled engine, Thunderball gets a T-shaped 92-kWh battery and a pair of electric motors mounted just ahead of the rear wheels. The maximum power output is rated at 670 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque. That’s enough to send the EV roadster whizzing to 62 mph (100 km/h) from zero in just 2.9 seconds.
Wiesmann has also targeted a driving range of up to 311 miles (500 km) on a single charge, and claims the car’s powertrain will support superfast 300-kW DC charging.
Production will commence in 2024 at the company’s ‘Gecko’ facility in Dülmen, Germany. A new waiting list has been opened on the company’s website for customers still interested in the EV roadster. One thousand units of the roadster EV will be built, with prices starting at about €300,000 (roughly CDN$430,000 at current exchange rates).
Wiesmann “Project Thunderball” EV Roadster Photo by Wiesmann
Wiesmann “Project Thunderball” EV Roadster Photo by Wiesmann
Wiesmann “Project Thunderball” EV Roadster Photo by Wiesmann
Wiesmann “Project Thunderball” EV Roadster Photo by Wiesmann
Wiesmann GmbH was founded in 1988 by the Wiesmann brothers, Friedhelm and Martin. The focus was to craft custom, hand-built vehicles that “stick to the road” (now you know where the carmaker’s gecko logo comes from). In 2014, the company was “temporarily closed” due to its inability to service its debts. Two years later, current CEO Roheen Berry purchased what remained of the company’s assets and relaunched the brand.
Project Thunderball marks a new direction and a return to the market for the refreshed Wiesmann. The signs are already looking promising. “To have already sold out the first year of production proves the unique appeal of Project Thunderball and represents a phenomenal start to Wiesmann’s new, electrified era,” Berry said.
Keyword: Wiesmann's upcoming 'Project Thunderball' EV sold out