Mosler MT900
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| Mosler MT900 | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Mosler |
| Class: | mid-engined coupe |
| Production: | 2001–present 14 produced |
| Predecessor: | Mosler Raptor |
| Mosler MT900 | |
| Production: | 2001 1 produced |
| Engines: | 5.7 L LS1 V8 |
| Weight: | 1175 kg (2590 lb) |
| Mosler MT900R | |
| Production: | 2001–present 11 produced |
| Engines: | 5.7 L LS1 V8 |
| Weight: | 1020 kg (2250 lb) |
| Mosler MT900S | |
| Production: | 2003–present 2 produced |
| Engines: | 5.7 L LS6 V8 |
| Weight: | 998 kg (2200 lb) |
| Mosler MT900S Photon | |
| Production: | 2003–present 1 produced |
| Engines: | 5.7 L LS6 V8 |
| Weight: | 898 kg (1980 lb) |
The MT900 is a sports car built in the United States and the United Kingdom by Mosler. Three submodels have also been produced. The MT900R was a racing version of the MT900. The basic car was updated as the MT900S for 2005, with the MT900S Photon being its racing variant. The original MT900 was introduced in 2001 and the MT900S continues in production. Components for 25 MTs were produced as of January, 2005, though only three road cars and eleven racing versions have officially been completed. The MT900 was the replacement for the Mosler Raptor.
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[edit] MT900
The MT900 was designed by Rod Trenne, who previously worked on the Corvette C5. The name stood for Mosler, Trenne, and the car's 900 kilogram (1984 lb) target weight.
The MT900 used a carbon-fiber chassis with a LS1 V8 engine mounted amidships, powering the rear wheels. Power output is 350 hp (261 kW), with 350 ft·lbf (475 N·m) of torque. A ZF transaxle, designed for Porsche, was mounted upside down to allow the engine to sit in front of the rear axle.
The original MT900 weighed 1175 kg (2590 lb), much more than the target weight, but could still accelerate to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds according to Car and Driver. The MT900 they tested could also do a 12.0 second quarter mile at 118 mph (190 km/h), and they recorded a top speed of 150 mph (241 km/h), limited by the redline. More impressive, the MT900 pulled 1.02 g on the skidpad. The EPA estimated 19 and 28 mpg (12.4 and 8.4 L/100 km) in city and highway driving, respectively.
The car had a somewhat plain exterior designed for aerodynamics, with a low 0.25 coefficient of drag. List price was US$164,000. Sales were certainly slow, however, with some reports even indicating that not a single road version of the MT900 was sold, with only a single prototype produced.
[edit] MT900R
Introduced at the same time as the basic MT900 was the race-ready MT900R. It was designed for use in the 24 Hours of Daytona, where it won the GTS class, and sold for $119,000. Mosler planned to build 10 for the 2001 season, and reports indicate that eleven were produced by October 2003.
The MT900R won the British and Spanish GT championships in 2003 and 2004, respectively, and the car was competitive in the FIA GT championship as well, where the car is not allowed to score points, but has proven to be able to post lap times close to the two leading Porsche 996 GT3-RSR in the GT2 class.
[edit] MT900S
The MT900 underwent several changes to become the MT900S. It now boasts 435 hp (324 kW) from its Corvette Z06-derived LS6 V8. The car weighs just 2200 lb (998 kg) without fuel.
An early prototype MT900S, despite being up 390 lb (177 kg) and down 65 hp (48 kW) from the producion version, boasted a 0-60 time of 3.5 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 12 seconds flat.
A newer edition featuring 600 bhp prestated 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds in Car & Drivers test in early 2006. [1]
In June, 2005, Mosler announced that they had reached EPA and CARB certification on the MT900S, finally allowing road car sales to begin in the United States. The price is set at $189,000 with two examples having been built as of January 2005. George Lucas took delivery of the first street-legal MT900S in December 2006.[2]
[edit] ENGINE
Type: supercharged and intercooled V-8, aluminum block and heads
Bore x stroke: 3.90 x 3.62 in, 99.0 x 92.0 mm
Displacement: 346 in³, 5665 cc
Compression ratio: 10.5:1
Fuel-delivery system: port injection
Supercharger: Eaton, Roots type
Maximum boost pressure: 6.0 psi
Valve gear: pushrods, 2 valves per cylinder, hydraulic lifters
Power (SAE net): 600 bhp @ 6300 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 557 ft·lbf @ 4000 rpm
Redline: 6500 rpm
[edit] DRIVETRAIN
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Final-drive ratio: 3.44:1, limited slip
Gear, Ratio, mph/1000 rpm, Speed in gears
I, 3.82, 6.1, 40 mph (6500 rpm)
II, 2.15, 10.9, 71 mph (6500 rpm)
III, 1.56, 15.0, 98 mph (6500 rpm)
IV, 1.21, 19.4, 126 mph (6500 rpm)
V, 1.00, 23.4, 152 mph (6500 rpm)
VI, 0.85, 27.6, 179 mph (6500 rpm)
[edit] ACCELERATION: Seconds
Zero to 30 mph: 1.7
40 mph: 2.3
50 mph: 2.8
60 mph: 3.1
70 mph: 3.8
80 mph: 5.0
90 mph: 5.7
100 mph: 6.5
110 mph: 7.8
120 mph: 8.9
130 mph: 10.0
140 mph: 12.1
150 mph: 13.8
Street start, 5–60 mph: 3.7
Top-gear acceleration, 30–50 mph: 4.7
50–70 mph: 3.8
Standing ¼-mile: 11.0 s @ 135 mph
Top speed (redline limited): 179 mph
[edit] Photon
A MT900S Photon variant is available which adds a Hewland transmission, thinwall subframes, BBS magnesium wheels, titanium springs, and carbon fiber seats and bodywork, reducing the car's weight to just under its initial target at 898 kg (1980 lb). This is technically a $50,000 option package for the MT900S. As of January, 2005, a single Photon had been built and was sold for use in the United Kingdom.
[edit] External Links
[edit] References
- Dan Neil (March, 2001). "Mosler MT900 Preview". Car and Driver 46.9: 34–40.
- Ray Thursby (March, 2003). "No Quarter". Sports Car International 155: 40–44.
- Mosler MT 900 Supercar Comes To America. Motor Trend. Retrieved on June 22, 2005.
