Isdera
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Isdera is a privately run automaker based in a small workshop in Hildesheim, Germany. The company was formerly based in Leonberg, Germany. Each high-performance sports car is hand-built by a small team of craftsmen, and the only way to purchase an Isdera is to call the CEO directly. Each vehicle is custom built for its buyer, and a waiting period of six months is to be expected.
[edit] History
The company was founded in 1969 by Eberhard Schulz, and its first vehicle, the Isdera Erator GTE, was built in 1970. Some other vehicles in the company's history are the 1983 Spyder 036i, the 1984 Imperator 108i and the 1986 Imperator 033i Spyder. Each model was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, Switzerland.
In 1993 Isdera designed the Commendatore 112i. The Commendatore weighed 1450 kg (3197 lb), could go 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, and had a top speed of 342 km/h (213 mph). The car had a mid-mounted Mercedes-Benz 6.0 L V12 engine producing 402 hp (300 kW) and a 6-speed manual transmission. The Commendatore had many advanced and unique features such as two sets of gull-wing doors, a velocity-sensitive electronic chassis that lowers the car at high speeds, and an automatic air brake. The 112i was featured in the video game Need for Speed II.
An estimated 70 cars have been sold by Isdera since 1983. Projects since 1993 have been kept top secret by Isdera. The company’s most recent automotive ventures and sales figures have not been released to the general public.
The last confirmed vehicle to be produced by Isdera was a fully functional prototype called the Isdera Silver Arrow C112i in 1999. The vehicle shares the same body and chassis as the 1993 Commendatore 112i, but is powered by a Formula One, 400 hp (300 kW) V12. The car's top speed is recorded at 205 mph (330 km/h). At the time of its introduction, the Silver Arrow was the only car in the world to feature an automatically lifting airbrake.
The Silver Arrow prototype was offered for sale on eBay in October 2005 for US$3 million, but was not sold. At the time of the auction, the car was located in Switzerland.
[edit] External links
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