For almost two decades, Saab made a fighter jet called the Saab 35 Draken. It was capable of traveling at supersonic speeds in the height of the cold war and commonly used by many countries in Western Europe, including the Royal Danish Air Force, the Austrian Air Force, and the Swedish Air Force.
The aircraft was retired in 1974. But it lives on in spirit thanks to the boutique California sports car manufacturer Sector111. They’re behind an endeavor called Drakan Spyder, a super light sports car engineered for adrenaline junkies. It only weighs 2,000 pounds yet boasts a 430 HP monster V8 engine. Every part of the car was engineered to be as light as a Formula One car. In fact, the zippy driving experience is best described as the thrill of a Formula car, except 100% street legal and 100% American-made.
Here’s how Sector111 describes it’s America-made “Formula” car in a press release:
At the heart of the Drakan is the venerable LS3 from General Motors. This 6.2ltr V8 engine is available in the eRod package which includes catalytic converters, exhaust manifolds, an engine controller and more. This engine is mounted longitudinally, mid-ship to deliver a 40/60 weight balance. Coupled to the LS3 is a 6spd, Getrag G96 gearbox that is an absolute joy to shift, delivering loads of smooth torque. With a distinctive aural soundtrack that screams American V8, the Drakan Spyder clearly differentiates itself from other cars in its class. Acceleration is extremely quick with 0-60 mph coming in 3.2 seconds. Estimated top speed is 160 mph.
That’s some seriously oomph. Turnkey models of the Drakan Spyder start at $100,000.