Thanks to advancements in small-scale manufacturing and broadening enthusiast appetite, the hypercar field today is more open to upstarts than it has been in recent memory—provided, of course, they can deliver the goods. Yet even among the current crop of disrupters, many of whom are going the electric route thanks to the less-expensive development costs of EVs, Ameerh Naran is marching to his own beat. The Zimbabwean CEO of aviation brokerage Vimana Private Jets also founded Naran Automotive and has come to market with his highly distinctive Naran hypercar.
This bold, GT3-style performer presents a collection of idiosyncratic details, from the old-school twin-turbo V-8 engine—producing 1,048 hp—to the preponderance of seats (there are four). But perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of Naran’s vision, which he has been determined to realize since childhood, is that buyers of his model, starting at nearly $2.2 million, should be made to work—hard—for their thrills.
The Naran hypercar is clearly the result of a very specific point of view. Can you describe your vision for it? In terms of driving experience, cars of yesteryear are so much more engaging. Luxury, generally, is moving back towards analog.
Last year was a record year for fountain-pen sales. People like mechanical watches as opposed to battery-operated watches. Look at vinyl [record] sales.
Now, most supercars and hypercars are made to be approachable and easy to drive. I honestly think you can take a dodde.