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US Startup Plans to Rip Off Ferrari, Build a Corvette-Powered LaFerrari Clone

We all read about such moves in novels, but some people have the nerve to pull them in real life - an US startup is basically planning to rip off Ferrari by building a clone of Maranello’s halo horse, the LaFerrari.
Exotic Rides W70 LaFerrari clone 18 photos
Photo: Exotic Rides W70 on Facebook
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The American company is called Exotic Rides and the idea behind their plan is not all that complicated. It all started Down Under back in 2012, one year before Ferrari gave us its hybrid hypercar.

Australian designer David Williams decided to try his hand at rendering the LaFerrari. The result was rather impressive, but once the car was revealed at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, it seemed like the story came to an end.

Everything changed when Exotic Rides acquired the rights to the design. The Americans now plan to put the thing into production, having already named it W70. In case you were wondering, the rims rendered on the car here appear to be HRE Wheels, one of the brands with the most active online marketing these days.

The “supercar” itself

Not much has been announced on the topic, with the exception of the intention to have it powered by a GM LS7 V8 (you may be familiar with this from the C6 Z06 Corvette or the current Camaro Z/28. The 7-liter unit is promised to deliver 700 horses, obviously with the help of forced induction. Oh and they’re promising to “have the W70 on the streets next year”.

Exotic Rides’ website isn’t working and the two Facebook pages related to them appear to have a pocket-sized reach. This reminds us of the multiple startup-announced supercar projects announced every year, with most, if not all of these never making it past the rendering status.

Then there's the problem with Ferrari. As Deadmau5, for instance, can confirm, Maranello’s lawyers aren’t exactly shy, so we don’t see the Prancing Horse allowing such a move. Not when the styling resemblance is striking. From the proportions, to details such as the rear fascia fog light, this ‘Murican virtual project screams “Ferrari”.

Heck, now that Ferrari is going public, this might even affect you - who knows, perhaps you’ll buy some shares in the future...
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About the author: Andrei Tutu
Andrei Tutu profile photo

In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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