Prodrive to put P2 into production?

Newswheel staff :: 19 January 2006 :: Filed under Coupe, Four wheel drive, Prodrive, Europe & UK, Trade shows,

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Not likely

Prodrive’s P2 design study, shown recently at the Autosport International Show, is based on real-world Subaru hardware and certainly looks like a plausible production vehicle. According to a recent report from the US, it might yet be built. But back here in Blighty, home to Prodrive, it’s not looking likely.

With an all-in kerb weight of 1,100kg, a Subaru flat-four wrung out to over 350bhp and Prodrive’s proprietary anti-lag system (ALS) - not to mention the company’s rep for producing some fabulous limited edition Subaru Impreza road cars - only a pathological pessimist would doubt the P2 represents a recipe for top notch driving thrills. And thanks to that Subaru engine and a chassis based on Subaru’s R1 microcar, it’s hardly pie-in-the-sky technologically speaking. As Subaru’s own press release says, “Prodrive itself currently has no plans to put it into volume production. However, should a vehicle manufacturer approach the company to do so, it is expected that it would have a retail price of approximately £40,000.”

What’s more US rag Autoweek reckons Prodrive is actively “looking for a partner to build the P2.” Really? Not likely says Autocar’s Steve Cropley, apparently the only journo present when Prodrive took the wraps off the P2 at a private event for staff at its Banbury HQ. Cropley claims Prodrive head honcho Dave Richards has no intention to build the P2 or to convince another manufacturer to do so. Sounds pretty clear cut to us.

Linkage:
Autoweek snippet on P2 production
Autocar