1995 Lotec C1000: Concept We Forgot

"C" stood for carbon fiber and "1000" for the horsepower delivered by the twin-turbo Mercedes V8.

1995 Lotec C1000

Adrian Padeanu

By: Adrian Padeanu

May 22, 2019 at 6:55am ET

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Name: Lotec C1000

Debuted: 1995

Specs: Mercedes twin-turbo 5.6-liter V8 engine with 1,000 horsepower, five-speed racing transmission, rear-wheel drive, carbon fiber body and chassis, 1,080 kg (2,381 lbs) weight

Why We Remember It Now:

For a lot of reasons. From its futuristic shape to the amazing technical specifications, but also for the impressive (claimed) performance and the one-of-one status.

Long before Pagani introduced the C12 with its Mercedes-sourced V12, another supercar from the 1990s with an engine from the three-pointed star took the automotive world by storm… and then it vanished. The completely bespoke one-off C1000 was developed by a Germany company known for its Group 6 and Group C race cars after a wealthy businessman from UAE contacted Lotec in 1990 to build him the fastest car in the world.

Gallery: 1995 Lotec C1000

1995 Lotec C1000

Work on the car commenced in 1991, and nearly four years and $3.4 million later, the C1000 was ready for delivery purely as a one-off car. It was engineered with a full carbon fiber body and chassis to keep the weight in check at only 1,080 kg (2,381 lbs) despite having a large engine. Indeed, a 5.6-liter V8 from Mercedes with a pair of Garrett turbochargers pushed 1,000 horsepower to the rear wheels through a Hewland five-speed racing gearbox.

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Thanks to a low weight / high power combo, the Lotec C1000 was allegedly able to complete the 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) run in 3.2 seconds and the 0-124 mph (0-200 kph) journey in 8 seconds. That’s still mighty impressive even by today’s standards. Flat out, Lotec claimed its supercar was capable of hitting remarkable 268 mph (431 kph) or significantly more than the iconic McLaren F1 with its 240.1 mph (386.4 kph) velocity achieved on March 31, 1998.

Last time we heard, the fascinating two-door coupe was up for grabs in the United States for a cool $650,000. However, that was roughly four years ago, back when the odometer was showing merely 1,600 miles (2,576 kilometers) on the clock.

See Other Forgotten Unique Supercars:

1998 Nissan R390 GT1: Concept We Forgot

2004 Chrysler ME Four-Twelve: Concept We Forgot

1991 Mercedes C 112: Concept We Forgot

1992 Yamaha OX99-11: Concept We Forgot

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