Zenvo Automotive, located an hour’s drive south of Copenhagen, are long since established in the boutique hypercar niche, having offered a product that is unique in style and expression, namely the ST1. At this year’s Geneva Motor Show, however, the ST1’s successor took to the stage, named TS1. I will address the name similarity right away: ST1 signifies the Supercharged and Turbocharged engine, whereas TS1 stand for Twin Supercharged. This minor name change means a lot to the car’s performance, as it features a brand new flat plane V8 engine which gives the TS1 even more sporty performance characteristics. This engine revs quicker than the ST1’s engine, allowing for quicker gear shifts and throttle response. What is lost in torque is made up for in horsepower and sound. Power is upped to more than 1,450 horsepower and top speed is limited to 375 km/h – numbers that should be sufficient for the vast majority of car enthusiasts.
The TS1’s exterior design is very similar to that of the ST1, but the subtle changes make it a different animal. The new front lip and restyled rear wing give it a more purposeful appearance, but it’s still unmistakably a Zenvo, which is what designer Christian Brandt was aiming to achieve.
The major news, however, is to be found when you open the doors. The interior has been given a thorough makeover, and previous criticism that the understated interior design didn’t match the muscular, predatory exterior design is now a thing of the past. The driver will find himself surrounded by colour coded trim, making this one of the most driver-focused interior design in this market segment. This will surely be appreciated by potential customers – a friend of mine who has owned a number of new and classic sports cars told me it was the nicest car interior he had been in.
Mr. Troels Vollertsen, the founder of Zenvo, has a background in racing, and his dream of making his own racecar had taken shape next to the TS1. The TSR (guess what the R stands for…) looks like a no-nonsense racing car, boasting full racing seats, advanced roll cage and removable body panels. Mr. Vollertsen claims this is just a track day concept car, but I know that one TSR has already been spoken for.
Speaking of sales and numbers, the ST1 was limited to 15 examples, of which 13 have been sold, and two are kept for development and testing. The TS1 will also be limited to 15, and just a few days after its introduction, four TS1 have been sold. Two are going to Dubai, one to the UK and one to the US. Crash testing will be undertaken, with the goal to be able to affix registration plates in a variety of countries, including the US.
I will be test driving the ST1 soon, and it will be interesting to compare the ST1 with the TS1 when it’s ready for test drives. Watch this space for more Zenvo news.
This article was first published on lovecars.com.