Overall rating:

Finding modern supercars too unexciting and soft, ex-racer and Slovenian Alojoša Tušek decided to build his own. The Renovatio T500 is a simple, light and fast supercar that's all about the driving experience. And it's good.

Key Facts

Pricing: Ł242,110
Engine: 4.2-litre V8 petrol
Transmission: rear-wheel drive, six-speed manual
Body style: two-door roadster
Rivals: Ferrari 458 Italia, Radical SR3 SL, Ultima GTR
Combined economy: 24.5mpg
Top speed: 192mph
0-62mph: 3.7 seconds
Power: 450hp at 7,900rpm
Torque: 428Nm at 3,200rpm

In the Metal:

Based on the K1 Attack kit car the Tushek Renovatio T500 is the creation of Alojoša Tušek, a Slovenian ex-racer who found modern supercars too soft and uninvolving on the track. It's dramatic, of that there's no question, and for all the Tushek's lack of visual sophistication there's no shortage of edgy appeal. It's pretty honest about its intent too, the naked suspension popping up through the carbon fibre panel up front, while the massive rear wing and high mounted racing exhausts above the rear diffuser are all about going fast.

The T500 is significantly re-engineered over its base car, Alojoša kept much of the spaceframe chassis but added carbon fibre bodywork and AIM PISTA GT racing instrumentation inside - and a 4.2-litre Audi RS4-sourced V8 engine with 450hp behind the passenger compartment. Inside, given its 'prototype' status the T500 is nicely finished, with fully customisable seats, moveable pedals and a decent driving position. The steering wheel could use some adjustment, but otherwise the cabin is impressively sorted. The hood is a fiddle, coming in various parts - and if you specify the racing exhausts there's nowhere to store it - so keep an eye on the weather before you pop out.

Driving it:

Alojoša Tušek, the man behind the Tushek Renovatio T500, built it as he found modern supercars too soft and imprecise when driven on track. So it's unashamedly track biased, the lightweight carbon fibre panels helping achieve a 1,133kg kerb weight, while the carbon ceramic brakes should take an entire day of punishment without fading on a circuit. That low weight married to the 4.2-litre V8's 450hp means a 0-62mph time of just 3.7 seconds, and a top speed in excess of 190mph.

That's academic though, as Alojoša is more interested in the lateral G figure it creates - 1.7G, which is helped by the downforce created by the large rear wing, flat floor and rear diffuser. Double wishbone suspension is used all-round and it can be adjusted to suit your requirements. It's firm, though the damping is nicely sorted so it is rarely harsh given its focus. The ride improves with speed too, something that's easily achieved with 450hp having just over 1,100kg to shift. It's very rapid, and the V8 sounds glorious in its upper reaches, the intensity of the sound swelling with the increasing pace. The clutch is heavy, but it's worth it for the opportunity to change gears yourself via the manual transmission.

The entire driving experience is about you, the driver. There are no electronic aids, no traction control, no ABS, no stability systems. Yet it's not frightening. Instead it's thrilling, intense and interesting, the steering well weighted and offering decent feedback, the brakes giving decent pedal feel and response for a carbon ceramic set up away from the circuit.

What you get for your Money:

You're paying for an engine, a chassis, tyres and a body to put it all in. The T500 is refreshingly basic, but that does make the lofty price seem a little bit ambitious. Part of the package includes a two-year Tushek ownership experience including five track days per year though, pushing buyers to actually use the car as its creator intended.

Worth Noting

The T500 is just the beginning, as there's a faster supercharged version in the pipeline and you can add options like a Hewland sequential six-speed paddle-shifted transmission if you wish.

Summary

Tushek's first creation is ambitious and impressive, though the price and lack of real pedigree is likely to put off all but the wealthiest. As Tušek admits himself though he's not aiming to compete with the likes of Ferrari, instead he's hoping wealthy collectors might be able to find a space in their large garages for the T500 - and drive it. Refreshingly honest and minimal, the Tushek's simplicity is core to its appeal - even if its price puts it out of reach of all but the most wealthy track enthusiasts.