Wiesmann MF4 (2009)

Wiesmann sports cars are manufactured by hand, from the chassis to the electronics, seating and assembly. Born from the minds of two brothers, with a familial relationship with the BMW marque spanning 40 years, the resulting product was two-seater sportscar lineage with a BMW heart and 50:50 weight distribution.

After a five-year development, the MF4 was introduced with a Lotus Elise-style epoxy-bonded aluminium tub and lightweight GFRP bodywork. The engine, gearbox, braking system and electronics are shared with BMW’s E53 X5 4.8iS, with a recalibrated traction control system.

The venerable 4.6 litre V8 powerplant afford the X5 362bhp, enough to see the 0-60 sprint completed in 6.1 seconds. The MF4 tips the scales at a Mini Cooper rivalling 1240kg, or, over 1000kg lighter than the X5. As result, the MF4 benefits from a 911 GT3-matching 297bhp/tonne power to weight ratio. The gearbox, also borrowed from the X5 but recalibrated is ZF’s fastest, smoothest and smartest six-speed automatic with paddles.

With each example built by hand, the MF4 took 8 months to assemble.