Melling Hellcat supercar (2007): first official pictures

By James Mullan

First Official Pictures

01 February 2007 09:35

Bat out of hell: the Melling Hellcat

Reading this on your computer screen almost certainly means that you’re sitting down. That’s good because you’re not going to believe the figures on Al Melling’s long-awaited Melling Hellcat supercar: a gut-wrenching 1175bhp and at least 275mph, making it potentially the world’s fastest road-legal production car. Yes, you did read that right – one thousand one hundred and seventy-five horses at your personal beck-and-call, capable of propelling this two-seater carbon-fibre-reinforced chariot from 0-60mph in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it 2.6sec. And what a chariot. Melling’s rear-wheel-drive coupe looks incredible from any angle. Inside, you’ll find bucket seats with five-point harnesses each moulded securely to the magnesium and aluminium chassis. It costs £185,000 and there aren’t any options available; anything distracting – like a radio – is jettisoned. Melling calls it ‘a ferocious racing car for the road.’

The first two have already been sold to buyers in Texas, with delivery expected in September. Each car is built to order and currently takes Melling’s Rochdale-based team of 10 highly skilled workers around 12 months to build and deliver. Melling expects to take on up to 30 more employees by the end of the year to reduce the waiting time to five months.

By James Mullan