Hansen GT Sports Car

In the world of virtual prototypes, it is easy to get carried away. But Giel Hansen, a young Dutch automotive engineer, believes he knows how to make a great coupe. And he's out to prove it with his prototype: the Hansen GT.

Hansen's day job was as an employee at a bus-building company, but he dreamed about his very own sports car. By chance, an entry in a Swedish design competition caught his eye. He got in touch with the designer, Ernesto Freitas of Portugal, and it is Freitas who made preliminary sketches for what is to be the Hansen GT. Hansen has also linked with a Netherlands kit-car dealer and a racing team, and he has been at work on the project for several months now.

Hansen Sportscars has released some preliminary specifications on the forthcoming racing version of the Hansen GT. The Hansen GT-R will be powered by a 5.0-liter V10 engine, pumping out more than 500 horsepower. Body panels will be made from carbon fiber and other plastics.

A road-legal coupe is expected to follow next year, with an expected price of about $310,000 — but Giel is mainly interested in GT racing. His dream is to participate in the American Le Mans series