Lavazza Serves a Jolt of Espresso to the Supercar Elite

Exotic sports cars are part of the cultural patrimony of Italy. A number of think-outside-the-box companies flourish here on a small but active scale. Now, in the mold of Bizzarrini and Pagani, comes Enrico Lavazza with a new supercar and a company to back it up, SimbolDesign.

Enrico Lavazza is no relation to the famous Italian coffee company of the same name, but he probably had recourse to caffeine many times in the past three decades. That's how long he says it took him to build his first big project, the six-wheeled, V8-powered Covini C6W. The Lavazza C8 is displayed on the SimbolDesign Web site. It has a Ford V8 engine, a curb weight of 2,160 pounds, an ultralow stance and a 183-mph top speed.

SimbolDesign's even newer prototype is the GT-X V12 5.3. This one takes a page from the Ferrari Enzo styling book, with a slight hint of Pagani Zonda but with a huge dose of individuality. The 5.3-liter V12 comes from BMW. It is good for 400 horsepower, which propels the two-seater to 186-plus mph.