Wiesmann GT MF5 Is Our Kind Of Car.

Looks hard, sounds hard, goes like stink. It's a good short-list of requirements for automotive notoriety. It's not a guarantee of sublime dynamics and entertaining personality, but cars without these factors have little chance these days of turning out engaging and desirable. There was a time when fun could be had a lower velocities, and with a lot less work. But years of tightening legislation and consumer demand for creature comfort have pushed the cheap, light and cheerful end of the automotive entertainment spectrum to the limit of existence. Barring a few hot-hatches, fewer still sold in the US, there's nothing out there that gives Sprite or Mini levels of enjoyment.

Which brings us to the modern day, and specifically, to Wiesmann's interpretation of the state of auto-erotica, circa-2009. The GT MF5 is a car that buys its clothes at the vintage shop downtown, but then goes home and alters them to fit its toned, modern, gym-membership physique. The lines speak of cars dating from the late 30s to the mid 50s; there's some BMW 507, some Jaguar XK120, even some Mercedes 540K. Those lines are rendered in glass-fiber, overlaid with modern aerodynamics including a raised wing at the rear, then draped over an aluminum monocoque chassis which cradles the 5.0-liter V10 from BMW's M5, the whole car set upon gigantic 19" alloys wheels.

The net effect is startlingly attractive is a way that's hard to believe from the above description. We've seen Wiesmann's work before on both a GT and a roadster, but this car really does look brilliant. Compact and curvaceous, hunkered and poised; it has attitude in spades, yet, despite some fussy detailing, it keeps a sense of grace and chic that's hard to come by in specialist sports cars. Sure Wiesmann give you the opportunity to screw it all up by allowing the selection of some terrible color and trim options; but all you have to do is tick other boxes on the spec sheet (NOTE: A foregoing the show-car's gloss blue over black wheels, with matching blue piping for the interior is a good place to start.) and you're left with a striking and mostly tasteful (though unmistakeably German) looking car that's constructed to levels of fit and finish that only the Germans ever seem to get right.

And now for the part where it goes like stink. Simply put, when 507bhp worth of V10 meet a chassis that weighs just over 3000 pounds, the affects are going to be explosive. 0-62mph is said to happen in 3.9, and a top speed of 193mph is certainly more than enough performance at the top end. At the same time, the sound produced by the engine makes you wonder how Chrysler can be satisfied with the noise coming out of the backs of Vipers across the country, V10s are as capable of mixing anger and sophistication as any powerplant configuration out there.

As for the handling, well, the only reviews I've been able to find so far are in German, but Wiesmann have built areputation making cars that ride and handle in ways that betray a much great sensitivity than their large wheels and limited suspension travel would suggest. It'd be strange if they somehow lost the plot at this point. Of course, that V10 comes with BMW's 7-speed, paddle-shit gearbox, which automatically (no pun intended) means I'm a little put off. But flabby-paddles are so common these days, and the rest of the MF5's spec is so mouth watering, that, given the funds, I'd still be tempted.

That is, of course, if it were to be offered here. Once again, the legislators have gotten between me and the thing I desire, and once again, it's all for naught. Even though BMW sell thousands of cars with the same engine in the US each year, the Government, and California's C.A.R.B. would require the MF5 to go through all the same tests, and Weismann simply cannot afford to certify the car. US gearheads will once again simply have to appreciate an intrinsically cool car from across an ocean... alas. In any event, here's a short video of what I'll in all likelihood never get to do with the MF5.



And a man talking about the car at length, in German.