VŪHL 05 – The First Mexican Sportster – Sales Heating Up

It’s rare that one will read “Product of Mexico” and get a rush of adrenaline. VŪHL is ready to wipe away that stigma with some serious sportscar bleach.

The Mexican auto industry

has been subject to ridicule over the years, even though their work has proven to be quite industrious. Anyone who’s been to Cancun and seen a lifted Micra (badged as a March there) in the bush will understand what we’re on about. Then there was the whole Top Gear debacle, where some non-savoury words were flung around by some Orangutan which the Mexican government did not take with levity. The Mexican government’s anger was justified as well, in recent decades the manufacturing standards of Mexico have skyrocketed, and a number of domestic and import manufacturers are outsourcing their production to the great Central American superpower.

So given that Mexico’s experience producing vehicles grows more and more every year, is there any surprise that they’re making their own car? Not really. Here’s the surprise… it’s actually pretty damn cool. Designed to compete with the Ariel Atom and BAC Mono, open-top street-legal track monsters, the VŪHL-05 (pronounced VOOL-oh five) looks like it could be comfortable any young kid’s bedroom wall.

VŪHL just announced that their demand is soaring, with numerous sales confirmed in the Middle-East and an expansion to the UK promised, we can’t wait to see this puppy on the streets on Vancouver, or even Ottawa.

Not convinced? Here’s some facts

Six-speed manual Ford gearbox

High-ratio rack and pinion steering

Suspension by unequal length double wishbones front and rear

Braking by four-pot alloy calipers all-round, operating on 310mm ventilated, cross-drilled discs at the front and 280mm ones at the rear

Sparco alloy wheels shod with Michelin tyres – 205/45×17 (front); 245/40×18 (rear)

It’s also powered by a proven beast of an engine, a mid-mounted 285bhp version of Ford’s award-winning 2.0-litre, DOHC turbocharged EcoBoost engine, which endows it with a highly competitive power-to-weight ratio of 400bhp per ton – sufficient for a 0-60mph time of 3.5 seconds and top speed of over 150mph.

Still not convinced? LOOK AT IT