Thanks to its low power-to-weight ratio, the Czech supercar sprints from 0-62 mph in simply 2.3 seconds
December 6, 2024 at 15:00
- Praga is delivering its first manufacturing Bohema at present, December 6, 2024.
- It marks a return to highway automobile manufacturing for the model after 77 years.
- The supercar makes 700 horsepower and weighs simply 2,300 kilos.
In a world awash with vaporware supercars and half-baked hypercar ideas, the Praga Bohema arrives as a uncommon breed: a promised automobile that really made it to manufacturing. The first buyer took supply of their Bohema at present within the Netherlands, with none aside from racer and growth driver Romain Grosjean readily available to make the supply.
A Long-Awaited Reality
For people who might need (understandably) forgotten, the event of the Bohema began again in 2022. Since then, Praga has examined it, improved it, and standardized manufacturing to get to this present day. Handbuilt at Praga’s manufacturing unit within the Czech Republic, the ensuing automobile is really jaw-dropping. Don’t take that from me both – James May and Jeremy Clarkson had been impressed too after they drove it final yr.
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Under the rear decklid of the Bohema is a 700 horsepower (521 kW) twin-turbocharged V6 constructed by Litchfield. That engine begins out life as a Nissan GT-R motor earlier than Litchfield converts it to a dry sump setup, swaps the turbos out, and provides a titanium exhaust. It sends the ensuing energy to the rear wheels by way of a Hewland sequential gearbox. What’s extra, because of its carbon fiber building, the entire automobile weighs simply 2,300 kilos (1,000 kg). That’s lower than a Mazda MX-5 for those who’re protecting monitor.
Needless to say, that kind of power-to-weight ratio makes for glorious efficiency. Praga claims the Bohema can hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in a mere 2.3 seconds, with a prime pace of 197 mph (317 km/h). For the uninitiated, that’s the sort of acceleration that’ll have you ever questioning your individual mortality.
Track Car That’s Road-Legal
But the Bohema isn’t simply quick in a straight line. Praga says the automobile is able to matching the lap instances of a GT3 race automobile, all whereas rolling on road tires. And right here’s the kicker: you’ll be able to legally drive it to and from the monitor. It’s a formidable feat in a market plagued by race automobiles which might be virtually solely unusable in each day life.
As Praga’s proprietor Tomas Kasparek places it, “We at all times promised no ideas, no teasers, no b-s… only a pure, light-weight, very quick and superbly appointed road-legal race automobile for a restricted variety of supercar consumers who can actually drive – and that’s what we now have delivered”.
Grosjean’s Take: A Supercar That’s Actually Usable
How does the Bohema drive? Romain Grosjean, a person with a good quantity of seat time in a number of the world’s most interesting machines, for one, sings its reward:
“I used to be astonished by the Bohema’s wonderful efficiency on monitor, its accessibility on highway, and the benefit of transition between the 2. Praga has actually delivered on my problem,” he explains.
“On the highway, you get a easy experience, the automobile eliminates bumps, you’ll be able to chat with the passenger, and all the things is calm. Then merely swap focus and you might be on the monitor. The similar garments, the identical automobile, however the feeling adjustments and you might be pushing the restrict and reaching wonderful lap instances time and again, discovering unbelievable potentialities within the Bohema,” he added.
That is smart as this can be a bespoke chassis and physique that Praga designed in-house after which examined in an F1 wind tunnel. In 2012, Praga started constructing race automobiles so it leveraged what it realized there. The outcome appears like a very well-rounded machine. In truth, even the previous Top Gear Stig Ben Collins preferred a pre-production prototype when he had a go in 2022.
The cockpit can match two adults who stand six foot-five tall. The seats, steering wheel, and pedals are all adjustable to get the correct match. Buyers will take pleasure in what Praga calls “beneficiant baggage area,” too.
Production will proceed with a most of just below 20 automobiles per yr for the subsequent 4 years. That is, supplied that it will probably discover consumers prepared to fork over the €1.36 million ($1.43 million at present change charges) value for one.
The Anti-Vaporware Hero
This is the kind of stroll softly and carry an enormous stick perspective that so few automobile makers have at present. Even large-scale operations like Tesla can find yourself counting on massive, flashy ideas to promote automobiles or pump inventory costs. In a world of far too many ideas that don’t translate into actual automobiles, the Praga Bohema is an excellent instance of simply doing the rattling factor.
