Build Your Own Carbon-Fiber Sports Car
By Stuart Schwartzapfel
You probably don’t think of Thailand when you think of countries producing high- performance automobiles. But wait, here’s the exotic Galmer Arbitrage GT. Bangkok lightweight component specialist Cobra International and U.S. automobile stylist Kevin Gallahan joined forces to produce this new supercar. Cobra brings lightweight body-building expertise in fiber-reinforced composites to the table and is responsible for producing all of the carbon fiber body panels.
Aptly named for the business practice, the Arbitrage GT takes advantage of the lower production costs in Thailand to offer a car with typically expensive materials to the U.S. market at a surprisingly low cost. Pricing details and options packages aren’t known yet, but Kevin Gallahan says: “What the customer will receive for the money, compared to other manufacturers outside of Thailand, especially those using advanced lightweight composite parts, will be without comparison.”
Much of the Arbitrage GT looks unpainted, accentuating the look of the carbon fiber weave. Carbon fiber is not only lighter but also stronger than conventional steel parts and body panels, and is used in many high ticket exotic cars sold today. (Mainstream manufacturers including GM and BMW have also used the material to reduce weight in models such as Corvette and M-series.)
STRIKING A POSE. Production plans call for just 350 units, a third slated for U.S. delivery, to hit the market in 2008. U.S.-spec models will come fully assembled minus the engine and transaxle. The company provides customers with a list of preferred suppliers for these components. (The top recommended power plant is a GM-sourced, mid-mounted 505 horsepower V8 from the Chevrolet Corvette Z06. VW’s twin turbocharged 3.2-liter V6 is also a candidate.) Many people refer to autos like this as “kit cars,” but this vehicle is a higher caliber than most in that category.
Arbitrage GT’s cockpit is allegedly tall enough to be comfortable for basketball players, and the car's driving dynamics aim to be well-mannered enough for everyday driving.
The carbon fiber panels used to construct the body project a deep black finish when viewed from a distance. The color contrasts nicely with the bright magnesium wheels seen in company-released photos. The black-as-night appearance and amazingly low-to-the-ground stance resemble that of a stealth bomber, or a panther waiting to strike. The doors open gull-wing style via fingerprint scanners, and bodylines and contours are certainly of the supercar variety.
The Verdict: Not only does the abundant use of carbon fiber in the Arbitrage GT look cool but its low weight and high tensile strength are key to its impressive power-to-weight ratios, which have been discussed in this column before (see 'Can This Lotus Blossom?'). It remains to be seen just how much "cheaper" the Arbitrage will be when compared with similar thoroughbreds such as Carrera GT, Pagani Zonda, and the like. The cost difference must be enough to warrant buying a "kit car."
Schwartzapfel, a certified car freak, writes BusinessWeek.com's Concept of the Week column. He has studied the automotive marketplace and worked as an advertising/marketing strategist for major manufacturers. He does not write about any car brands for which he currently works.
