ARES DESIGN has released new details, images and video of ‘Project 1’, the company’s highly anticipated supercar inspired by the Pantera of the 70’s and 80’s.

Having announced the limited-run project in January this year, ARES DESIGN has now revealed footage of the Project 1 test car in its final weeks of handling and ride set-up on the roads of Emilia-Romagna in Italy. The test car is clothed in dramatic ARES DESIGN ‘war helmet’ logo protection – there is little point in claiming such a dramatic and identifiable car is under camouflage!

ARES DESIGN’s test drivers have started shake-down of the Project 1 development car from the atelier’s Modena home. With their experience from supercar programmes at the nearby Italian supercar companies, ARES’ team is ideally suited to matching the donor chassis and powertrain at the heart of the car with the new body and interior in order to forge the desired ARES Project 1 feel and behaviour on road and track.

Dany Bahar, Founder and CEO ARES DESIGN said: “This is a really exciting moment for us. Within just six months of announcing the Project 1 we have our test car on the road and are ready to present to the world our expression of a car that I dreamt of as a kid. The ARES Project 1 will be the perfect blend of old school charm and charisma, underpinned with an iconic modern chassis, and clothed in full carbon.”

Just 21 ARES Project 1 will be built from October 2018.
All of 2018’s build slots have already been ordered and production of each car takes approximately
24 weeks depending on the level of personalisation requested by the client.

Matteo Vezzani, the newly appointed Technical Director of ARES DESIGN said: “This car is a showcase of ARES DESIGN’s capabilities. From the very first statement of intent to the shakedown, people have been fascinated by this project and I totally understand why. One of the most significant characteristics of the ARES Project 1 is its voice. The sound produced from the naturally aspirated V10 engine is nothing short of a roar. Super sporty, throaty and head turning, the team have done an incredible job in creating a stunning sounding, beautiful looking car.”

The 21 Project 1 owners will take delivery of a very special and rare car. It will feature all carbon fibre body panels, a carbon fibre/aluminium chassis, and stunning performance from an uprated 5.6-litre, 650hp, 560Nm, V10 that could provide even more power once final development is complete this summer. Throttle response has been improved and sharper gear-shifts delivered from the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Shining through the car’s protective cover is the return of one of the automotive world’s coolest and emotive design features – pop-up headlights. Meanwhile, at the back, special attention has been given to the stunning exhaust system and pipes. Their dramatic style only matched in drama by the specially tuned soundtrack that they deliver.

The ARES Project 1 is the first creation from ARES’ “Legends Reborn” series – a programme that will deliver unique automotive projects focused on the resurrection of iconic sports and supercars.

Design, development and production of the ARES Project 1 is all undertaken at the new ARES
DESIGN facility. The Modena HQ is the first of its kind – never before have bespoke, personalised and coach-built cars been conceived, designed, hand-crafted and then handed over to clients from the same venue. Combine that truly personal end-to-end service with state-of-the-art design and technologies within, and ARES DESIGN is well placed to service the growing global demand for personalised and ultra-low volume cars.

ARES DESIGN’s unique facility delivers a new level of design, development, manufacture and sales of coach-built and unique cars in the heart of Italy and through an expanding global network of studios. The brand-new 18,000 m2 ARES facility in Modena opened in January 2018 and, in bringing all facets of coach-building under one roof, immediately set a new global standard for the design, development, production and handover of bespoke, personalized and unique cars.

ARES DESIGN CEO Dany Bahar, along with his long-term Dubai-based business partner and ARES DESIGN Executive Chairman, Waleed Al-Ghafari, founded ARES DESIGN just three years ago and quickly spotted the opportunity to move the coach-building business to another level of service by developing the world’s first ‘concept-to-creation’ coach-building facility. Together they attracted a group of experienced and passionate multinational shareholders. For the first time, every aspect of bringing automotive dreams to reality can take place under one roof in rapid time and to an extremely high level of quality. It is a unique combination of luxury car brand resources with artisan principles and skills.