Though the idea may have sounded preposterous only a decade or two ago, the ultra-high-end automotive segment has recently been playing witness to a growing number of super premium go-anywhere supercars like the Porsche 911 Dakar and Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato. With a proven demand and market for these exorbitant off-roaders, Italian EV startup Laffite Automobili has announced that it’s stepping up to the plate with its own all-terrain offering, the all-electric Atrax HyperSUV.
Founded by Pascal Cohen and Bruno Laffite, Laffite Automobili is based in Turin and aims to build what it calls “race cars homologated for the road” — all powered by state-of-the-art fully-electric powertrains and bestowed with top-shelf levels of luxury. Within the last few days, the fledgling Italian firm has debuted a trio of new models, one of which is the aforementioned HyperSUV. Unveiled alongside the LM1 and the Barchetta Coupe, the Atrax HyperSUV has received the most attention thus far, and for good reason. The first of its kind in history, this ultra-high-performance off-roader is the first SUV ever to be constructed around a central carbon monocoque — a chassis that’s paired with an advanced pushrod-equipped double wishbone suspension setup and massive off-road wheels shod in Pirelli Scorpion ATR tires. The race-inspired carbon-clad luxury interior of the HyperSUV also features a unique 2+1 seating configuration and a fixed driver’s seat. Weighing in at 4,850lbs, the vehicle also features a trio of hydraulic suspension settings with different ride heights and spring stiffnesses that can all be selected from the steering wheel.
Boasting a 116” wheelbase, the frame is cloaked in a set of carbon fiber bodywork that’s supplemented via numerous panels composed of a hemp fiber-based composite. Measuring 196” in length and 78.7” in width, the vehicle and its bodywork sport massively flared exposed carbon wheel arches and a mobile rear wing and diffuser. The hyper-SUV’s rear deck-lid is also capped off with a unique spider-like structure that holds the vehicle’s full-sized spare wheel and tire and doubles as a hydraulic system that can lift. At the heart of the lifted electric off-roader is an electric powertrain that generates 1,151hp and 1,844ft-lbs of torque, allowing for a 150mph top speed and a 0-60mph time of 3.8 seconds. Mated to a high-strength aluminum gearbox, the Atrax’s powertrain draws from a battery that affords a nearly 275-mile range and the ability to receive a 20% to 80% charge in only 22 minutes. Alongside the race-ready Baja and Dakar-grade off-road version of the HyperSUV, Laffite Automobili will also be producing a road-going Stradale -spec of the Atrax.
Limited to just 26 units worldwide, the Laffite Automobili Atrax HyperSuv is scheduled to begin deliveries in March of 2024. Pricing for the Atrax HyperSuv has been set at $1,690,000.
