British designer Afzal Kahn must hate sleep. Reigning over a mini-empire that includes namesake concerns Kahn Automobiles, Kahn Styling, and Kahn Clocks and Watches, he recently added the Chelsea Truck Co., to his portfolio, a London-based retail outlet where the well-heeled can browse off-road offerings such as the wonderfully bizarre Land Rover Defender–based Flying Huntsman 6×6. Now, in an attempt to squeeze every spare second out of 2015, Kahn has announced plans to begin producing a retro-style racing car called the Speed 7 before the calendar year is over.
The third major vehicle project from Kahn, the Speed 7 takes its inspiration from the Grand Prix racers of the 1930s while offering improved performance. All the retro cues are in place: the side exhaust, copious louvers, and a vestigial windscreen. Slated to be designed and hand-built in Britain, Kahn says the Speed 7 will use “modern materials” and hints that they may include aluminum and composites. The car also is described as a retro thoroughbred that can be enjoyed on the track without reservation. Potential engines or transmission options have yet been announced.
Kahn clearly knows his demographic well, and suggests the Speed 7 will be ideal for those “looking to set up their own race team; don their driving goggles, gloves, and helmet; and get out on the circuit to recreate the feel of 1930s racing.” To help facilitate the gentleman-racer vibe he envisions, Kahn is planning to produce a complementary range of period styled clothing and accessories under the Speed 7 brand.
As is to be expected, each car will come equipped with a plaque listing the names of the individuals involved in the build, as well as a unique owner’s book detailing each stage of the design and manufacturing process.
While we’re intrigued by the design drawings and admire the unbridled passion the project embodies, the fact that no powertrain details have been revealed and that Kahn is, according to the website, looking for collaborators “in the areas of infrastructure, manufacturing, and associated services,” leads us to question if the Speed 7 will ever see the light of day, never mind by the end of 2015. Still, given Kahn’s track record of turning designs into in-the-metal realities, it could happen after all. And better late than never, right?
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