Wiesmann’s Project Thunderball is a 671bhp RWD electric roadster

When Wiesmann teased its new Project Thunderball roadster a month or so ago with some camouflaged winter testing pics, we wondered what BMW M division engine would be hiding under the retro-styled bonnet this time around. 

What we failed to notice, though, was the lack of any exhaust out back. Yep, it’s electric…

And here it is in the flesh. Good-looking thing, don’t you think? The long bonnet and classic Wiesmann grille are both present, and the body is carbon fibre to keep weight down to ‘little more than 1,700kg’. 

That’s particularly impressive when you hear about the size of the battery. The brilliantly-named Project Thunderball gets a large 83kWh lithium-ion pack that provides a range of 311 miles. There’s also fancy 800V architecture, meaning it’ll fast charge at up to 300kW. Rapid. 

Oh, and before we forget, the two rear-mid mounted electric motors send 671bhp and 811lb ft of torque to the rear wheels. That means 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds, apparently. Not slow then, but also not yet another 2,000bhp electric hypercar.

Wiesmann reckons it has injected some “drivers’ car DNA” into the Project Thunderball too, with an ‘Intelligent Regenerative Braking System’ that means the driver can use steering wheel-mounted paddles to cycle through five different levels of regen. Heading into a tight right-hander? Flick the left-hand paddle a few times to up the regen and give yourself a sense of strong engine braking while recharging your battery at the same time. 

“A change in setting gives a purposeful moment of enjoyment to the driver,” says Wiesmann. “Something lacking in most EVs on the market today.”

The rest of the interior looks rather lovely too. There’s plenty of leather and carbon fibre, as well as the slightly retro analogue dials that face the driver and are a bit of a Wiesmann signature. 

The price for all of this futuristic German-built tech and old-school Brit roadster styling? The Project Thunderball starts at €300,000 (£252,000) and is apparently available to order now. Thoughts, Internet?