No matter how tough the times get, there always seems to be room for one more insanely expensive, ultra-exclusive supercar. In this case it's the Savage Rivale Roadyacht GTS by Dutch automotive start-up Bewerp.
But this one is more than just a two-seat roadster, as the sweeping, yacht-like profile should tell you. It's a four-door convertible with four individual seats, rear-hinged, rotating rear doors and a retractable glass roof.
The ultra-luxurious interior is trimmed in leather and fine timber, with hardwood decking underfoot in place of carpets. It has its own champagne cooler and each production car will come with a specially made wristwatch that is also a keyless transponder to unlock and start the car.
It's built on a 'birdcage' chassis made up of short, straight pieces of chrome-moly steel tubing, triangulated for maximum stiffness, clad with carbon-fibre body panels.
Motivation is provided by a General Motors 6.2-litre supercharged V8 (borrowed from the Corvette ZR1) for which Bewerp quotes 500kW and 730Nm, taking the 1280kg Roadyacht from quayside to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds and on to 330km/h.
The 19” alloys are specially made by Tenzo and braking is entrusted to DBM eight-piston (front) and four-piston (rear) monobloc callipers on 380mm and 355mm platters respectively.
The prototype has been displayed at several motor shows around the world - and Bewerp already has three firm orders! - but the Roadyacht isn't ready for production yet; in particular, the roof (which is supposed to retract in 20 seconds) doesn't work properly.
However Bewerp says it will all be sorted in 2012, after which production will begin at about 20 a year, with prices starting at about €412 000 (R4.3 million) ex factory.