It may look like a 250mph Ferrari supercar but this sleek vehicle is actually the world's most expensive bicycle.
The Fahrradi Farfall FFX has been designed to look like the supercar of the future, stealing its styling cues from the £1 million track-only Ferrari FXX. But instead of using a V12 engine and the latest Formula One technology, the Fahrradi relies on calfpower rather than horsepower.
Prepare for an almighty workout cycling this vehicle around town. Image- SWNS
The two-seat supercar has all the design hallmarks of a high-end supercar thanks to its sleek, aerodynamic design, low profile and gullwing doors.
It also has a supercar price-tag, costing an eye-watering £1.2m. However, that's where comparisons end with occupants who climb inside the Fahrradi powering the skinny wheels in tandom using pedals and 11 gears.
The eco-friendly creation is the brainchild of Austrian artist Hannes Langeder, who spent a year building the stunning vehicle. It is the artist's second pedal-powered supercar, after creating a lightweight Porsche in 2010, which Richard Hammond later drove on Top Gear.
On the inside the 'supercar' looks less impressive, though it still comes with a £1.2m price tag. Image- SWNS
The car's name comes from the German word for bicycle, fahrrad, while Farfall originates from the Italian phrase for butterfly, farfalla.
Langeder used the word butterfly because he claims the Fahrradi Farfall FFX can actually take off.
This is thanks to the vehicle’s gullwing doors which can flap under pedalling, allowing the vehicle to "lift off slightly from the ground". The Fahrradi weighs around 100kg thanks to its lightweight plastic tubed body and steel chassis.
It is also road legal in Austria and can be driven at night thanks to the vehicle’s 200 ultra-bright LED lights.
Andrea van der Straeten, a professor of art, described Langeder’s creation as being capable of moving "silently and with the weightless elegance of a butterfly".
It is now on display at the LENTOS Museum of Art in Linz, Austria as part of an automotive exhibition.
Ferrari FXX vs Fahrradi Farfall FFX
Engine: 6.3-litre V12 vs NA
Gearbox: six-speed sequential vs 11-speed
Weight: 1,155kg vs 150kg
Top speed: 243mph vs 10mph
Number built: 29 vs 1
Quick, Quick, Slow (Audi A3 2.0 TDI …THE SMALL car, large engine concept is nothing new - think hot hatches if you need reminding. However, with the increasing affordability of diesel power, a high performance … More »Quick, Quick, Slow (Audi A3 2.0 TDI …
THE SMALL car, large engine concept is nothing new - think hot hatches if you need reminding. However, with the increasing affordability of diesel power, a high performance oil-burner in a compact body can be more than enough in the real world for even the keenest of drivers.A case in point is Audi's A3 with the firm's …
First Drive: Bentley Flying SpurCHINA probably isn’t the first place that would spring to mind when choosing a suitable location for the launch of a brand new and very important car. Out in the sticks … More »First Drive: Bentley Flying Spur
CHINA probably isn’t the first place that would spring to mind when choosing a suitable location for the launch of a brand new and very important car. Out in the sticks asphalt roads turn to gravel for no apparent reason, while in cities like Beijing congestion is something that happens all the time. And the driving style …