Mastretta MXT

Mexico takes its place among sports car designers with its 2012 Mastretta MXT, with 250 horses. With the body of what looks like a hybrid between a Ferrari and a Lotus, it will get plenty of second glances.

It's a two seat coupe that features a Fiber Reinforced Plastic body around a chassis made of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic. The riveted and bonded aluminum helps to bring the body together, and a steel roll cage adds to the safety. The inline-four engine is a 2.0 liter turbo-charged beauty that will get you where you're going, fast.

The Mastretta MXT features a steel sub-frame and it has double wishbone suspension, front and rear. The company feels confident that the car will sell well in Europe, where they have already introduced it. Initially, they will be making about 150 cars each year, for a total of about 500 cars.

The Mastretta MXT debuted at the L.A. Auto Show, which is a high-class way to show potential buyers the newest models available. The 5-speed manual transmission and the horses under the hood take this little coupe from 0-60 in a mere five seconds, and the alloy wheels are a striking 17 inches in size. The tires are made for high-performance and the vehicle corners very well. Inside the cabin, you'll find carbon-fiber made sport seats wrapped in leather, with accents of Ultrasuede.

The MXT is already being sold in Mexico and a few markets in Europe. It will be offered in the US, classified as a "Specially Constructed Vehicle", which grants it exemptions from some federal safety regulations. This car will probably be priced between sixty and sixty-five thousand dollars, when it comes to the US.

The 2012 Mastretta MXT was awarded Road and Track's Ten Best Cars on Display when it debuted at the L.A. Auto Show. The people who attended the event were taken with the vehicle, and they were surprised how good it looks beyond the prototype form.

The company showcased a 2012 model of the vehicle and a stripped down chassis, to allow people to see and understand the unique technology behind the vehicle and the way it performs. The carbon fiber and aluminum chassis, along with the adjustable, fine-tuned suspension, the assembly and manufacturing quality, were displayed so that viewers could see each detail directly.

The Technical Director at Mastretta Cars has said that he's been a Road & Track fan for a number of years, and before he brought the new car to the show in LA, he felt sure that they would probably get a lot of attention from specialists' publications.

In addition, though, he said that having their new MXT named as a Top Ten in Display by Road & Track was a special honor, and a positive beginning for their venturing into the US selling grounds. He feels that the vehicle was welcomed by American visitors to the Auto Show, and the Director said he is ready to put his car in the hands of the drivers, so that people will learn how well the car drives and handles.