Poland is an ancient European nation with a rich history and tradition. The country is best known for its beautiful cities, stunning architecture, amber jewelry, and Kielbasa. Some facts that may surprise you about Poland are: It contains the only desert in Central Europe (The Błędów Desert), it hosts the world's largest castle (Malbork), and it is home to Europe's oldest restaurant (Piwnica Świdnicka), which has been open since 1273 A.D. Another bit of information you might not be aware of is that Poland is the 23rd largest automotive producer in the world.
While there aren't exactly a ton of well-known or active car companies that originated in Poland, there are a sizable number of manufacturing facilities located throughout the nation. Companies like Fiat, Ford, Opel, and even Chevrolet have facilities there. As a result of the variety of automakers that have their cars built within the country's borders, 11% of Poland's industrial production stems solely from the fabrication of automobiles.
Despite the apparent lack of representation within their own auto industry, some individuals who reside within the Central European country have attempted to create Polish-designed, engineered, and inspired vehicles. Specifically, start-up Arrinera has developed a car called the Hussarya GT. Not only is this brand one of the few active Polish automakers, but the Hussarya GT also serves as the first of Poland's supercars.
Here's everything that you need to know about Poland's first supercar: The Hussarya GT.
Arrinera
Arrinera is based in Warsaw, Poland, and has been in operation since 2008. Like that of Dodge, the company was started by two brothers by the names of Łukasz and Marek Tomkiewicz. Currently, a man by the name of Andrzej Wojno serves as their chairman.
Regardless of starting operations in 2008, it would not be until 2011 that a car would even be announced to shareholders and the public. When this did finally occur, the siblings reported that their first prototype vehicle would be named the Venocara. While the Venocara technically made its debut in 2012, Arrinera would later rename the sports car the Hussarya GT. The model name was created as an ode to the country's 16th century Hussar Cavalry.
What Do You Get For Your $300,000?
Like that of most supercars, the Hussarya GT comes with a very expensive price tag; $298,000 to be exact. While the car technically can be purchased for as "little" as $229,000, you'll need to pay an additional $69,000 for the "spares package." While $300,000 for a sports car from a relatively new company may seem ludicrous, you should know that it is not just a car you are purchasing. You will also be getting plenty of exclusivity; this is because only 33 are scheduled to be produced from 2015 and onward.
Speaking of big numbers, let's discuss performance figures. Thanks to its 6.2 L naturally aspirated LS7 V8, and the Hussarya GT is able to produce around 500 horsepower. Best of all, this nuclear bomb of an engine can only be mated with a 6-speed manual transmission. All of this put together means that the car can rocket from 0-60 in 3 seconds flat. If you continue to keep your foot down past 60 mph, you'll eventually find yourself reaching speeds of around 217 mph.
The Car Has Some Racing Pedigree (Sort Of)
While the Hussarya GT and Arrinera itself may be considered quite fresh on the automotive scene, that has not stopped them from trying out various motorsports. For starters, the supercar was entered into Goodwood Festival of Speed's Michelin Supercar Run. As a result of its participation, the vehicle became the first Polish car ever to make it into Goodwood.
While Goodwood served as more of a promotional event for the Hussarya GT, the car's first actual racing event would come in the form of the 2017 DMV GT & Touring Car Cup. Unfortunately for Arrinera, the event didn't go as planned. The first race resulted in the car crossing the finishing line in 22nd of 24 places. At the next event, the car suffered an alternator failure; ultimately, resulting in its retirement.
Later on, in the same year, Arrinera would enter the Britcar Series at Donington Park. Regrettably, this competition went even worse than the last one. The car wouldn't even make it to the end of race one as the engine literally would explode mid-event. Arrinera has not entered another motorsport event since.
How Does Poland's Only Super Car Stack Up To The Rest Of Em'?
There is a lot more to supercars than just how fast it goes. The people who typically buy these things are not just buying a car, and they are also buying into a lifestyle. They want to experience a sense of pride and prestige whenever they get in or out of the car; more importantly, they want other people to know exactly what it is that they are driving.
Unfortunately, Arrinera is currently a relatively unknown brand to the vast majority of individuals. Conversely, you could have vehicles around the same price from established manufacturers like Porsche, McLaren, Bentley, and Lamborghini.
With cars like these, there is no question of what they have accomplished and will likely continue to accomplish. To some, this may put a damper on things. For others, however, they'll have no problem continuing on with their lives in their $300,000, 200+ mph, exclusive, and mysterious supercar.