Icona Vulcano: The Stunning Supercar Born in China
Fiery Elegance - There was a time when the idea of a Chinese supercar sounded like wishful thinking, almost like a fantasy for the future. Most people associated supercars with Italy’s Ferrari and Lamborghini, or Britain’s McLaren, not with factories in Shanghai. Yet the world of automotive design has shifted in surprising ways, and proof of that change roared to life with the Icona Vulcano—a car that proved China could deliver something truly world-class while borrowing the artistic soul of Italy.
Unveiled at the 2013 Shanghai Motor Show, the Vulcano was a project that blended European engineering finesse with bold Chinese ambition. Built by Icona, a design house headquartered in Shanghai’s Pudong district, this machine wasn’t just another sleek prototype to grab attention. It was their first supercar project, sculpted to compete against legends on the road and in the wind tunnel. With a design that catches the eye as much as a Ferrari or McLaren, the Vulcanoshowed off curves and aerodynamics that seemed almost too perfect to have come from anywhere other than Italy—yet its heart belonged to China.
Behind that masterpiece stood people who knew what it meant to build cars that make history. Claudio Lombardi, once Ferrari’s technical director and a man responsible for shaping victories across Formula 1, GT racing, and even World Rally Championships, brought his expertise to the Vulcano’s engineering. His fingerprints were everywhere in its performance promise. Alongside him was Samuel Chuffart, a designer with experience at Jaguar and Nissan, who poured his artistry into the Vulcano’s unmistakable silhouette. Together, they created a car that felt like it could stand in the same room as the most celebrated supercars of our era.
What makes the Vulcano so fascinating isn’t just its looks, but the power it hides beneath the hood. Two versions were envisioned: the H-Turismo, pairing a twin-turbo V6 with dual electric motors for an output of 870 horsepower, and the H-Competizione, a beast combining a V12 with an electric unit for a staggering 950 horsepower—all that muscle pushed directly to the rear wheels. These numbers weren’t just for bragging rights; they translated into serious performance.
Zero to 100 km/h in about three seconds, top speeds around 349 km/h, and a chassis light enough to compete with anything rolling out of Maranello or Woking. Inside, the cockpit leaned toward the future, with digital gauges, a rev counter soaring to 10,000 rpm, and a dashboard that looked more like a fighter jet’s control panel than a traditional car interior.
The Vulcano’s story also highlights something deeper than numbers and design accolades. It captured a moment when China stepped beyond being the world’s largest consumer of luxury cars to proving it could create one. Though production details have always been a little mysterious—Icona never openly confirmed when or with whom they’d build it—the Vulcano itself served as a declaration. China wasn’t just chasing the automotive world anymore; it was ready to stand on the same stage.
Today, when the automotive industry is buzzing with electrification and new technologies, looking back at the Vulcano feels almost prophetic. It was more than a concept car; it was a symbol of ambition, of a country showing it had the vision and the talent to play at the very top. Whether mass production comes or not, the Vulcano has already left its mark, reminding us that sometimes the most unexpected places can create the most beautiful surprises on four wheels. *** [EKA [26062013] [25082013] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | ICONA VULCANO | AUTOBLOG ]
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Icona Vulcano: The Stunning Supercar Born in China
The Vulcano’s story also highlights something deeper than numbers and design accolades. It captured a moment when China stepped beyond being the world’s largest consumer of luxury cars to proving it could create one. Though production details have always been a little mysterious—Icona never openly confirmed when or with whom they’d build it—the Vulcano itself served as a declaration. China wasn’t just chasing the automotive world anymore; it was ready to stand on the same stage.
Today, when the automotive industry is buzzing with electrification and new technologies, looking back at the Vulcano feels almost prophetic. It was more than a concept car; it was a symbol of ambition, of a country showing it had the vision and the talent to play at the very top. Whether mass production comes or not, the Vulcano has already left its mark, reminding us that sometimes the most unexpected places can create the most beautiful surprises on four wheels. *** [EKA [26062013] [25082013] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | ICONA VULCANO | AUTOBLOG ]
