An almost forgotten K-1 Attack Roadster of the Slovakian automaker

FORGOTTEN ONES The existence of an automotive brand such as one owned by a Slovakian automaker was initially never known by the world automotive public. Well, this company based in Bratislava, Slovakia was originally an automotive company called K-1 Styling & Tuning, and was engaged in vehicle design that produced kit-cars for racing purposes.

The one-off K-1 Attack Roadster owned by Prince Fuad Abdallah Haboud Camanero Faresi suits in special racing livery, and is powered by a mid-mounted Volkswagen GTI Diesel modified engine be able to run by vegetable fuels. (Picture from: ColinOnCars)

Like many players in the automotive industry in the world, the company led by Richard 'Dick' Kvetňanský also wanted to have a self-made racing-purposed car, and in 1999 the Slovakian company began to make such sports car project named the K-1 Attack Roadster designed by Juraj Mitro, and was finished in 2000.

The K-1 Attack Roadster is launched to public at the 2002 Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA - International Automobile Exhibition), and at the time was powered by a mid-mounted V-6 Ford Mondeo ST220, 3 liter (2,967 cc) engine. (Picture from: Letocar)

After seeing the high demand as a road-legal car, then the company made its kit car version built based on the 1990-1993 Honda Accord, and also making minor modifications to accommodate the Honda Prelude' H22 engine.

The K-1 Attack Roadster is a hand built sports car by a Bratislava-based car company called K-1 Styling & Tuning. (Picture from: Letocar)

Furthermore, the Slovakian company shown off the K-1 Attack Roadsdter at the 2002 Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA - International Automobile Exhibition). At the time, the spoers car was powered by a mid-mounted V-6 Ford Mondeo ST220, 3 liter (2,967 cc) engine.

The engine is said to be capable of producing around 178 kW of power at 7,000 rpm, and is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission system to transmit engine power to its rear wheels. The K-1 Attack Roadster can accelerate from rest to 60 mph (95.6 kph) in 5.2 seconds, and has an electronically limited top speed of 155.3 mph (250 kph).

The K-1 Attack Roadster is a hand built sports car by a Bratislava-based car company called K-1 Styling & Tuning. (Picture from: id.Motor1)

In 2003, this one-off K-1 Attack prototype in full carbon fiber body was donated by Dick Kvetňanský to a high school student development team in west Philadelphia led by engineer-teacher Simon Hauger to be developed further with the ultimate goal was to build "The World's first Hybrid Supercar".

And in 2004, the project of this student team was completed and managed to win the International fuel efficiency competition in 2005 by beating billion dollars concept cars made by several giant manufacturers like Honda, Toyota, and even Tesla.

The K-1 Attack Roadster is a hand built sports car by a Bratislava-based car company called K-1 Styling & Tuning. (Picture from: Letocar)

One year later, in 2006 the car competed again and won, sweeping out all the competition's titles. This rear wheel drives car was powered by a modified Volkswagen GTI Diesel engine be able to run by vegetable (soy bean) fuels. Besides that the car was so fast with an acceleration capability from rest to 60 mph only in 3.5 seconds, and also have a mileage up to 68 miles per gallon (28.9 km/liter).

As the result, the car was not only super-fast and economical, but was also eco-friendly (pollution free), and could be said, that it had managed to achieve its primary goal. There are actually plans to install the AC Propulsion electric motor to be driven the K-1 Attack's front wheels, and then replaced by an Azure made one. Unfortunately then it was never completed and realized until now.

The K-1 Attack Roadster is a hand built sports car by a Bratislava-based car company called K-1 Styling & Tuning. (Picture from: id.Motor1)

The K-1 Attack's glory in the fuel efficiency competitions as mentioned above received wide coverage from various TV media channels such as Discovery Channel, ABC, NBC, various TV cables, as well as many world-renowned car magazines, thus making its name widely famed in the US. As quoted of Letocar, The car is now located in Beverly Hills and owned by Prince Fuad Abdallah Haboud Camanero Faresi.

The K-1 Attack Roadster is a hand built sports car by a Bratislava-based car company called K-1 Styling & Tuning. (Picture from: Letocar)

It's around 20 to 40 kit-cars manufactured and exported to the United States by K-1 Styling & Tuning, before the production process was ceased due to it is plagued by poor support and lack of assembly instructions, besides an extremely difficult build process due to faulty design aspects.

In 2011, B-Racing was born and gained rights and tools to produce the car again. Since then many improvements, refinements and available upgrades available have been made, including some options for different donor cars. Prices have also been reduced from £16,200 (around Rp. 308 millions) to only £8,100 pounds (Rp. 154 millions), that's a quite cheap for such a kind of sports car. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | K-1 ATTACK | ID.MOTOR1 | LETOCAR | COLINONCARS ]

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