Bullet (car)
Encyclopedia
Dreamt up by John Bettini, the first Bullet car prototype was built in 1996 utilising a Mazda MX-5
body. The chassis
was designed and fabricated by Barry Pearson; it consisted of a square-tube spaceframe onto which a 13B rotary powerplant from a Mazda RX-7
was fitted.
Two more years of development saw a number of cars built; the first V8
was powered by a TVR
crate engine supplied by the customer. Bettini decided a Lexus 4LT Quadcam would be a more desirable choice and the next production run saw four normally aspirated cars built and sold.
Sprintex, a supercharger
company owned by Advanced Engine Components Ltd. (AEC) was commissioned to develop a supercharger system for the new "wide-body" model released in late 1999. AEC was so impressed with the supercharged Bullet SS that they purchased the Bullet company and set up a new manufacturing facility at Yatala
in Queensland
Australia
.
AEC decided that the new Bullet Roadster and supercharged SS models should become fully Australian Design Rules
(ADRs) compliant, and they invested heavily to achieve that end on 4 December 2002. All cars built from then on were classified as genuine production models and were priced at $98,000 for the Roadster and $118,000 for the SS.
Performance was spectacular with the 320 kW engine taking the SS from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than 5 seconds. Braking and cornering were also outstanding due to the huge Brembo
brakes and fully adjustable suspension attached to 18 × 9" wheels.
Resale values remain high with recent sales (2008) of $27,500 for an excellent 1998 Rotary, $37,500 for a 2000 Roadster and $62,000 for a pre-production supercharged SS.
Mazda MX-5
The MX-5, also known as Miata in North America and Eunos Roadster in Japan, is a lightweight two-seater roadster, of front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, built by Mazda in Hiroshima, Japan. The model was introduced in 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show...
body. The chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
was designed and fabricated by Barry Pearson; it consisted of a square-tube spaceframe onto which a 13B rotary powerplant from a Mazda RX-7
Mazda RX-7
Series 1 is commonly referred to as the "SA22C" from the first alphanumerics of the vehicle identification number. This series of RX-7 had exposed steel bumpers and a high-mounted indentation-located license plate, called by Werner Buhrer of Road & Track magazine a "Baroque depression."In 1980...
was fitted.
Two more years of development saw a number of cars built; the first V8
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
was powered by a TVR
TVR
thumb|right|240px|TVR No.2, the oldest surviving TVR, located at [[Lakeland Motor Museum, Newby Bridge, Cumbria]]TVR was an independent British manufacturer of sports cars. Until 2006 it was based in the English seaside town of Blackpool, Lancashire, but has since split up into several smaller...
crate engine supplied by the customer. Bettini decided a Lexus 4LT Quadcam would be a more desirable choice and the next production run saw four normally aspirated cars built and sold.
Sprintex, a supercharger
Supercharger
A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
company owned by Advanced Engine Components Ltd. (AEC) was commissioned to develop a supercharger system for the new "wide-body" model released in late 1999. AEC was so impressed with the supercharged Bullet SS that they purchased the Bullet company and set up a new manufacturing facility at Yatala
Yatala, Queensland
Yatala is a suburb in the outer northern areas of Gold Coast City in Queensland, Australia.Surrounding suburbs of Yatala include Beenleigh, Windaroo, and Stapylton...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
AEC decided that the new Bullet Roadster and supercharged SS models should become fully Australian Design Rules
Australian Design Rules
The Australian Design Rules are national Australian standards for vehicle safety, anti-theft system and emission standards. They have been acclaimed as less arbitrary than those of other countries, and successfully prevented the importation of many dangerous Japanese imports over the years...
(ADRs) compliant, and they invested heavily to achieve that end on 4 December 2002. All cars built from then on were classified as genuine production models and were priced at $98,000 for the Roadster and $118,000 for the SS.
Performance was spectacular with the 320 kW engine taking the SS from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than 5 seconds. Braking and cornering were also outstanding due to the huge Brembo
Brembo
Brembo S.p.A. is a manufacturer of automotive brake systems, especially for high-performance cars and motorcycles. It was established in Bergamo, Italy in 1961. Soon after the company was formed, it specialised in disc brakes, which were exclusively imported from the United Kingdom at the time...
brakes and fully adjustable suspension attached to 18 × 9" wheels.
Resale values remain high with recent sales (2008) of $27,500 for an excellent 1998 Rotary, $37,500 for a 2000 Roadster and $62,000 for a pre-production supercharged SS.