On the sidelines of the Los Angeles Auto Show, the small Californian manufacturer Drako Motors, established in San Jose, unveils a first SUV that strikes the imagination as much by its style as by its performance: the Dragon.
Pushing the limits even further than the 1,200 horsepower GTE hyper sports car already marketed by Drako, this exceptional vehicle is sure to turn heads in its path.
Italian design
Although engineering and production take place in the heart of Silicon Valley, the Dragon’s design is decidedly Italian, the work of Lowie Vermeersch (formerly of Pininfarina, responsible for the Ferrari FF and 458) and his team at GranStudio. Almost all of the panels are carbon fiber and sculpted to create a very racy and futuristic look, even more so with the huge 23-inch wheels.
Photo: Drako Motors
In terms of dimensions, the Dragon is 5.05 meters long, 2.06 meters wide and 1.6 meters high. It tips the scales at 4,969 pounds. Its ground clearance is variable, going from 16.3 centimeters in Tarmac mode to 31.5 centimeters in Overland mode (off-road).
The passenger compartment, whose access is facilitated by the gull-wing doors, is largely upholstered in European leather. There are five places, but obviously, the two people seated in the front are the most pampered. Taking advantage of generous legroom, they face a gigantic multimedia screen. A second screen, much smaller and bringing together the instruments for the driver, resides behind the steering wheel worthy of a racing car. The loading volume is not specified.
Photo: Drako Motors
Swift like lightning
Like the Drako GTE, the Dragon uses a four-motor configuration, except that its power climbs to no less than 2,000 horsepower. This allows it to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in just 1.9 seconds, reach the quarter mile in 9 seconds and spin up to more than 320 km/h, according to the company.
The torque is distributed individually between the four wheels and an adaptive suspension supports everything. To slow down its heat, it can count, hold on tight, to 420 mm disc brakes with 10-piston calipers at the front and 410 mm discs with six-piston calipers at the rear.
“The Dragon feels more like a spaceship than a car,” says founder Dean Drako. How to be sure? You would have to ask NASA or Space X to try one of their rockets! Moreover, those who would like to use it for towing can pull loads of up to 3,500 pounds… to the detriment of course of the range, estimated at 675 kilometers.
Photo: Drako Motors
The price?
The most incredible thing in this whole story is that the Drako Dragon will sell from just US$290,000 – nothing to do with the GTE, the 25 examples of which retailed for around $1.25 million. It’s even much cheaper than the new Ferrari Purosangue, which demands 390,000 euros for its meager 715 horsepower.
Reservations for the Dragon have begun, with a $500 deposit. In the case of the First Edition model limited to 99 units, the deposit is $5,000.