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Normally, only a fortunate few get to experience a Formula 1 machine, but New Zealand–based Rodin Cars is trying to change that. All that’s required, besides a trip to the island nation, are nerves of steel and some very good earplugs.

Rodin is the brainchild of Australian entrepreneur David Dicker, who named the company after the famed French sculptor as a tribute to the power of thought. Dicker and his team of engineers have developed the track-only, single-seat Fzed after buying sole rights to the defunct Lotus T125 project a few years back.

Unveiled in 2011, the open-wheel T125 was a bid by Lotus to build a vehicle that offered as close to an F1 experience as money could buy, but at a cost that was still substantially less than usual for keeping such a car on the track. A downturn in the global economy, however, resulted in the production of only a handful of examples before the British automaker let it go.

Now back as the Fzed, the car has been trimmed in weight, mainly due to ubiquitous titanium parts (like the exhaust and steering wheel) that are 3-D-printed at Rodin’s facilities. Power comes from a 3.8-liter Cosworth V-8 engine producing 675 hp and 9,600 rpm. But a near F1-spec composite car requires someplace suitable to drive it. Not surprisingly, Dicker has created two private racetracks set on 1,360 acres in New Zealand for that very purpose.

Serving as mentor for my three-day visit to the testing ground is Blancpain GT World racing driver Mark Williamson. Before anyone is allowed near the Fzed, they first have to prove their mettle in a McLaren 570S GT4 and Dallara F3 single-seater, respectively, during the first two days.

Already aching by the time I’m squeezed into the Dallara, I find the latter to be a horrid experience because, in all honesty, it’s a nightmare to steer. I start to question my track abilities, despite once piloting Damon Hill’s Arrows F1 missile and a rash of other automotive exotica. The other major problem is communication. The car is so noisy that I can barely hear Williamson’s go-faster instructions through my headset. As I soon realize, it’s all part of the prep.

Only on day three am I deemed ready to experience the Fzed. First, a seat fitting, then instructions on unconventional left-foot braking: Remember, this automobile is almost as fast as a 2011 F1 car and just as unforgiving.

As in the Dallara, I’m on my own in the Rodin, with Williamson gently coaxing me through the helmet. The car needs tons of revs to kangaroo forward, but too much right foot and it’s brutal. The Ricardo six-speed sequential gearbox takes no prisoners, causing most people to stall. Instead, I’m hurtling toward a corner with Avon slicks and cold carbon brakes that require at least three laps to warm up.

Coming out of the first apex and onto

the straight, I suddenly lose Williamson’s voice in my ear as the deafening roar of the Cosworth directly behind me kicks in. Not only that, the vibration is worse than sticking my head inside Metallica’s speaker stack. The downforce created by all of the aerodynamic considerations keeps the Fzed planted firmly on the track; it’s just my lack of ability and the overwhelming cacophony that are holding me back.

Driving with feet on both pedals is not intuitive, and I find myself occasionally braking out of a corner. If I back off the power, the downforce disappears in an instant. This projectile is absolutely ballistic and way beyond my skill set. Nothing I’ve driven has truly readied me for this experience—and that’s the idea.

Rodin hopes to sell its stock of Fzeds to track enthusiasts who want one of the fastest contestants on the grid, able to reach 100 mph in 5 seconds and cover more than 3,000 miles—on premium fuel found at gas stations—before the engine needs a rebuild. Compare that to a conventional F1 engine, which requires an immensely expensive overhaul after roughly 620 miles, and it’s clear that Rodin’s $650,000 offering opens the door to F1-level thrills for a fraction of the price.

As for Dicker, he’s now focusing on his latest concept, the Fzero, a closedcockpit racer with 1,000 hp from a Rodindesigned 4.0-liter V-10. It’s set to cost in the neighborhood of $1 million and aims to outpace the new generation of F1 cars due in 2021. And even though there’s a street-legal version planned, my guess is that earplugs will come as standard. Jeremy Taylor

This projectile is absolutely ballistic and way beyond my skill set. Nothing I’ve driven has truly readied me for this experience.

VIRTUAL BLOCK PARTY

An August staple for motoring’s cognoscenti, Northern California’s revered Monterey Car Week was, understandably, scrapped this year because of the pandemic. Many of its associated auctions, however, have moved online, either as part of the Petersen Automotive Museum’s virtual exhibition, from August 12 to 16, or as stand-alone events. Here are five lots we have our eyes on. Viju Mathew

Racer Without Reserve

As part of its Online Only: Shift/ Monterey program, RM Sotheby’s will highlight a 1980 BMW M1 Procar that competed in the IMSA GT Championship series. The vehicle stands out not only because it was driven by Al Unser Jr. but also because it’s presented without reserve, despite a high

1980 BMW M1 Procar

Leader of the Pack

On August 14, Bonhams will host its online Quail Motorcar Auction, headlined by a 1959 Porsche 718 RSK Spyder. One of only 34 examples built, it was raced frequently by early Stateside Porsche dealer Bob Holbert and has been under the same ownership since 1974.

1959 Porsche 718 RSK Spyder

end estimate of $800,000.

The car on offer “is arguably the best example to come to auction in recent years, having been continuously maintained,” says Shelby Myers, car specialist and global head of private sales at RM Sotheby’s. “Even 40 years after it first took to the racetrack, it continues to impress.”

The car’s origins stem from the 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder, says Jakob Greisen, head of US Motoring at Bonhams. “These were known as ‘Giant Killers’ due to their light and agile construction, high-revving fourcam engines and distinguished aerodynamic looks.” It’s expected to fetch as much as $3.2 million. Made for America

For its Geared Online event, from August 3 to 7, Gooding & Company will feature one of the more elusive models from Maranello: a 1995 Ferrari F50. The Pininfarina-designed hardtop convertible pairs a six-speed manual gearbox with a naturally aspirated 12-cylinder engine adapted from that of the automaker’s 641 Formula 1 racer.

This particular machine kicks exclusivity up a notch. “The F50 is particularly rare in general, with only 349 cars built,” says Gooding specialist Hans Wurl. “But this is one of just 55 examples originally delivered in the United States.” Bidding could top $2.6 million.

An Alfa for the Ages

Also presented through Bonhams is a Vittorio Jano–designed 1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Figoni Cabriolet Décapotable. Bodied by Carrosserie Joseph Figoni, it’s an extremely scarce variant of a model driven to wins by racing greats such as Luigi Chinetti and Tazio Nuvolari.

“Complemented by the sweeping lines of Figoni’s coachwork, the combination of mechanical powerhouse and graceful design makes for a mesmerizing Alfa unlike any other,” says Bonhams’s Greisen. “It’s one of the most collectible prewar motorcars ever produced.” An estimated value is available upon request.

1995 Ferrari F50

Geared to Give Back

Another classic in the RM Sotheby’s Shift/Monterey catalog is a 1930 Stutz Model MB Monte Carlo with coachwork by Weymann. Previously in the Automobile Driving Museum’s collection, the gallery piece may achieve $375,000 on the high side, with all proceeds going to support its former home.

“Few cars from the period have the presence, style and uniqueness that this fabric-bodied sporting saloon showcases,” says RM Sotheby’s representative Ian Kelleher. “The former Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Best in Class winner is one of only three examples of its kind known to exist today.”

1930 Stutz Model MB Monte Carlo

Dream Machines

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GIVING IT THE GAS

the 2020 model year marks the first significant update of Yamaha’s flagship, the YZF-R1M, since its 2015 debut. The bike is already a technological tour de force, but the big news is the arrival of the electronically controlled, gascharged Öhlins NPX-EC fork—a first for any production motorcycle—and TTX36 shock. The new gas-pressurized fork reduces oil cavitation, leading to a more controlled performance.

The motor—nestled in a svelte race-inspired chassis and cloaked in carbon-fiber bodywork—gets subtle tweaks that include a new cylinder head, camshafts and throttle bodies. The enhancements are not aimed at increasing output as much as smoothing out what the 998 cc in-line

four-cylinder already produces, and that’s, unofficially, around 200 hp. Already fine-tuned are the traction control and wheelie and slide algorithms, all managed by the Inertial Measurement Unit and giving more predictability at the throttle, which, by the way, is now fully electronic (bye-bye, cables).

The bike has always been bewilderingly fast, and this is still the case, but the rider aids, superb electronic suspension and race-spec chassis work together seamlessly to carve corners so easily that it flatters the rider. Sure, there’s more power here than most will ever need, but its supremely controlled delivery makes the $26,099 YZF-R1M one of the finest sportbikes ever built. Peter Jackson

Participants leave the Aria Resort & Casino (top) for the testing grounds at Ascaya (bottom). A VIP helicopter tour is another highlight (middle).

DRIVERS WANTED

The age of the super-SUV is upon us. As levels of both sport and utility have progressed exponentially, some kid carriers can now make more than 600 hp and perform at a threshold once the realm of Le Mans.

Others offer refinement found in the most exclusive limousines— and a few do both. But how do these rarefied vehicles compare head-to-head? Find out firsthand at Robb Report’ s third annual Dream

Machines event in Las Vegas.

The three-day program, hosted by the RR1 club (and in compliance with all the latest health protocols), offers a choice of drive sessions between September 9 and 13. Priced at $5,900 per couple ($4,900 for one person), the package includes two nights in a Sky Suite at Aria Resort & Casino, dining experiences with celebrity chefs, a VIP helicopter tour and a hands-on tech exhibition.

Time behind the wheel will take place on a closed course at Ascaya, a private residential development located 15 miles outside the Strip. There, participants will compare the power and handling of the Lamborghini Urus, Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan, among other premier models—all with interiors sure to cause a more desirable form of cabin fever. RR1.com V.M.

DREAM MACHINES EVENT: STEWART COOK