Wiesmann teases a retro 680PS electric roadster

It’s still got those quintessentially retro looks, too, with the grille reminiscent of the old Jaguar XKs, a teardrop shape and swooping curves harking back to an age of alloy panel-beating and wooden bucks. Of course, this is 2022, so Project Thunderball’s sexy ‘50s curves are hewn out of advanced carbon fibre rather than hand-rolled aluminium.

In a similar way, this new Wiesmann really takes a step into the 2020s with the powertrain. Gone are the M-badged oily bits under the bonnet. In their place, twin rear-mid-mounted electric motors good for over 680PS (500kW) and 1,100Nm (811lb ft) of torque. They’re fed by a 92kWh battery integrated into an 800-volt architecture allowing for charging speeds of up to 300kW.

Performance wise, Wiesmann is targeting a 2.9-second 0-62mph time, so it’ll feel mighty quick. You’d expect it, like most other electric cars, to be exceptionally heavy despite its sportscar looks, but the Wiesmann is projected to weigh an impressive 1,700kg. That’s some 150-300kg lighter than the ballooning crop of electric hypercars, and only 200-300kg heavier than some of the later petrol-powered Wiesmanns.

On the inside, paddles that once controlled DCT and SMG transmissions now control regenerative braking. A sprawling carbon dash is peppered with seven very steampunk dials – a Wiesmann trademark – sat above a crisp infotainment screen. One of those dials rather intuitively shows charge state in the number of kilometres of range the car has remaining rather than a battery percentage, allowing the driver to easier take an informed decision on when to unplug. The rest of the cabin is trimmed in sumptuous-looking tan leather and black Alcantara. Those seats look carbon-backed, too.

All told, it’s a very pretty thing and looks like a high-quality object; a piece of automotive jewellery, just like its predecessors. How silent electric power will feel compared to the howl of a BMW M straight-six, V8 or V10, remains to be seen. Prices, when the car will be available and other details are yet to be revealed – when we know, you will too.