Valmet Raceabout

Valmet Raceabout
Overview
Manufacturer	Valmet Automotive
Production	2002–2005
Body and chassis
Class	Sports car (S)
Body style	2-door roadster
Layout	Rear-mid-engine, rear-wheel drive
Powertrain
Transmission	5-speed manual

The Valmet Raceabout is a limited-edition sports car manufactured by the Finnish company Valmet Automotive as a two-seater, mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive roadster. It was produced between 2002 and 2005.

History

Valmet Automotive is a Finnish vehicle contract manufacturer. It historically produced cars in Finland under orders from companies such as the Swedish company Saab (formerly known as Saab-Valmet), the Russian company Lada, the German companies Opel, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz, and the American company Fisker, among others. The project started in 1998 at the Helsinki Polytechnic School of Technology's automotive engineering laboratory, the full-scale model was completed in 1999 and a chassis was presented at the Helsinki Motor Show, and in 2000 the world debut of a working prototype made in collaboration with Valmet took place at the Geneva International Motor Show. In 2005, at the same motor show, Valmet presented its final Raceabout.

Specifications

The Raceabout is a 2-seater roadster with an aluminum riveted monocoque chassis, with over 2,000 aircraft-grade rivets. The body panels are removable and are made of a carbon composite material weighing approximately 30 kg, manufactured using different techniques. The interior has carbon composite panels, Sparco sport seats with 4-point harnesses. Double wishbone suspension front and rear, with custom Koni dampers with adjustable rebound. The engine is a Saab-built all-aluminum inline-4 with a custom intercooler and free-flow air filter. It also features a Kemira Metalkat dual-catalyst exhaust system and a single muffler. The transmission is a 5-speed manual with a Torsen differential lock.