First Foose Coupes get delivered to customers

Chip Foose's space-age hotrod, called simply the Foose Coupe, is an exercise in the extremes of automotive design and materials. So far, only four have been built however, and only two of those have been offered to the public, the last one at Barrett-Jackson's famed auction in 2007. The newest Coupe was delivered to its owner this week in California, marking the official kick-off of sales of the unique car.

Featuring a unique look, custom features and supercar-level performance, the Foose Coupe last claimed a retail price of $330,000 in open bidding. That may seem like a hefty price for a hot rod, but the Foose Coupe is as much exotic as it is American iron. A dry carbon fiber monocoque helps keep the car's weight down to about 2,300lbs (1,050kg) while the power provided by this example's 6.4L Hemi yields a power-to-weight ratio that many Ferraris and Lamborghinis can only aspire to. Weight distribution is also excellent thanks to the mid-engine design and rear-wheel drive ensures classic handling tendencies.

Rated at 500hp (373kW) and 480lb-ft (648Nm) of torque, the Foose Coupe's 4.6lb/hp (2.81kg/kW) tops even the Ferrari F430's 6.6lb/hp (4.0kg/kW). But it's not all about power. The Coupe is also a completely custom hot-rod inspired work of automotive art. Plush leather seating, carbon fiber trim, and in this customer's car, a pistol grip shifter for the five-speed manual. A fully independent front and rear suspension, 14-inch brake discs with six-piston Baer calipers and 20-inch polished alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero tires complete the package. The flames lining the car's exterior were hand-painted by Chip Foose himself.

The Foose Coupe is limited to a run of 50 vehicles. Despite only four having been built since the car's debut at the 2006 SEMA show, the latest delivery indicates the pace of production may be picking up.