If you've never heard the name Melkus before, we won't blame you. The German company founded by race driver Heinz Melkus started building racing and sports cars in the mid-1950s before closing shop in 1986 only to reopen again in the 1990s by Heinz's son Peter. Currently, the company's sole model is the RS2000, the range of which is being expanded with the addition of the new Black Edition variant.
There's no prize for guessing where it's name comes from. We'll just note that according to Melkus, this is no ordinary black paint job but a special black lacquer finish that requires six layers with each layer being sanded separately. The exterior upgrades also include a carbon-fiber bodykit.
The black color theme continues inside with the leather seats and Alcantara interior roof lining as well as numerous piano lacquer and carbon fiber applications. Melkus has also added a new infotainment system with a navigation function.
Under the sheetmetal, we find a new high-performance braking system, while the VW or Opel sourced 2.0-liter turbo engines (the buyer can choose which one he or she wants) both receive a mild boost from 300PS (296hp) in the regular RS2000 to 325PS (321hp) in the Black Edition.
The increase in power allows for a zero to 100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 270km/h (168mph).
And for all this, Melkus will charge you €149,000, which is equal to US$195,600 or £124,200, which probably explains why the RS200 Black Edition will remain a rare oddity.
Story References: Melkus via Worldcarfans
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