Russia: Marussia Motors

Marussia Motors (Russian: Маруся pronounced [mɐˈrusʲə]) was a Russian sports car company founded in 2007. It was the first Russian company to produce a supercar. It designed, and manufactured prototypes of both the B1 and the B2 sport cars. Marussia was led by former motor racer Nikolai Fomenko.

PERFORMANCE & ENGINEERING

Two Cosworth engines were offered, including a 3.5L naturally-aspirated V6. However, it’s the 2.8L turbocharged V6 that you want. Here are the figures:

420hp and 520Nm (384 lb-ft) of torque, impressive numbers for a car with a gross weight of just 1100kg (2425 lbs). The mid-engined B2 uses a 6-speed automatic transmission, RWD and an aluminium semi-monocoque for the chassis.

0-60mph is achieved in 3.2 seconds whilst top speed peaks at 192mph (310kmh).

EXTERIOR STYLING & BODYWORK

The B2 was intentionally styled to be similar to an insect, which does sound strange until you see the stunning bodywork. It has more vents on the exterior than your brother’s Civic and more sharp creases than an Aventador. However, it is all functional aerodynamics that turns the B2 into a track weapon.

The doors are similar to that of Aston Martin’s “swan doors”, meaning they open slightly upwards to avoid pavement contact. The rear exhausts are centre-mounted like the McLaren MP4-12C of its day.

The really impressive piece of craftsmanship is the curved windscreen, which would be a nightmare to both produce to replace.

INTERIOR DESIGN & CRAFTSMANSHIP

The materials are not out of a manufacturer’s parts bin, but rather unique to the Marussia B2. Inside you are greeted by leather seats with Alcantara inserts, neatly trimmed with coloured stitching and piping of your choice.

The interior layout is very ergonomic, featuring large and functional airvents, appropriate button placement and a secondary screen for the passenger, which could be used to display route or performance information. The futuristic gauge cluster uses a high-definition screen, quite the rare sight back in 2010.

The driving and touch screen infotainment systems are not lazy reskins of another manufacturer, they are developed by Marussia.

PURCHASE & OWNERSHIP

A total of 500 units were produced for €100,000 Euros (130,000 USD) at the time. The vehicle even underwent crash testing and succeeded, the subframes were specifically designed to absorb the energy involved in such an event.

It would be a miracle if you found one for sale today. Unfortunately, the company dissolved in 2014 with its 300 employees and the plans for the Marussia B3 were no longer possible. If only the brand could be resurrected like TVR…

Have you driven the Marussian? Tells us about it.