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The Swiss carbon-fiber supercar puts out 660 horsepower at a weight of just over 2,100 lbs.
Swiss auto manufacturer Picasso Automotive has finally revealed the production-ready avatar of their long-awaited PS-01 Prototype, which they’ve extensively tested on the road as well as the track for several years now. Dubbed the 660 LMS, the brand’s inaugural supercar finally saw the light of day at a private preview event in Monaco and is now available for orders.
From its design to the materials used, and its final weight, everything about the Picasso 660 LMS is impressive and screams genius engineering. Developed completely in-house at San Vittore, Switzerland, the 660 LMS is almost completely made of aluminum and carbon fiber, which naturally translates to a ludicrous power-to-weight ratio.
Now that the two-year-old Swiss supercar maker’s dream has finally been realized in all its glory, here is everything we know about the exciting new 660 LMS.
The name of the 660 LMS is quite meaningful, where the numbers denote the power of the engine, 'LM' stands for the iconic Le Mans prototypes which inspired this supercar, and the 'S' stand for the production model to be ready for street use. The "660" stands for the number of ponies this supercar hides under the bonnet.
Made out of aluminum, the 660 LMS houses a 3.0-liter V6 power unit under its beautifully-crafted hood, churning out 660 horsepower with 531 lb-ft of torque. Those are some seriously impressive numbers, made all the more remarkable by the ludicrously low weight the car boasts. Clearly, a V8 or V12 isn't always necessary for badass performance.
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The suspension system for the Picasso 660 LMS, like much of the car itself, has been designed in-house at Picasso Automotive. It features a billet aluminum double-wishbone scheme, along with a push-rod damper. You'll notice how Picasso Automotive has generously used aluminum wherever they can, in order to keep the weight of the car low.
The 660 LMS' front and rear roll bars, spacers, brackets, and wheel hubs have all been internally designed as well. Effectively, this scheme allows for a quick and effectual setup calibration, which also allows for a variety of suspension configurations.
In the braking department, Picasso has outfitted the 660 LMS with monobloc aluminum Brembo 6-piston calipers. That's right, even the calipers are made with aluminum. Quite naturally, the braking system is capable of adeptly increasing breaking performance, and remains consistent in braking power under the most extreme conditions.
More interestingly, the 660 LMS will be the first car ever to come fitted with the GALT Smart Pads, which are sensor-embedded brake pads, and transform the friction while braking from a passive into an active system. Thus, it delivers rear-time temperature data for the brakes to the driver, achieving higher levels of safety as well.
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The Picasso 660 LMS further ups the ante on real-time feedback by employing the Easyrain DAI virtual sensor. Keeping suit with its milestone-setting, it is the first supercar equipped with the DAI sensor by Easyrain, which is a predictive system that recognizes dangerous wet road situations.
With its proprietary algorithms, the Easyrain DAI would provide warning level outputs to the driver, thus detecting grip loss caused by either adverse road surfaces or extreme driving, ensuring the driver knows at all times just how much control they have over their tires.
The 660 LMS achieves a phenomenal power-to-weight ratio by using carbon fiber and other ultralight materials everywhere, along with its powerful new V6 engine. Based on an ultralight platform that puts the properties of carbon fiber to use on a never-before-seen scale, the Picasso 660 LMS is carved from carbon fiber and also has it on the inside.
Its monocoque is made completely out of structural carbon fiber, and in fact, the entire body is made without any brackets or fasteners. Instead, it utilizes a puzzle-piece system where the panels connect to each other via special joints. That's some mighty impressive engineering and a great commitment to keeping weight down.
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All of the carbon fiber panels and aluminum performance parts work their magic to bring the total weight of the 660 LMS at a remarkably low 2,160 lbs. Designed with extreme aerodynamics in mind, Picasso Automotive engineer spent quite a bit of time on CFD simulations and real-life wind tunnel analyses to obtain the best possible downforce level, in which they certainly succeeded.
At its top speed of 196 mph, the Swiss supercar has a ridiculously impressive downforce of 2116 lbs, all thanks to its low-slung design, its gigantic front and rear splitters, as well as an adjustable wing. In effect, this car is lighter than even the Mazda MX-5 Miata, while churning out around four times its power!
Displayed at a private viewing event, the interior of the Picasso 660 LMS is yet to see the light of day, but details describe a cabin that has matte carbon fiber finishing. This would undoubtedly raise the classiness of the interior of the 660 LMS. Furthermore, the steering wheel is made from carbon fiber as well, and so are the paddle shifters.
The center console houses a 7-inch multifunction touch color display which would have all the driving-related information, and the selectors and physical buttons (thank god for those) will allow for quick adjustments on the go. Pictured above is an interior shot of the PS-01 prototype, which eventually became the Picasso 660 LMS. GT Racing-style digital rearview mirrors with high-resolution cameras will add to the technology that will enhance the driving experience.
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Priced at $860,000, the Picasso 660 LMS will only have 21 units made, out of which 20 will be available for sale. Booking is currently open for this Swiss supercar and looking at its extremely impressive brochure and presence, it is almost certain that it will be sold out before long...if it hasn't already.
While it doesn't come cheap, the optional extras which will certainly follow, paired with taxes, will almost surely put this car in the million-dollar club, and it will definitely cement its name in the history of cars with some of the craziest power-to-weight ratios. Deliveries for the 660 LMS will begin in the second half of 2023, as per Picasso Automotive.
If it has wheels and an engine, Samarveer Singh is going to be obsessed with it. He is a budding Indian motorcycle racer, competing at the national level in his country in his very first year, chasing his dream around every corner of the racetrack. A touring enthusiast, Samarveer is forever stuck between the urge to constantly redline his bike, or save its clutch plates for longer.