Arash

Arash Motor Company is a British handmade supercar and hypercar manufacturer, founded in 1999 by Iranian-British entrepreneur Arash Farboud (with the company registered in 2000) and headquartered in Newmarket, Suffolk. The brand’s core philosophy is “Creating unique drives for the bravest individual customers,” adhering to extremely low-volume handmade manufacturing while focusing on lightweight carbon fiber structures and high-performance powertrains.

The Arash badge features a wing-themed emblem symbolizing nobility and determination. The entire vehicle relies solely on its carbon fiber structure for safety, without depending on electronic assistance systems like ESP. Track performance and driving pleasure depend completely on mechanical expertise and driver skills, making Arash a tenacious independent voice in the niche handmade supercar field.

History

Arash’s founding stemmed from a rejected experience. In 1998, Ferrari owner and amateur racer Arash Farboud wished to purchase a Porsche 911 GT1 road version but was politely declined by Porsche. Deeply disappointed, Arash decided to build a supercar better than the Porsche GT1 himself. He rented a workshop opposite his family's pharmaceutical company, funding his automotive dreams with capital gained from selling partial assets of the family's medical sterile supplies business.

In 1999, Arash officially began R&D on its first prototype, registering Farboud Limited on November 27, 2000. In 2002, the Farboud GT debuted at the Birmingham International Motor Sport Show, equipped with a 2.8-liter Audi V6 twin-turbo engine producing approximately 620 hp, with a top speed of 327 km/h and a 0–100 km/h acceleration time of 3.3 seconds. Thereafter, Farboud continued to launch the Farboud GTS prototype, featuring a Z-preg carbon fiber body and a shocking “Red Button” overboost system, achieving 0–100 km/h acceleration in just 3.3 seconds—faster than the Ferrari Enzo’s 3.5 seconds.

In 2005, Arash and sales representative Chris Marsh (son of Marcos founder Jem Marsh) had a disagreement regarding model design and brand direction. Marsh rebranded the design as Farbio GTS after licensing it, while Arash retained all equity of Farboud Ltd, officially renaming the company to Arash Motor Company in 2006 to continue pursuing the supercar dream.

In 2006, Arash unveiled the AF-10 concept prototype at the London Motor Show for the first time, officially introducing the mass production plan in 2008. Equipped with a 7.0-liter V8 naturally aspirated engine derived from the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, it produced a maximum power of 550 hp. The entire vehicle uses extensive carbon fiber materials, with a lightweight weight of only about 1,200 kg. However, affected by the small company size and internal changes, the original plan to produce 70 units in five years was temporarily shelved, which paradoxically brought alternative attention to the brand.

At the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, Arash made a comeback with the upgraded AF10 Hybrid. The hybrid powertrain combines a 6.2-liter V8 supercharged engine with four independent electric motors, with combined power reaching 2,080 hp and peak torque of 2,280 N·m. It features all-wheel drive, a 0–100 km/h acceleration time of 2.8 seconds, and a top speed of 323 km/h. During this time, Arash also released the entry-level supercar AF8 model, equipped with a 7.0-liter V8 naturally aspirated engine (550 hp), a curb weight of 1,200 kg, and a 0–100 km/h acceleration time of 3.5 seconds. Both models debuted together at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, marking the brand’s full force entry into the two major fields of Supercars and Hypercars.

In the following years, Arash entered a long engineering advancement phase, adhering to handmade production and an extremely low-volume strategy. As of 2025, the brand's future planned models include the Imperium (a high-performance Hybrid Hypercar with a V10 or V12 power layout) and the AF8 Cassini (including the AF8 Racer track-spec version), with a plan to produce about 70 units in the next five years.

Product Portfolio

The Arash product line is oriented towards extreme limited production, handmade customization, and track performance, having launched four model series.

AF-LM: The Le Mans tribute series launched after the first prototype car, the Farboud GT. It is equipped with a twin-turbo V6 engine producing a maximum power of 620 hp. The exterior design is inspired by 1990s Le Mans racers, resembling classic prototypes such as the Mazda 787B and Porsche 962.

Farboud GTS: The company’s second prototype car, launched in 2003. The body is designed based on fluid dynamics using Z-preg carbon fiber composite material. After wind tunnel testing, the rear wing was discarded in favor of focusing on rear upper edge treatment to optimize airflow, with Ohlins racing suspension supporting high-speed stability. Equipped with a 2.8-liter V6 twin-turbo engine producing nearly 400 hp, the steering wheel features a “Red Overboost Button”—pressing it releases an additional approximately 200 hp. The 0–100 km/h acceleration time is 3.3 seconds, and only three prototype cars were manufactured.

AF8: The brand’s first official mass-produced supercar. It first appeared in 2014, with the mass-produced version officially released at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. After 2016, it was upgraded to the AF8 Cassini, equipped with a 7.0-liter V8 naturally aspirated engine producing 550 hp at 7,500 rpm and 645 N·m of torque at 6,000 rpm, matched with a 6-speed manual transmission in a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. The vehicle’s curb weight is only 1,200 kg (dry weight), with a 0–100 km/h acceleration time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 200 mph (approximately 322 km/h). The entire car uses 350 carbon fiber parts, featuring a large-area carbon fiber monocoque cockpit, F1 steel anti-roll bars, and a carbon-reinforced roll cage. An optional track-spec Racer version is available, adding a roll cage, fire extinguisher, and intercom in-car race kits.

AF10: The brand’s Hypercar flagship model. First showcased as a concept prototype in 2006, the mass-produced version was officially launched in 2008, equipped with a 7.0-liter V8 naturally aspirated engine (550 hp), a full carbon fiber body, AP Racing 8-piston front and 6-piston rear brakes, and a 6-speed manual transmission. In 2016, the AF10 Hybrid rebirth version was launched, equipped with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine (900 hp) and four independent motors (295 hp each). It uses a complex transmission architecture where each motor is independently equipped with a 2-speed transmission (totaling 5 transmissions), resulting in a combined power of 2,080 hp and peak torque of 2,280 N·m. The vehicle curb weight is approximately 1,260 kg. Body dimensions are 4,645 mm in length, 2,001 mm in width, and 1,165 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,730 mm. It provides two configurations: a 550 hp entry-level V8 version (starting price £350,000) and a 2,080 hp Hybrid flagship version (starting price £1.1 million).

Imperium (In Planning): The brand’s planned next-generation high-performance Hybrid Hypercar, centering on a V10 or V12 engine architecture, providing a brand-new upgrade route for customers pursuing ultimate power.

Market Performance

Arash is a world-recognized extremely low-volume supercar manufacturer, with annual production of less than three units and cumulative sales of fewer than 80 units since the company's establishment in 1999. The AF10 Hybrid flagship version is priced at £1.1 million, while the entry-level AF8 is priced at £350,000. Early versions of the AF-10 were published at a price of $534,000, with a plan to produce only 70 units within five years.

Arash vehicle production relies completely on customized direct sales channels, with the factory connecting directly with high-end customers. The brand has no authorized dealers or direct stores in Mainland China. On mainstream automotive vertical websites in China, such as Autohome and Yiche, the Arash brand is classified under supercars (with index data starting from 2016); while vehicle data is recorded, there is no domestic distribution information available.

Technology and Innovation 

Arash concentrates core technology resources on three major dimensions: Carbon Fiber Lightweight Structure, American Powertrain System, and High-Power Hybrid Integration.

Carbon Fiber Body Structure and Chassis: The AF10 uses a carbon fiber chassis composed of 13 high-strength carbon fiber parts, weighing only about 85 kg. The honeycomb sandwich body, rear wing, and aero kit all use carbon fiber composite materials. The powertrain total weight is only 280 kg, with the engine body weighing only 120 kg. The AF8 body and chassis use a total of 350 carbon fiber parts; side high-tension steel tubes and a carbon fiber reinforced roll cage together form the passenger protection space, while some impact-sensitive structural components use high-strength unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced plastic.

Hybrid Power System and Transmission Design: The AF10 Hybrid matches a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine (671 kW, 900 hp) and four independent drive motors with a 1:1 power ratio total assembly hybrid structure. Each lithium-ion motor has a max speed of up to 13,000 rpm. The vehicle’s five transmissions (four independent 2-speed motor transmissions plus one 6-speed manual/automatic transmission) jointly manage distributed power. The engine, motor, and transmission devices are compactly integrated on the chassis. All-wheel drive and torque vector control allow the vehicle to finely distribute power during extreme driving.

Chassis and Suspension: The AF10 adopts double wishbone suspension (Aluminum multi-leaf Mutimatic AF10 Special Edition), equipped with an electro-hydraulic lifting mechanism that can automatically raise vehicle height when passing speed bumps, balancing daily usability and track low stance. The AF10 uses 19-inch front and 20-inch rear magnesium alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 2 high-performance tires, saving 50 kg in weight compared to traditional wheels. The braking system uses AP Racing 8-piston front and 6-piston rear carbon ceramic brakes, assisted by Bosch ABS and a high-performance brake booster. The AF8 is equipped with adjustable carbon fiber seats, high-spec audio, and air conditioning systems as "luxury" configurations, while the Racer track-spec version adds a full roll cage and racing kits on this basis.

Global Presence

Arash’s global operation base is set in the UK. The Newmarket, Suffolk, England headquarters serves as the only core for complete vehicle design, development, and handmade manufacturing. The brand maintains a North American assembly and service center in Bolton, Ontario, Canada, strengthening after-sales service and technical support capabilities in North America.

The brand takes the “North American Market + Europe Middle East Supercar High Net Worth Group” as dual cores, connecting directly with limited customers through the UK local factory. The North American region is Arash’s most critical overseas existing and incremental market. In the Asia-Pacific region, especially in China Mainland, Japan, Southeast Asia, and other right-hand drive or high tariff areas, Arash has no official authorized sales network or service centers. Entering the Asia-Pacific market mainly relies on parallel importers and independent third-party channels. In the Middle East market (UAE, Saudi Arabia), a hub for high-performance supercar consumption, Arash is actively penetrating through UK local and third-party sales channels.

Future Strategy

As of 2026, Arash still adheres to the British supercar customization and handmade manufacturing route. The brand plans to produce about 70 units in the next five years. Currently, the AF8 Cassini and AF10 Hybrid are the two core in-production models, while the new generation product Imperium—a V10 or V12 powered Hybrid Hypercar—is in early concept reserve. The AF8 has not undergone large-scale disruption in web configurations and appearance for many years. After the AF10 Hybrid's power technology was released at 2080 hp, it has remained in the first tier of Hypercar parameters.

Under the dual pressure of market and environmental protection, Arash has not yet announced a comprehensive electrification transition timeline, but the founder stated that the company is seriously evaluating pure electric technology and the electric supercar market. Future electric projects may involve the creation of an all-new vehicle platform. In any case, Arash will adhere to its core positioning of extremely low-volume handmade manufacturing. The production and market model operating independently to date will not change easily, continuing to provide "Pure British Supercar" handcrafted craftsmanship and driving experience for global collectors, hardcore car enthusiasts, and top supercar players.