MOTOR-ZOOM
- In 2019, brothers Nikita and Iliya Bridan formed Oilstainlab to create a unique supercar.
- The HF-11 will be the company’s first foray into production cars.
- A total of 25 cars are planned, each priced at $2,350,000
The production model will deliver 650 horsepower, with an optional 850-hp electric version available.
Oilstainlab gained some notoriety for its bold Half-11 prototype. This Porsche-like sports car pushed the boundaries of what a road-legal car could be, teetering on the edge of extremes. Now, the company is taking the radical concept behind that prototype and turning it into an ultra-exclusive production car, limited to just 25 units.
First, let’s talk about production-spec goals. Oilstainlab wants the car’s engine to produce at least 650 horsepower and weigh about 2,000 pounds (907 kg). For perspective, consider that the Mazda MX-5 produces 181 horsepower and weighs 2,200 pounds (1,043 kg) or more. In other words, the final Half-11 promises to be nothing short of a rocket on wheels.
Powertrain Options
But wait, there’s more. Oilstainlab is also developing an all-electric version with 850 horsepower (633 kW). Perhaps the craziest part of the powertrain, though, is the option for buyers willing to pay $2.3 million: They’ll get both powertrains. As Nikita Bredan, co-founder of Oilstainlab along with his brother Ilya, explains, “It’s not exactly a powertrain swap; it’s a subframe swap.” This unique flexibility shows just how far they’re willing to go to meet the needs of ultra-wealthy thrill-seekers.
The brothers have worked with big brands like Genesis, Cadillac, Toyota, and Honda, so they have an idea of what they’re up to. After creating the Half-11 prototype, they’ve garnered enough attention that a production car in very limited numbers seems possible.
Unlike the prototype, the production car’s combustion engine will be a flat-six, which they stress is not a Porsche ripoff. Also, unlike the prototype, the body will be available in any color the buyer desires. It will feature a unique carbon fiber monocoque and a choice of gearboxes as well. Buyers can opt for a six-speed manual or a seven-speed sequential transmission. Production cars will come from Multimatic in Canada, the same company behind the Ford GT.
“For the past four years, we’ve been building our company in secret. A globally scouted team. The crazy ones were chosen for their unwavering passion, past achievements in the industry, and bold vision,” said Nikita Bredan. “They were drawn to Oilstainlab, and we were drawn to them. Now that the project is out to the public, we’re excited to recruit our family of crazy people worldwide, and we can’t wait to start testing with our dedicated team and customers.”
Recruiting the manic
At this point, the company is focused on finding the right buyers for these exclusive machines. They plan to recruit 11 of these owners to participate as testers. Oilstainlab refers to these select few as “crazy people.”
“Our goal right now is to find 11 crazy people who will be part of our development program,” says Nikita. “We have six that we’re pretty sure want to be part of. Then hopefully once the car is shown, we’ll be able to find the other five.” He pauses for a moment. “I mean, we’re building a family here in many ways. We’re only going to build 25 cars. We don’t want the crazies to be part of the family.”
It’s worth noting that Oilstainlab has a lot of work to do to see this car become a real production car, even in very limited numbers. As of this writing, much of what the production car will be like still needs to be finalized. We don’t yet know who will build the engine, what the development team will look like, or exactly when the first engine will be released. Hopefully, things will go well.
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