Picasso 660 LMS Is A Le Mans Prototype-Inspired Supercar From Switzerland

2022-06-18 08:35:54 By : Ms. Carol Wang

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The 198-mph Picasso 660 LMS is an insane supercar that is carved in carbon fiber and weighs just 2,160 pounds.

Switzerland is known for its watches and chocolates. And despite Switzerland having a sour taste for supercars, will very soon also be known for wicked ones, thanks to Picasso Automotive. It was founded by Stefano Picasso and Robert Wild in 2020, and their goal was to design, engineer, and produce lightweight supercars.

In early 2021, they teased us with the Picasso PS-01 supercar that claimed on being extremely lightweight. And they promised on delivering more information in a year. They lived up to that promise and didn't disappoint at all! Meet the Picasso 660 LMS. This Swiss creation takes design inspiration from Le Mans prototypes and an insane power-to-weight ratio.

Performance figures might look average from a supercar's perspective here, but this aggressive machine is not just about power figures. With clever aerodynamics and smart electronics, Picasso seems to have created a Godly track machine for the roads.

The entire car is baked out of carbon fiber which explains its insanely low curb weight of just 980 kg (1,260 pounds). This Picasso is closer to the Tesla Model S Plaid and Shelby Cobra 427 "Super Snake" in terms of crazy power-to-weight figures! And that's a huge achievement.

The 198-mph Picasso 660 LMS is an insane supercar that is carved in carbon fiber and weighs just 2,160 pounds.

This Swiss supercar packs a mid-mounted aluminum twin-turbo 3.0-Liter V6 motor. It churns out 650 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels only via a six-speed sequential gearbox. Picasso has sourced this engine from Autotecnica Motori who is known for building competition engines. The gearbox has been sourced from Sadev.

The dry-sump engine design helps to mount the motor lower, resulting in a low center of gravity. So you can go aggressive through the corners on this clever machine. The Picasso 660 LMS has a top speed of 196 mph and a red-line of 8,000 rpm. It is clearly going to sound glorious at it, especially with the titanium exhaust made by SC-Project.

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The most impressive part of this Swiss supercar is its extremely lightweight character. The 660 LMS weighs in at just 2,160 pounds. That's less than a Mazda MX-5 Miata while pumping out almost 4 times the Miata's power! The 660 LMS churns out 1 hp for every 3.3 pounds of its weight. It uses a lightweight monocoque chassis that is developed in-house. It is a Lego package of aluminum and carbon fiber. This supercar gets an in-house developed suspension system that comprises aluminum double-wishbone with push-rod dampers.

Braking duties are taken care of by Brembos. It packs 350 mm discs with six-piston monoblock calipers up front and 355 mm with four-piston calipers at the rear. The calipers are made of aluminum, and the brake pads are from Bosch, so is its adjustable ABS unit. Adding more cleverness to this package is an Easyrain DAI virtual sensor that predicts grip loss during runs and warns the driver. Aerodynamics plays a huge role in such a lightweight car.

The guys at Picasso Automotive spend hours running simulations and wind-tunnel analysis to provide the 660 LMS with killer downforce figures. The low-slung design with a huge front and rear splitter, diffuser, and an adjustable wind give this Swiss supercar a mind-blowing 960 kg (2116 pounds) of downforce at its top speed! That's almost equal to its curb weight!

The 660 LMS has a very aggressive design language with lots of creases, vents, and huge body panels, evidently to guide air rightfully to achieve aerodynamic abilities to help this nimble fellow stay put on the tarmac at all times! Just like the chassis, all its body panels are carved out of carbon fiber. The press images show us one with unpainted carbon-fiber body panels, which looks downright cool.

The front bumper and rear splitter are huge and are complemented by a manually adjustable rear wing. It flaunts 19- and 20-inch wheels and the front and rear respectively; are wrapped with Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires. These rims seem to have been inspired by the ones found in McLaren supercars, and they go well with this mid-engined monster.

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While images are not available of the Picasso 660 LMS's interior, it sure reciprocates well with the overall theme of carbon fiber and racing. The cabin is clad with glossy and matt carbon fiber parts. It gets a carbon-fiber steering wheel wrapped in Alcantara.

The sports seats are from Sabelt and get six-point harnesses so that you stay put at all times! This minimal cabin also gets a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with physical controls (now that's a rarity!). This aerodynamic supercar has also sacrificed its rearview mirrors for two 7-inch digital screens on the inside.

While Picasso is going to sell it as a roadcar, all its clever and aggressive features show us that the track is the 660 LMS's home. There will be only 21 of these Swiss supercars, with one being reserved for the Picasso headquarters. The production will be limited and the chances of a specimen coming to the US is highly unlikely.

For the rest of the fortunate people who dont live in the US, the supercar is already available to order and each of the 20 retail units is priced at €820,000 (~$856,000) at current exchange rates. The pricing is excluding taxes and the optional extras that are sure to follow.

Tijo is an engineer, mechanic, gamer, and an avid content creator. He is a grease-monkey who loves tinkering with automobiles every now and then, when not busy penning down his passion for them. He has always had a soft spot for JDM and is keen on diving deep in for anything that involves wheels and engines.