The news of an Afghanistan-made supercar went viral on the internet, garnering appreciation from Afghans and Pakistanis alike.
Dubbed “Mada 9”, the sportscar is still a social media sensation mostly due to its Bugatti-inspired looks. However, in terms of its mechanics, ENTOP — the company that made the car — has opted for a simple approach.
The company’s recent video on social media shows Mada 9’s beating heart — a Toyota-sourced 4-cylinder engine. While the exact details are unknown, the engine in the video looks like Toyota’s 1.8-liter 4-cylinder 1ZZ-FE unit.
It is the same engine that Toyota used in the 2005-11 (E140) Corolla Altis 1.8. Interestingly, a famous British sportscar maker, Lotus, also used the same engine in its Elise model from 2001 to 2011.
Given that it is a Toyota product, 1ZZ-FE’s reliability is legendary. Without a turbo or a supercharger, 1ZZ-FE can make up to 132 horsepower (hp) and 171 Newton meters (Nm) of torque. With Toyota’s factory-fitted supercharger, it can make over 170 hp.
The development videos and photos show that Mada 9’s body is made from lightweight composite materials. The car is based on a tubular frame chassis, has F1 style pushrod suspension, and a mid-engine layout — where the engine sits behind the driver.
While an ambitious project, Mada 9 earned Afghanistan a lot of praise from various nationalities and entrepreneurs.
Which engine do you think Mada 9 has in the video and which engine it should have had? Sound off in the comment section below!