Zender Fact 4
Car of the Day #264: 1989 Zender Fact 4 – Haute wheels
The Zender Fact 4: that car you say you know about when someone asks.
The Zender Fact 4: German Franco Battiato cover band.
The Zender Fact 4: Lidl Ferrari F40.
Like the F40, it was powered by a mid-mounted twin-turbocharged V8, albeit a modified V8 from Audi. With about 450 horsepower, it is claimed to reach 305 km/h (190 mph) and do the zero-to-you-know-what in 4.3 seconds.
1989 Zender Fact 4 prototype • via Zender
The rest of its spec sheet is pretty straightforward: 1107 kg (2044), a 5-speed ZF manual transmission. Could Zender have taken the front assembly and transmission off of a rare 5-speed Audi V8 quattro sedan, rotated it 180°, bolted it behind the seats and called it done?
Still, an independent firm creating its very own supercar? Pretty cool. Some sources claim its chassis is made from composite materials, but until I can see the weave for myself I’ll leave this fact in the wind.
Like the Vision 1S and other one-off cars, Zender is a rare company that was both ambitious enough to want to build its own machines…and to actually follow through on it.
At least two were made (Coupé and Spyder, the latter with either Delta Integrale or Volkswagen Caddy tail lights…which do you think they are?)
When I was a kid, I adored my Fact 4 Hot Wheels model (with its flat-faced wheels); it was one of my favourites. With the explosion in popularity for Hot Wheels, when I do get another in my collection I’m hoping it is silver, like the one above.
