SECMA F16: Cheap Thrills French Roadster Finds its Way to Germany

Already on sale in France from late 2008 and the UK since April '09, the tiny French built SEMCA F16 roadster has now arrived in Germany with prices starting from €17,990 or the US equivalent of $24,400. The diminutive roadster which looks like a cross between an Ariel Atom, a KTM X-Bow and a beach buggy is powered by a rear-mounted Renault-source 1.6-liter gasoline engine producing 105 horsepower that is hooked up to a five-speed manual gearbox driving the rear wheels.

But don't let the low output fool you as the 2,750mm (108.3-in.) long sports car weighs in at just 564kg or 1,243 pounds which translates to a power to weight ratio of 5.4kg/hp. SEMCA claims that the F16 can sprint from rest to 60mph (96km/h) in only 5.5 seconds while the roadster tops out at 110mph or 177km/h.