The moment someone speaks of France, all we can think of is wine, cheese, fashion, the Renault Clio and bare breasts. And all the Bugatti hypercars of course. If you’ve been to France and done your homework on the automotive industry, it’s likely you’ve heard of a brand called Aixam. It’s a manufacturer that makes micro cars that don’t need licenses to drive – some models include the Miniauto GT, City Sport, Coupe GTI and a few other mini UVs as well.
Back in 1992, the same French carmaker went all out and introduced a supercar, called the Mega Track. It is iconic today, but only to those who’ve heard about it and bought one. The Mega Track was a huge project by Aixam – one that needed balls of steel. The Mega Track had a mid-engined layout, like any other supercar would, but it had something else to offer: a capability that would let its driver take it off the road. Unlike any other supercar. Its ground clearance of 203mm meant speed bumps were never a threat, and because of the air suspension it featured, ride height could be raised further to 330mm. And this was no concept; it was an out and out production supercar.
The Aixam Mega Track Was Designed To Be Different
Practicality had never been reflected in the minds of those who designed supercars in the ’90s, but that wasn’t the case with the Mega Track. In fact, practicality was the key ingredient. And that meant there was space for four adults inside; that’s how much room it had to offer. When it comes to dimensions, the Aixam Mega Track is larger than the Bugatti Chiron and weighed in at 2,280kgs. That puts it today’s EV car territory. One thing is clear: this is the Fred Flintstone in the supercar sphere.
The engine of the Mega Track belonged to the Mercedes M120 V12 bloodline. However, in the Aixam’s case, it served as a 6.0-liter, naturally-aspirated version. It made 389hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. With all that heft, it managed to do 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds, while the top speed was claimed to be 155mph.
The Aixam Mega Track is the Fred Flintstone in the supercar sphere.
We’re all aware of how car manufacturers, even today, borrow details from the parts bin – and let us tell you: the Aixam Mega Track was pretty much on the same page. The tail lamps, for instance, are from the old Audi S2 Avant.
The Aixam Mega Track Was Rear Wheel Drive
You’ve been thinking all this while of the Mega Track as an all-wheel-drive supercar, but we’re about to burst your bubble, because the concept of a supercar with off-roading abilities tricked you into believing power was being sent to all four wheels; in truth, it’s real wheel drive – and this was a compromise made to keep costs down a little. Synced to the engine was a 4-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.
The Aixam Mega Track Sold In Few Numbers
When Aixam took the wraps off the Mega Track for the first time at the Paris Motor Show in 1992, it piqued the interest of many. This car cost $300,000 when new – and what you got for the money was a supercar with crossover abilities; it wasn’t particularly fast; in fact, it was slower than most GTs back then. Rumor has it that only a handful of cars were bought, of which, in all likelihood, there are probably just five of them out there, stowed away like a coin from the yesteryear. Is there ever going to be anything like the Mega Track ever again? you bet
The Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato has big (literally) shoes to fill. It’s nearing production, and it’s going to be the Aixam Mega Track for this generation of supercar buyers looking at crossover abilities, barring the Mega’s flab, its two extra seats and the lack of all-wheel-drive. The Aixam Megan Track is history, but not the concept behind it.
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About The Author
Rehan Conyers
(11 Articles Published)
Rehan got published for the first time at the age of 17, having written a feature on a Triumph Herald in print. He uses his writing as a tool to express his fondness for all things automotive even today, aged 28. Collecting scale models is a hobby close to his heart, and he wishes to sprinkle pixie dust on them only to see them grow into full-sized cars. He now represents HotCars.com.
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