The Covini C6W, from Italian maker Covini Engineering, has been in the works for 32 years. It has lots of nice racing parts–a 4.2-liter Audi V8, a fiberglass/carbon fiber body over a tubular steel frame, 434 horsepower, a top speed of around 185 mph–and two very unusual additions that make it stand out. Don’t bother rubbing your eyes: This thing really does have six wheels.
According to Jalopnik, the C6W is inspired by a 1976 race car with two sets of front wheels, designed to reduce drag and “increase air penetration.” But those don’t really factor into the C6W’s design–instead, the extra two wheels provide better braking, grip, and absorption of frontal impact, and reduce risk of aquaplaning and deflated tires. They also greatly increase the amount and magnitude of head-turning, but that’s not really a benefit that can be precisely measured.
The rear-wheel-drive C6W pictured above is, claims Covini Engineering, the final production version of the car. No word yet on anything like availability or price, but it looks pretty sure that this crazy beast is actually going to get made. Sorry to make all you four-wheelers, even award-winning four-wheelers, feel inadequate, but that’s just how the C6W rolls (and rolls).
