The Australian supercar company Joss Developments has announced that Zeroshift will provide transmissions for its long-awaited supercar, codenamed JP1. Still under development, the JP1 is the dream of Matt Thomas. He began work on Australia’s first supercar in 1998 and unveiled a prototype, then called the JT1, to the world at the 2004 Melbourne International Motor Show. Seven years later and news about the car’s development is still trickling out of its headquarters in Australia. The car gained a little bit of a name after the JT1 appeared in a downloadable Exotic Car Pack for Forza Motorsport 3 in 2010.

As the car has aged, Joss has taken steps to update its appearance. Compared to the car previewed in 2004, the current car features new L-shaped headlamps and a revised front apron. Out back are new taillights, a slightly modified rear bumper, and half-circle exhaust tips that protrude from the top of the rear lid. If its styling is a little outdated, its performance promises to be equal to that of the latest and greatest. A carbon fiber monocoque and carbon fiber body components keep weight down to around 2,100 pounds. Joss has yet to finalize the car’s power plant but does point to an all-aluminum V-8 of an unknown capacity producing at least 500 hp and sitting behind the passenger cell for a mid-engine layout. Power is transferred seamlessly and instantaneously though a Zeroshift developed transmission and to the rear wheels.



Zeroshift says its uniquely designed automated manual transmission allows for fast gear changes without any interruption in the flow of power. Shifts run in parallel to one another (one gear’s engagement causes the other gear to be disengaged) and a clutch is only necessary to get into first gear. Once underway the transmission can shift automatically or manually via steering-wheel paddles (Zeroshift says its product can be retrofitted into any current manual transmission car and, in its own drag race, a 2005 Mustang fitted with Zeroshift gained five car lengths on an identical manual-equipped car). Zeroshift says that its transmission helps the JP1 accelerate from zero to 100 mph in six seconds flat, putting it on par with a Bugatti Veyron 16.4. Joss also claims quarter-mile times of less than 11 seconds and a top speed of 211 mph.

The car will cost between $500,000 and $600,000 in Australian capital. But, first, it has to go into production, which hopefully won’t be too much longer.

Provided by duPont REGISTRY