Lotec is a German sports car manufacturer. The company was founded in 1962 by Kurt Lotterschmid. By 1969, the firm began building race cars, and would turn their attention to modifications for Porsches in 1975. In 1983, they began to create aftermarket aerodynamic and performance parts for Mercedes-Benz cars and Ferrari cars.
In 1990, Lotec was commissioned by an oil baron from the United Arab Emirates to build a sports car for him. The vehicle (known as the Lotec C1000) was completed in 1995, at a final price of around $3.4 million (USD). The car is equipped with a 5.6L Mercedes-Benz V8. The engine was fitted with two turbochargers for a total output of 1000 hp.
In the year 2004, the company completed its first production vehicle, badged the Sirius. The Sirius is powered by the same 5987cc Mercedes-Benz V12 as the Pagani Zonda. Lotec claims that the car will produce 1000 hp, or up to 1200 hp when tuned differently. The vehicle itself is composed primarily of reinforced carbon fiber, which lends to its relatively low curb weight. Lotec has also announced a re-designed version of the Sirius for 2009, that changes some of the body work but retains the same motor and transmission as the current model.
