Snake eyes: Veritas RS III concept

In 2001 a relatively unknown company called Veritas unveiled a stunning retro-racer concept. Packing a 670bhp BMW 6.0-litre V12 draped in a gorgeous lightweight body, the RS III was a promising car. But as is the case with small companies — Veritas only has 15 employees — it took nearly eight years for the concept to slither into production. And now that it's finally gone on sale, the end result seems to have been worth the wait.

The striking serpentine looks of the concept have been retained, but what's more astonishing than the svelte bodywork is the price — Dh2 million. Admittedly that's a lot for a car that doesn't have a windscreen, a roof and is hand built by a company no one's heard of. However, there's more to the Veritas badge than most people would imagine.

The post-war sports and race car firm was founded in 1947, and even though it went bust barely five years later, Veritas created quite a stir on the racing scene with its tuned BMW 328s. They eventually went on to become the first German team to take part in Formula 1.

So the name boasts a rich heritage, but what about the performance? Underneath the extended bonnet lies a 5.0-litre V10 from the BMW M5, kicking out 507bhp. Granted it's not a jaw-dropping figure when estate cars these days develop in excess of 560bhp, but the RS III weighs just 1,089kg. This means a power-to-weight ratio of 466bhp-per-tonne. In other words this racer has more horsepower per tonne than the McLaren SLR Stirling Moss.

Sure enough, the 100kph marker is demolished in 3.2sec while the top speed is on the frightening side of 345kph.

Things look even better for the RS III if you bring exclusivity into the equation. Only 30 will be built every year, making it ten times more exclusive than the Dh7 million Veyron.

Still don't think it's worth the dosh? We do.