Zagato will present a dramatic new sports car concept at the 79th Geneva Motor Show next month that revives the famous South Africa Perena tuning name; however this is no showcar as the green light has been reportedly been given to put this stunning creation into production.

Zagato will present a dramatic new sports car concept at the 79th Geneva Motor Show next month that revives the famous South Africa Perena tuning name; however this is no showcar as the green light has been reportedly been given to put this stunning creation into production. Plans are no apparently so advanced it is expected to be on the market by the middle of the summer.

The Perena Performance Group, based in Pretoria, South Africa,  has recently revived the historic tuning name which built itself a reputation with powerful versions of American muscle cars, notably Fords. For the revival of the Perena (pronounced Piranha) brand name, Zagato has been employed to put design the first car (called Z-One) and it has turned once again to another powerful American car to underpin the new creation, the Corvette.

Styled by Nori Harada, the dramatic Z-One draws heavily on recent Zagato design and styling thinking, including the Ferrari 575 GTZ (2006) and Diatto Ottovù project (2007), with its fluid, flowing lines, its adherence to the long standing tradition of saving weight, and a serene, uncomplicated elegance. Strong features of the fibreglass bodywork include the integrated styling of the large air intakes that cool the front brakes with the air entering at the front and the sharp, curved styling lines flowing over the wheel arches to exit in two oblong vents behind the wheels and in front of the doors. Using the car industry's latest computer modelling techniques, the whole project has been accomplished in under four months.

Zagato have used the Corvette's traditional tubular and box steel framed chassis to underpin the fibreglass body structure and to mount the aluminium 6.2 litre V8 LS3 engine at the front/mid and feeds its improved power through the rear wheels. Maximum power will be 440 bhp while peak torque will measure 530 Nm; the dash from standstill to 100 km/h will be achieved in under 4 seconds. The almost perfect 50/50 weight distribution of the Z-One allows for optimum handling and driving characteristics.

The Perana tuning name is famous in South African automotive circles. Basil Green Motors of Johannesburg developed high performance aftermarket version of Fords, including the Cortina, Capri, Escort, Granada and Sapphire, in the 1960s through to the 1980s, mostly with bigger engines and the cars had a reputation for high quality workmanship and finish that set the apart from many other aftermarket bespoke cars. The unconnected Perana Performance Group now seeks to revive this historic tradition and the Z-One will be priced at around 50,000 euros when it goes on sale in Europe in July. The company hopes to build around 999 units a year.