=
Not Just For The Track
Praga Bohema

The Czech Republic might not be a part of the world that one might automatically link with supercar production, but it is the birthplace of Praga, an industrial manufacturer with a history dating back to the late 1800s, having built everything from bridges, to steam engines, to aircraft, and cars. The company re-launched its race car business back in 2012, and its new two-seat hypercar — the Praga Bohema — has caught everyone’s attention.

Praga has gone with the traditional petrol-powered approach with the track-focused but road-legal Bohema, using a “PL38DETT” engine, which, if you know your Nissans, is derived from the R35 GT-R’s 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V6. The PL38DETT has been tuned by Litchfield Engineering to deliver up to 700 hp and 725 Nm, driven through rear wheels only via a bespoke six-speed Hewland sequential gearbox. Those numbers result in a 0-100 km/h sprint of just 2.3 seconds, with a top speed of over 300 km/h.

Praga invited former F1 driver Romain Grosjean to work on the hypercar’s development and testing over a two-year period. Built on a race-derived carbon fibre monocoque chassis, the Bohema uses lightweight carbon fibre body panels that help it weigh in at just 982 kg. The Praga’s extensive aerodynamic elements, including the unique rear spoiler, offer over 900 kgs of downforce at 250 km/h. Somewhat surprisingly, the rear wheel arches of the hypercar are actually used for storage, with 50 litres of capacity each — enough to secure a helmet or two plus racing suits when needed. The Bohema’s cockpit is fairly race-focused, featuring all the motorsport necessities you’d expect.

As the Bohema will be hand-built, Praga expects to produce just 10 cars in 2023, with plans to double that number from 2024 onwards. Only 89 Bohema hypercars will be available in total though, as a celebration of the marque winning the 1933 1000 Miles of Czechoslovakia road race 89 years ago.