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January 14, 2024
It Lives – SCG 004S
Back in early March, I posted an update on the Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus (SCG) 004s’ development (Update on the SCG 004S). At that point in time, SCG had just built the first SCG 004 prototype. It was the competition version of the SCG 004, the SCG 004C, and it had just completed a shakedown test in Northern Italy. Based on what I saw from those initial laps, grip, downforce, and low-end torque will all be strengths for the SCG 004s. Right after that article, COVID-19 exploded globally, changing the world as we know it. While COVID-19 may have slowed down the development of the SCG 004 slightly, progress has continued. That progress culminated last weekend at the 24 Hours Nürburgring when a SCG 004C finished a highly respectable 14th overall (out of 74 classified finishers and 30 places higher than the highest finishing Ferrari) in its first 24-hour race. It was also at Nürburgring that the road version of the SCG 004, the SCG 004S, prototype made its initial public appearance. The SCG 004S was driven on a parade lap of the circuit by Jim Glickenhaus in the rain just two days after construction was completed. I know this created quite the impression as I have had a number of supercar collectors reach out to me looking for more information on SCG recently.
Rushing completion of the first prototype of a completely new car so you can drive it around the Nürburgring with the eyes of the world upon you takes an enormous amount of confidence. To do it in the rain not only takes a ton of confidence, but also rather large “conjones”. I would love to see De Tomaso, Pagani or Koenigsegg do the same. The SCG 004S, and more track focused SCG 004CS, will be the first fully road legal three-seater with center driving position sold in the US. The SCG 004 is built around a carbon fiber tub, with all carbon fiber body panels. The SCG 004S is powered by a 650 bhp supercharged V8 supplied by GM. The SCG 004S comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox supplied by Graziano and the suspension is inboard pushrod. The more track focused version of the SCG 004, the SCG 004CS, will have an extra 200 bhp, paddle shift gearbox, center lock wheels and more aggressive aero. Given the center driving position, to insure driver comfort SCG has designed in a significant amount of headroom with a fully adjustable Sabelt seat and an adjustable steering column. Excellent visibility is a given with the large wrap around windshield. The cockpit on the road cars should be light and airy with the glass roof.
With the SCG 004S now having broken cover and the SCG 004C proving it will be very competitive on the track, I believe SCG is now moving full speed ahead with final development and testing. While the initial prototypes were built at a workshop in Italy, production is about to start at the new factory in Danbury Connecticut. The first several SCG 004S’ produced in Danbury will be for EPA/CARB and crash testing alongside another development mule. If all goes well, the first customer cars should be delivered by the end of the year. From what I understand, our SCG 004S is planned for next April/May which will be exactly two years since we put our deposit down. This is very much on par with the timeline on deposit to delivery that we had on both the McLaren P1 and Senna. Its light years ahead of where Aston Martin is with the Valkyrie and Valhalla.
A bit of background on SCG, they have been around as a race car manufacturer and team since 2010. The big change however came in July 2017 when SCG registered with NHTSA in order to make road-legal cars in the United States. The SCG 004 is SCG’s second car after the multi race winning 003. The SCG 004S/CS is really SCGs first production road car and it met all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. SCG has aggressive plans for a full range of road and race cars which I touched on in an earlier article “The Ambitious Plans of Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus”. If all goes to plan, SCG will be on the grid at Le Mans next year with the SCG 007 in the Hypercar Class. The SCG 007 prototype is scheduled to begin testing in January 2021 and SCG is offering a completely Le Mans race support package for $6 million, including the car, for Sebring, Spa, and Le Mans.
What has been totally different to any other car I have ever ordered is the amount of transparency Jim & Jesse Glickenhaus provide not only the SCG 004’s development, but also all the other cars SCG is developing, on a regular basis. The Glickenhaus’ regularly post updates to a private message feed and provide information to the depositors well before its public release. The message feed is a fascinating learning process starting with the design and then moving through the build process as different components of the car come together, are tested, and improved upon. It’s been a totally unique experience. The net result is that I feel much more part of the company than simply being a customer.
Jim and Jesse Glickenhaus are well on their way to building a very special, unique supercar company. The company Jim & Jesse are building is tailored for today’s world. Its open, accessible, authentic, transparent, with a large real time social media presence. Its customers are invited inside the company and feedback is not only welcomed, its expected. When they say they are going to do something, it happens. When things do not go according to plan, SCG is very transparent about it. The development timelines provided are both real and respected.
Anyone who is interesting in learning more about Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus and the SCG 004S, CS, & C can contact them directly on: jesse@scgcars.com
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October 2020
[…] me much more concerned than excited. What I am excited about is the our incoming SCG 004S (The SCG 004S). I find it hard not to be excited about a car with a large V8 dropped into a carbon fiber […]
G’day mate
We’ve had some brief conversions via twitter (I’m AussieGrot). Although we are in a totally different world when it comes our respective financial means I’ve got to say that I admire the choices of cars that you’ve had in the past and will be having in the future.
The Mosler 900S and Jaguar XJR-15 were “weird” choices that any enthusiast would be glad to have in their garage and I’m pleased to see that you are continuing the tradition with your SCG. It seems way more fun than going for the normal “safe” (i.e boring) options.