Praga Bohema Hypercar brings racing car technology to the road

Praga is a Czech automaker that is on the verge of releasing a spectacular hypercar with a power-to-weight ratio that makes the McLaren Senna fat. We have now driven this car, the Bohema, in prototype form on a track in the UK

Although its name may be unfamiliar, Prague has a long history. Before World War II, this Czechoslovak company hand-built modest numbers of elegant and expensive cars and motorcycles. At the end of the war, now on the communist side of the Iron Curtain, there was neither need nor demand for such automotive decadence, and so Praga became a manufacturer of military vehicles and weapons. After the fall of Communism, the company moved on to produce trucks, planes, racing buggies and real racing cars, with no less than eight of its Praga R1 sports prototypes competing in a special UK championship last year.

The motorsport experience has been incorporated into the Praga Bohema, a limited edition model that is definitely better thought of as road-legal rather than street-legal. For proof, look no further than its invigorating combination of 2,164 pounds dry weight (without fuel) and 700 hp, which comes from a dry-sump version of the Nissan GT-R’s 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-6. , the engine is reworked by the famous British tuner Litchfield. Praga also wants you to know that the power output is only seen as a starting point with more powerful versions likely to follow, potentially even including one that will make 982 horsepower, giving the car a power-to-weight ratio of one horsepower per kilogram of mass. Power goes to the rear axle through a Hewland racing six-speed sequential transmission.

It looks like a race car, but the Bohema has no relation to the existing R1 as it uses a completely different carbon fiber core structure. As in the case Aston Martin Valkyrie, it was designed around a drop-shaped cockpit pushed as close to the car’s centerline as possible to improve aerodynamic performance. Standing next to the car, the first impression is how much there isn’t, given the size of the space behind the minimal bodywork, which creates channels to shape airflow. Praga claims the combination of a huge underbody diffuser and rear wing helps the car achieve a maximum downforce of 1,980-plus pounds at 155 mph.

It is impossible to get into the cabin with any dignity, and in Praga even other hypercars look spacious and practical. The doors would be better described as windows, being small glazed panels on either side of the canopy cabin that open upwards. Entry is accomplished by shuffling the rear over the side step, leaning against the roof and body, and then sliding down into the seat; all but the smallest pilots will likely need to remove the removable steering wheel before attempting to sit. When driving together, the passenger will need to fold his hands carefully so as not to interfere with the driver’s turning of the steering wheel.

Once in the driver’s seat, what’s mostly seen is a slightly out-of-place leather-trimmed steering wheel that includes a digital instrument cluster and carbon fiber buttons on the sides. The car we drove was a prototype, but apart from the tight tuxedo, the interior looked impressively well-finished.

Our ride was on the Dunsfold Circuit in Surrey, England, best known for using Top Gear TV show. We were lucky to run in the figure eight formation preferred by derby promoters. But while there are tire walls and gravel traps in some of the most obviously crash-prone spots, this isn’t a real race track, and there are still plenty of obstacles that are easy to get around at speed.

Fortunately, the Bohema has excellent grip—both mechanical and aerodynamic—and a handling balance that brings confidence to something so powerful. The transmission shifts with a clatter at low speeds, and the Nissan V-6 brings a hum of vibration to the cabin. But unlike Aston’s Valkyrie, which is almost painfully loud inside even with a helmet on, the Bohema isn’t excessively loud. Visibility is good for something so low and narrow, and the view through the curved windshield is pretty much like looking through a helmet visor.

While the Bohema prototype was very fast, it also felt reassuringly stable. Like the GT-R, the Nissan’s engine doesn’t rev much, hitting redline at just 7,000rpm. But it has the breadth of midrange muscle to help fill the gaps between Bohemia’s gear numbers, meaning early upshifts or late downshifts are minor. Top speed is limited to a relatively modest 186 mph, on the basis that it would be difficult to go faster on almost any racetrack.

The semi-slick Pirelli Trofeo R tires took a few turns to warm up, but from that point on, the grip and grip on the road is immense. The Bohema is also tolerant of what feels like it should be a cheeky early throttle push, staying on the hook even as the rear lightens up to indicate a lack of grip.

​​​​​​While the Bohema’s steering weight is lighter than usual for this male end of the market, we appreciated the help when speeds rose to the point where the fenders and diffuser started to generate significant downforce. Once that happens, it can be hurled into Dunsfold’s faster corners at speeds that seemed impossible. Stopping was equally assured, thanks to a combination of carbon-ceramic brakes and the car’s minimal weight, which allowed it to decelerate at near-painful speeds.

Indeed, apart from the discomfort caused by prolonged exposure to the enormous lateral forces of overload, the Praga Bohema feels well suited to spend its life on the road. But on the road? The jury is still out on this one; it does seem refined for one of the world’s fastest cars – and even has storage space in the luggage compartments next to the rear wheels – but it’s hard to imagine long stays in the tiny cabin without a bout of claustrophobia.

There is also the small problem of paying for one. Praga estimates that up to a quarter of the planned run of 89 Bohema will go to the US, but buyers will need to come up with $1.31 million to make the dream come true. Still, that’s less than half of what Aston charges for the Valkyrie, so by the crazy standards of this market, the price isn’t outrageous, even if the car really is.