Bufori CS8: Malaysia's RM2.188m sports car
The Bufori CS8, a hand-built Malaysian sports car with a supercharged 810 hp V8, is in final development ahead of deliveries starting next year.
The Bufori CS8, a bespoke sports car built in Kepong, Malaysia, is undergoing final development. Deliveries of the V8-powered model are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of next year.
Unlike the mass-market vehicles from Proton and Perodua, Bufori is a little-known outfit quietly churning out highly individual sports cars with a focus on distinctive prewar-inspired designs. The CS8 represents its most conventional design to date, yet remains a long, low two-seater with a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, the diametric opposite of a Proton eMas 5.
Kepong-built components and powertrain
Bufori states the CS8 is almost entirely made in Malaysia using local components. This includes the in-house woven carbon Kevlar monocoque, wiring harness, computers, PCB chips, and software. Despite this local production, the company is classified as a foreign carmaker and must pay full import and excise duties, a situation described as a "downright crime" since the cars never cross a border to enter the country. These duties contribute to the on-the-road price of RM2,188,000 without insurance, putting it in competition with cars like the Aston Martin Vantage.
The car uses a supercharged 6.4-litre Hemi V8, derived from Dodge's old Hellcat models but blueprinted with forged internals for a displacement boost from 6.2 to 6.4 litres. It produces 810 horsepower (750 wheel horsepower) and 975 Newton-metres of torque, channeled through a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission.
Performance and specifications
Performance figures are monumental. Bufori claims the CS8 will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in three seconds flat and reach a top speed of 330 km/h. A target weight of 1,450 kilograms, about as much as a base Porsche 718 Cayman, contributes to this performance, making it significantly lighter than a two-tonne Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.
The vehicle's specifications are summarized in the table below.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Engine | Supercharged 6.4L Hemi V8 |
| Power | 810 hp |
| Torque | 975 Nm |
| Transmission | ZF 8-speed automatic |
| 0-100 km/h | 3.0 seconds |
| Top Speed | 330 km/h |
| Target Weight | 1,450 kg |
| Price (on-the-road) | RM2,188,000 |
Production status and final details
A prototype vehicle is currently completing its development phase. According to the source, the demo car features a parts-bin interior that is not the final version, with minor changes to the displays and aesthetics expected. It also rides on passive coilover suspension instead of the adaptive dampers expected for the production model.
The entirely hand-built cabin is lined in leather and features heavily-bolstered Recaro bucket seats. Every car includes a fully-featured Snap-On tool kit, which Bufori says is worth RM13,000.
The source's reviewer, Hafriz Shah, was given a first drive in the prototype as it underwent final development. His initial impressions of Malaysia's only true homegrown sports car were positive, with the drive characterized as a first impression rather than a full review.
