By LAWRENCE TAN

Mexico is not exactly known for building fast and beautiful supercars but the country’s first attempt at designing and producing one has bold ambitions to rival the Lotus Elise, with which it shares a faint resemblance.

Making its debut at the recent London Motor Show, the MXT by Mexico’s Mastretta is a rear-wheel drive two-seater sportscar that does a mean 0-60 mph sprint under five seconds.

This achievement can be credited to its 2.0 liter turbocharged Duratec engine from Ford pushing out nearly 240 horses and 184 lb ft of torque, and a lightweight bonded aluminium and carbon-fiber chassis that makes the MXT weigh a mere 900 kg. The MXT red-lines at 150 mph.

Production of the MXT will be limited to 80 cars in its first full year, and first deliveries are expected in May 2009 with a price tag of £32,999 (or US$65 536).

via Autoblog / Leftlane