Vermilion Promethium

2024 Vermilion Promethium GTX 540

Vermilion Duke

Vermilion Baron

8.8L OHV V10 (540 cu in) 560 bhp/585 lb-ft (1998-2002)

8.4L DOHC V10 (512 cu in) 666 bhp/666 lb-ft (2024-present)

8.8L OHV V10 (540 cu in) 1076 bhp/830 lb-ft (2024-present)

GTS 494 (1996-2002): 198 mph (319 km/h)

GTX 540 (1998-2002): 214 mph (345 km/h)

GTX 540 (2024): 258 mph (416 km/h)

GTX 540 (2025): 259 mph (417 km/h)

GTX-R 574 (2025): 259 mph (417 km/h)

The Vermilion Promethium is a sports car manufactured by Vermilion Motors, from 1991 to 2002, and from 2023 to present, after 21 years of hiatus. Production started in 1991, in the Grandfield Assembly Plant in Vermilion Creek, Michigan, United States. Although it's a sports car and is powered by a V10, many of the public also consider the Promethium as a muscle car, due to its large engine under the hood, RWD drivetrain and handling of such.

## Development history

In 1988, Alexander "Alistair" Finn, grandson of one of the founders Trevor Finn, became the company's CEO due to his knowledge about the company and Business degree in Harvard University. owned a 1965 Silver Anaconda SD 444 which was powered by a engine sourced from Vermilion Motors as default. Then, he thought about a brilliant idea of making a sports car with a game changing feature, a V10 engine, so he hired car designer Kevin McNeal.

His initial plans were to make a V8 engine instead, which a 5.8L (354 cu in) engine was used on the "Mule One", which was a targa top roadster. But instead, he has developed an all-aluminium 8.1L (494 cu in) V10 engine producing 405 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, and that engine was fit on the 1989 Vermilion Promethium Targa 494 concept car, which was introduced at the 1989 Detroit Auto Show. Top speed was claimed to be 169 mph (272 km/h). In 1990, another concept car was used as the Pace Car in many different races, and the public reaction was extremely positive. In 1991, the very first production Vermilion Promethium was built.

## First generation (SF)

The first generation Vermilion Promethium was a car for the very skilled drivers, The car had no driving aids other than power steering, and the ABS only became available for 1996 model year and on, when the coupe version was released. it was powered by a huge 8.1L (494 cu in) engine. From 1991 to 1995, the years which only the 494 Targa roadster version was sold, engine output was about 405 bhp and 460 lb-ft of torque. Top speed was claimed to be 169 mph (272 km/h).

In 1996, the coupe version was released as the 1996 Vermilion Promethium GTS 494, and the roadster remained as the Vermilion Promethium Targa 494. Both variants were produced until the end of the first generation in 2002. For 1996, the engine got drastically improved performance to 460 bhp and 540 lb-ft of torque. It made the Targa 494 go as fast as 180 mph (290 km/h), and the GTS 494 run up to 198 mph (319 km/h).

   In 1998, the Vermilion Promethium GTX 540 Concept was displayed at the 1998 SEMA Show. The engine in question was a highly modified 8.1L for higher displacement and power. The engine is a 8.8L V10 producing 1044 bhp and 806 lb-ft of torque. Top speed was claimed to be 250 mph (402 km/h), but later tests were made and the car achieved at 252 mph (405 km/h) in 2018, being one of the fastest concept cars ever made in the 20th century. Since it was deemed too extreme and dangerous to be produced, the GTX 540 trim released was instead powered by a 8.8L V10 engine producing 560 bhp and 585 lb-ft of torque, and top speed of 214 mph (345 km/h).

In 2002, production from the 11 years run stopped, right after the CEO Brent DaSilva took the position. The car had 15,467 units from 1991 to 2002. Without plans for a successor, the car had a 21 years hiatus until the replacement was released in 2023.

## Second generation (SG)

In 2023, one year after Gabriel Fleming took the CEO position, he has released the car again, after a hiatus of 21 years. He was nominated the CEO after the previous CEO Brent DaSilva recognized he was making a mistake with the brand's history when he had plans to make electric cars. DaSilva saw one of Fleming's concepts in 2021, which became the 2023 Vermilion Promethium, and nominated him as the Chief of Design until Fleming became CEO. In 2023, the 24 years old creative CEO released the car for production, being the first car released by him. The second and third cars being the Daredevil and Duke muscle cars, both designed by Ginger Steele, which Fleming nominated as the Chief of Design in 2023, and became the first woman to get the position in the company.

    The second generation was designed based on the 1996-2002 GTS 494 Coupe model in most of the aspects, with curves inspired by a naked woman. As opposed to the first generation coupe version, has dual side exhausts instead of a dual exhaust in the middle of the rear.

### 2024 model year

The Vermilion Promethium was available in four trims and a one-off edition. The base trim is the GTS 512, powered by a 8.4L DOHC V10 producing 666 bhp and 666 lb-ft of torque. The GTS 512 Sport is a version that adds a ducktail spoiler in the trunk, but contains the same engine. The track trim is the GTS-R 512, which has the same engine as well, but is a extreme aerodynamic version of the car, limited to top speed of 199 mph (320 km/h). For the top trim, the GTX 540, based on the 1998-2002 GTX 540 version, contains a naturally aspirated 8.8L OHV V10 engine producing 1076 bhp and 830 lb-ft of torque, making the car accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in under 3 seconds and has top speed of 258 mph (416 km/h).

### 2025 model year (facelift)

        In late 2021, the Head of Design Gabriel Fleming, who designed the car and later became CEO, had made some sketches predicting the future of the Vermilion Promethium, which included a modernized version for the car and was supposed to be used in a possible 2027 facelift. But one year and a half after Fleming became the CEO, the replacement Head of Design Ginger Steele convinced Fleming to anticipate the facelift for 2025 instead of 2027 model year and suggested to ask the public in the social media about thoughts about the design before project approval. Most of the public approved the design and the company was under pressure to make the new facelift, which happened in early 2024 as 2025 model year.

For the 2025 model year, the Promethium model is available in five trims, as of now. The GTS 512, GTS 512 Sport and GTS-R 512 use the 8.4L DOHC V10 engine making 666 bhp and 666 lb-ft of torque. The other two trims both use OHV V10 engines with larger displacement, the 8.8L used in the GTX 540 makes 1076 bhp and 830 lb-ft of torque, and the 9.4L used in the GTX-R 574 makes 1140 bhp and 870 lb-ft of torque.

The GTS 512 is the base trim and has a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 2.95 seconds and top speed of 216 mph (347 km/h). There is an additional package for the previous trim, the GTS 512 Sport, which adds a ducktail spoiler, has 0-62 mph in 2.9 seconds and top speed of 217 mph (350 km/h). The GTS-R 512 is a road-legal track car with high downforce, 0-62 mph in 2.8 seconds and top speed of 200 mph (322 km/h). Another trim is the GTX 540, powered by a 8.8L OHV V10 making 1076 bhp and 830 lb-ft of torque, has a ducktail spoiler, accelerates from 0-62 mph in 2.9 seconds and has top speed of 259 mph (417 km/h). The top trim is the GTX-R 574, which is powered by a massive 9.4L OHV V10 engine producing 1140 bhp and 870 lb-ft of torque, has extremely high downforce, 0-62 mph in 2.95 seconds and top speed is 259 mph (417 km/h).

According to Fleming, there are plans to add supercharged variants of the car in the future, with possible availability during the 2025 model year. The supercharged V10 engines are on the testing phase right now. But for now, the only ones for sale are naturally aspirated, high displacement V10 engines.

## Special Variants

### GTX 814 Behemoth

    The one-off GTX 814 Behemoth was a version that couldn't be sold in mass production, since it contains a huge engine that would never pass emissions standards. It's a 814 cu in OHV 13.3L V10 called the GTX 814 Behemoth producing 1620 bhp and 1312 lb-ft of torque, and is powered to the rear wheels, making traction hard to control.

## Motorsport

### SPV GT3-R 512

The Promethium SPV GT3-R 512 is a track-only racing car that started being built in October 2023 at an estimated cost of $485,000. The car was built for Group GT3 regulations and was developed by subsidiary Vermilion SPV. The engine is a 8.4L OHV V10 and is limited to produce 600 bhp (600 PS) and 600 lb-ft of torque, which complies to the Group GT3 rules of power between 500 and 600 bhp. The weight is about 1209 kg (2665 lbs) which is between 1200 and 1300 kg, according to the rules for GT3 cars. Top speed is limited to 199 mph (320 km/h). It was proven that the car is capable to handle curves when exceeding 170 mph (274 km/h), mostly due to its tremendous downforce. Downforce figures are 155 kg in the front and 242 kg in the rear at 170 mph (274 km/h).

## Media

### Games

The Promethium sports car, and its multiple forms, had multiple appearances in multiple video games, such as Beam Horizon, Speed Turismo, Horsepower, and The Garage game franchises.