Praga Bohema - Can you look away?

Czech manufacturer Praga just announced their latest car, the Praga Bohema, a track-focused hypercar that just so happens to be road-legal too. While you might struggle evoking memories of the brand, the Prague-based manufacturer is over a century old, with the new car here to mark the 89th anniversary of the company’s historic road race win in 1933.

With a high-performance engine delivering over 700hp, the lightweight two-seater coupe from the little-known manufacturer seems to be equipped to fight above its weight class. All that power notwithstanding, the most striking thing about the car is its exterior design. If you ever have the privilege of seeing one, you're not likely to be able to look away.

Engine

Code named the PL38DETT, Praga bases much of the Bohema’s 3.8-liter, twin-turbo engine on the Nissan GT-R’s iconic powertrain, renowned for its top-notch performance and unparalleled tunability and reliability. Furthermore, for even better performance and reliability, the engine is fine-tuned by UK-based Litchfield Motors, another of Praga’s longstanding performance partners.

Once it hits the road, the engine should deliver a maximum of 700bhp at 6,800rpm and 534lb-feet of torque at 3,000 to 6,000 rpm. Paired with the V6 engine is a Hewland sequential gearbox with a robotic clutch – a combination that should give the driver the ability to go into semi-automatic drive mode.

Complementing the engine are titanium exhausts with catalytic converters taking on silencing responsibility and offering a crackle to the engine noise that’s likely to keep a smile on your face on track day or while cruising on a scenic drive.

Exterior Design

The Bohema is built by Praga’s in-house designers and engineers and fine-tuned in an unmentioned F1 team’s wind tunnel for maximum aerodynamic efficiency. The result is a design that can deliver a whopping 1,984lb downforce at 155mph.

A carbon-fiber monocoque construction makes the vehicle exceptionally lightweight – 2,204lbs, to be exact. Similarly, the front top, rear, front wings, and a slew of other body panels are all made from the incredibly sturdy yet lightweight material.

The front-hinged doors have electronic release mechanisms, while Praga’s trademark curved windscreen should offer “remarkable visibility” to the car’s occupants. At the back, aerodynamically styled wheel arches provide a deep storage area for racing boots and suits, crash helmets, or casual weekend luggage.

Still at a prototype stage at this point, the Praga Bohema press release images do give off the typical “hypercar vibe” with a silhouette that closely mimics that of cars like the LaFerrari, Lotus Evija, and the Koenigsegg One:1. Praga says they will present the Bohema in its final production specification in the first half of 2023. That being said, we don’t expect it to look too different.

Interior

On the inside, the Bohema can comfortably accommodate a pair of 6’5” adults despite its narrow cockpit. Weight saving is also of utmost importance in the cockpit, with many of the parts structurally carved out of carbon fiber and trimmed with high-quality Alcantara and leather.

Removable for ease of entry/exit, the Bohema’s ingenious steering wheel incorporates a large digital display for drive-time metrics such as speed, selected gear, warm lights, driving mode, and oil and coolant temperatures. Despite its small size, the Praga Bohema’s cockpit delivers substantial luggage space, an air conditioning system, and “useful rear visibility.” Additionally, the driver can alter the driving position with an adjustable steering column, pedal box, and seat position/angle.

With just 89 units to be built and a $1.3m price tag, the Praga Bohema is set for release in the second half of 2023, with only 10 vehicles produced in the first year. Subsequently, the Czech company will create 20 cars annually until all 89 units hit the road.