Car manufacturers often look to the past for inspiration, but new British start-up Garagisti & Co. is pulling from an entirely different thread. According to co-founder Mario Escudero, the firm’s debut supercar – the GP1 – is derived from an alternative reality, a universe where the likes of the Lamborghini Countach Evoluzione are still in production, and where the name proved prophetic.

The form may be old school, but under the skin the GP1 is a clean-sheet design. Limited to just 25 road cars, the specification combines a bespoke 6.6-litre V12 with a carbon monocoque chassis and six-speed manual transmission, targeting a dry weight of 1,000kg.

There is no brand heritage or long-lost resurrection behind Garagisti & Co. The name references the independent ‘garagistes’ that once disrupted Formula 1 – much to the disdain of Enzo Ferrari, who coined the term. The company has taken the ethos to heart, calling upon a list of technical partners that reads like a who’s who of vehicle engineering.

Italian powertrain specialist Italtecnica is responsible for the naturally aspirated engine, which produces 800bhp at 9,000rpm and ‘more than 516lb-ft (700Nm) of torque’. That power is sent to the rear axle through a longitudinally mounted manual gearbox supplied by Xtrac. Brembo brakes and Öhlins suspension contribute to the dynamic hardware, while aerodynamic development and composite engineering have been led by DEXET Technologies.

The GP1’s styling is the work of Angel Guerra, formerly of Bugatti and Rimac, and references can be drawn to wedge-era icons such as the Countach and Lancia Stratos Zero. Restraint has been shown in the aero department, with none of the showy wings the Countach later became famous for. That spirit has instead been channelled into the underbody – Garagisti claims one of the largest rear diffusers ever fitted to a road car.

Inside, the cabin is pared back but lavishly trimmed. The twin-cockpit layout is screen-free and mechanically focused, with materials and control placement designed to minimise distraction. The company describes the GP1 as a road car first – with measured NVH, functional luggage space, and a chassis tuned for long-distance touring – but one capable of transforming into something altogether more aggressive under harder use.

According to Garagisti, the GP1 is now in the advanced stages of engineering and production, although no performance figures have been quoted and no working prototype has yet been revealed. That makes the £2.45 million (before local taxes and delivery) asking price a bold proposition, particularly when compared to similarly purist projects such as the GMA T.33.

Escudero remains bullish: “What if the golden age of analogue supercars never ended? What would the great cars of the ‘80s, ‘90s and early 2000s look like today if they’d evolved with new technology but kept their analogue soul? We brought together some of the best minds in the world and answered that question with our hands, our hearts, and our passion. The GP1 is our answer.”

Customers will be invited to take part in a UK-based commissioning process. The first 12 of the 25 builds are tied to the brand’s ‘Open Doors’ programme, offering access to technical workshops, engineering previews and development milestones.

Whether the answer finds buyers is less certain. But in concept at least, it bucks the trend for technology at the expense of experience, adding to a rare and welcome niche.