Much to the chagrin of most Autoblog editors, we’ve seen no shortage of polished, chromed or gold plated Porsches (not to mention other brands) over the last several years. Until now, none of those were either attractive or functional. Now, though, we have the Ferdinand GT3 RS, which was created with a purpose other than to demonstrate that the owner had more money than brains/taste.

While the recent 911 GT3 R Hybrid demonstrated that an electromechanical flywheel hybrid system could boost both efficiency and performance, the Ferdinand relies on ultra-light construction to optimize efficiency. Everything non-essential was removed and what was left was stripped to the bare essentials. The revolutionary foil over tube-frame construction yields a total mass of just 220 pounds (!) a number that makes the Lotus Elise look like a total porker. The slim tires feature exceptionally low rolling resistance and the simplified controls let the driver stay focused on the task at hand. The Ferdinand is not quite as swift as the hybrid, but sometimes that’s the price you have to pay for zero emissions. Check out its debut run at the Salzburgring in Austria after the jump.

[Source: Youtube]