Marussia was very optimistic and launched two supercars in quick succession, but why don’t we talk more about them today? Here is the story of Russia’s first sports cars!
Russia’s (and previously USSR’s) auto industry has always been viewed as an odd duck in the West, and rightly so. From Lada to Moskvich, Russian automakers could never compete with western brands, often selling cars with atrocious safety features, underpowered engines, and a big lack of style. So, it was quite a surprise when an automaker from the biggest country in the world announced it would make a supercar.
Marussia was the first Russian motor company to design and manufacture a supercar. Pronounced as Ma-roo-sia (Russian: mɐˈrusʲə), it was founded by former moto-racer Nikolai Fomenko, who was THE Russian motor enthusiast, famous in his country as a TV show host, a singer, and an actor.
Fomenko was also one of the hosts of TopGear: Russia, and the resemblance with the original show is too uncanny to go unnoticed. Nikolai was also involved in some top-rated Russian movies, raced in the GT1 class and the 24-hour LeMans, and was behind the Marussia F1 team that competed from 2012 to 2015. He was the true visionary behind Marussia and the company’s achievements over the years.
How It All Started
Marussia was founded in 2007 as Marusya, which in Eastern Slavic is the diminutive of Mary, i.e., the Virgin Mary, mother of Christ. A strong name for a strong country, that’s for sure.
At the time, Lada was the only auto brand westerners were familiar with, and not for good reasons. Still, Fomenko was adamant he could change this perception with a mid-engined supercar designed to rule them all. Thus, the B1 was born — a carbon-fiber/aluminum supercar with two engine options and an excellent power-to-weight ratio.
Marussia B1
Revealed in 2008, Femenko’s first prototype, the B1, sported an aluminum semi-monocoque shell and carbon fiber body panels — more carbon fiber than any other supercar of that era, in fact, including Lamborghini and Ferrari!
Light as a Lotus, Powerful as a Ferrari
Cosworth Engineering was brought to help in the manufacturing, ultimately borrowing two of its V6 engines. However, the entry-level naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter engine produced 300 hp and 302 lb-ft of torque, which wasn’t exactly supercar territory.
Luckily, Marussia also offered a more powerful turbocharged 2.8-liter V6, available in two tunes: 360 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque or 420 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque— already better.
Marussia paired the engines with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic gearbox and promised a 3.2-second sprint to 60 mph and a top speed of 190 mph — not bad for a supercar from the 2010s!
Moreover, the Marussia B1 wasn’t only about straight-line performance — Fomenko also wanted to make it handle as well as any Ferrari. Thus, engineers decided on an F1-like A-arm pushrod suspension on both axles, which, together with the low 2,425 lb (1,100 kg) weight, helped the B1 steer like a true race car. Not many people got to drive the B1, but those who did really appreciated the handling. And honestly, that’s not surprising, given its Lotus-like weight and mid-engine configuration.
Timeless and Well-Proportioned Design
The B1 still looks modern today, mostly because of its timeless proportions. The wheels are stretched almost to the ends of the supercar, meaning the overhangs are very short, making the wheel arches look ever more pronounced.
Moreover, the side profile features very expressive lines with a huge side vent, while the front end is very pointy and sharp, with sleek triangular headlights. I can only imagine it looks even better in person, as the B1 is 78.7 inches wide and only 43.3 inches high.
Still, there’s more to the design than looks — the shape is also aerodynamically-efficient, providing low drag and high downforce.
An Interior Ahead of its Time
The cabin was lined with leather, carbon fiber, and red stitching to give it a genuine sports car feel. The fit and finish were also impeccable — this is a hand-built supercar, after all.
Marussia also opted for three displays; one is obviously for the driver, the other one for the infotainment, and the third one for the passenger. In that sense, the B1 was quite ahead of its time — cars started having multiple screens only several years later.
But, if you ask me, the dashboard isn’t particularly pleasing and looks over-stylized, though the protruding center portion creates two separate cockpit-style spaces for the driver and passenger, which I kinda like.
Marussia B2
In 2009, quickly after introducing the B1, Femenko unveiled a completely-redesigned prototype to rival the 458 and Gallardo. The B2 looked much more aggressive, almost like a Russian batmobile. Unfortunately, it lacked the finesse of its predecessor and seemed overdesigned from several angles, but the sinister styling sure appealed to many. Besides, Lebanese company W Motors seems to have liked the design, as its Lykan HyperSport supercar looks very similar.
Marussia B2 Drops the Naturally-Aspirated V6
The B2 had a plastic-composite monocoque body for further weight reduction, resulting in a curb weight lower than 1,100 kg. Like the B1, the B2 retained the turbocharged 2.8-liter Cosworth engine producing 420 hp but dropped the naturally-aspirated unit and was only available with a 6-speed automatic — no more stick shift here.
When combined with the ultra-light design, you get 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 3.8s and a top speed of over 186 mph. However, keep in mind that those were the “claimed” numbers, and not that many journalists got to try the B2, so we can’t confirm those specs.
No need to say; while it was kinda powerful for the era, the 2.8-liter Cosworth engine lacks the dramatic sound of its closest rivals. Indeed, the 458 Italia and its screaming 4.5-liter V8 produce pure octane-powered symphonies, and we all know how good Lamborghini’s V10 sounds.
Nonetheless, the B2 featured an adjustable suspension — you could raise the body by 7.5 cm, giving you enough clearance to go over speed bumps. Was it enough to make up for the rather displacement? Probably not.
Slightly Improved Interior with More Processing Power
The Marussia B2 retained the three-screen design of the predecessor, albeit with a slightly restyled dashboard. Still, the screens were now powered by more powerful Intel Core2 Duo processors for faster reaction times, though the software left a lot to be desired — not surprising for any car of that period, though. These were tough times software-wise.
As for the quality, German AutoBuild said the dashboard featured too many cheap plastic components, although some areas were covered in carbon fiber and leather.
Marussia’s Supercar and F1 Legacy
When Marussia introduced the B1 in 2008 at the Menage Hall in Moscow, it had already built 30 prototypes to reach the production stage. However, instead of launching the supercar, the manufacturer started focusing on the B2, which was essentially the same car, albeit with a different design.
Customers were left quite unhappy but were promised delivery of the second generation instead. Unfortunately, the same story goes for the B2; Marussia planned to build 500 units, but only 13 ever made it to production — a Marussia is an extremely rare sight nowadays.
Nonetheless, Marussia also tried its luck in F1 racing. In 2010, the company took an interest in Virgin Racing and purchased stakes in the team. It was then rebranded to Marussia Virgin Racing and entered the Australian Grand Prix in 2012. Sadly, P9 was the maximum it could achieve, scoring only 2 points in the 2014 Grand Prix with driver Jules Bianchi. Even worst, Bianchi crashed into turn 7 of the Japanese circuit the same year and died later due to injuries. Coupled with the fact that by 2014 Marussia was almost bankrupt, the team’s name was changed to Manor Racing in 2015 until Gene Haas bought it in 2017.
Marussia F2: A Failed Attempt at SUV-Making
Despite having issues with the production of its two supercars, Marussia also announced it would build an SUV in 2010 called the F2. It was probably the most “Russian” of all three vehicles; Femenko claimed it could function as a mobile command center, military vehicle, or emergency vehicle. Fortunately, the weird-looking F2 remained a concept and never reached production.
Last Words
When Femenko announced his new supercar brand, it looked too good to be true. A supercar that would compete, and even beat Ferrari and Lamborghini in some areas, built by a Russian carmaker? And the B1 and B2, at least on paper, looked very promising. But sadly, it didn’t deliver (quite literally).
And I don’t have anything against Russian cars, but except for the Lada Niva — the mini-SUV is still one of the best off-road vehicles out there — we can’t say the Russian automotive industry ever came up with something worth talking about.
That being said, the only legacy Marussia left (apart from its infamous F1 participation) is having its supercars featured in some video games and 12-14 units ever reaching public roads. It was certainly not enough to build the brand and make it synonymous with performance — in fact, most car enthusiasts today don’t even know these supercars existed in the first place.
Now you know!
Gallery: Marussia B1 and B2
