A South African Seven?

Posted by John Mellberg July 01, 2021

A South African Seven?

Advanced Automotive Design (AAD) was a South African automobile manufacturer located in Die Wilgers, Pretoria. The company was founded in 1995 by Brian Glover and Rhys Edwards. AAD designed automobiles and automotive components using clay modeling, Delta CAD, Water jet profiling, CNC milling, and pipe bending technology.

In 1997, they showed their first vehicle called Shaka Nynya on the South Florida International Auto Show. Its creators would say the car was "...to a Lotus 7, as a Viper is to an AC Cobra". The car's design brief was to create an unbeatable autocross car that could out accelerate and out handle anything up to 135mph. As such, simplicity and lightweight construction were crucial to the package.

The AAD Shaka Nynya

The chassis was a tubular steel, triangulated spaceframe with bonded, hand laid fiberglass bodywork. Suspension consisted of oval section tube A-arms and inboard push-rod operated coil-over springs up front, with A-arms and struts at the rear. Steering was of rack and pinion type with a 2.5:1 ratio. Disc brakes with two piston calipers and 12/12.75 inch rotors were installed at all four corners.

Motivation came from an aluminum, 6.0 liter, V8 from an unnamed maker that produced 405bhp. Power was delivered to the rear wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission and limited slip differential. This level of equipment gave the car impressive performance with a 3.7 second 0-60 time and a standing quarter mile in 11.2 seconds at 132mph. The Shaka Nynya's top speed was limited to 135mph, though the car was likely good for considerably more velocity.

The AAD Shaka Nynya, showing off its engine bay

The Shaka Nynya's styling drew inspiration from cars like the Lotus 7, Plymouth Prowler, and early Dodge Viper concept car. It featured a long wheelbase, wide track, low windshield, and a both top-less and door-less body. The proportions are decidedly cab rearward, with occupants practically seated between the rear wheels. The design would definitely have looked at home in a Clubman class road race or hill climb event.

To distribute the car in the USA, the group founded a company in the states called Glover Design, with headquarters in Georgia and offices in Florida. The car received some positive attention in the motoring press, in magazines like Petersen's Kit Car, in the early 2000's. The car was made to order and shipped to America as a partially assembled kit.

The AAD Shaka Nynya, in its natural habitat

While the car never really took off in North America, it was built in small quantities in its home market until 2010. It could be considered among the most exciting cars ever made on the African continent, worthy of its mighty name.

Source:
Shaka Cars