Soliad Ventera was not born out of tradition, but out of necessity, experimentation, and a rare spark of audacity characteristic of a company not inclined to take risks.

By the mid-2000s, the Soliad model range was outdated. Their sedans and coupes were heavy front-engine, front-wheel-drive cars designed more for comfort than for connection with the outside world. So when Soliad's small, ambitious team of designers unveiled a lightweight rear-engine concept — something more than a European or Japanese sports car, more than a Detroit bruiser — it was met with confusion.

The project was nearly shelved before it even began. Soliad didn't have a suitable platform. The transmission was too big, the chassis too bulky. But the idea refused to die. The solution came from outside: a compact rear-engine transmission, originally developed for the nimble Hirochi SBR4. Lightweight, time-tested, and compact enough to be adapted to the Soliad concept.

Author: Jason m