TOBEL, Switzerland — A consensus seems to be forming around the Faster One, the bizarre creation of Swiss engineer Roman Weber and his Weber Sportcars: Wickedly fast — but oh, so ugly!

We don't necessarily share the opinions of those Web pundits who've whacked the Weber for its dubious styling, with comments ranging from "not so stylish" to "vulgar." But there is little question as to the car's capability.

Weber claims the Faster One is just that: the world's fastest street-legal sports car. Weighing 2,425 pounds and powered by a mid-mounted, twin-supercharged variant of the Corvette's LS7 7.0-liter V8, the two-seater develops nearly 900 horsepower and 774 pound-feet of torque. Power is delivered to all four wheels via a six-speed sequential semiautomatic gearbox with paddle shifters. Acceleration from rest to 60 mph takes less than 2.5 seconds, according to the manufacturer, and top speed is "more than 400 km/h" — which translates to 249-plus mph.

The Faster One is constructed around a lightweight, high-strength tubular frame made of aircraft-grade aluminum, with a carbon fiber shell. Weber said the body was designed in the wind tunnel for maximum efficiency. Unfortunately, aesthetics appear to have been sacrificed in the name of aerodynamics. And, yes, that's an airbox on the roof, located there to feed cooling air into the midships engine bay. A deployable rear wing provides downforce at high speeds and acts as an air brake in the vertical position when the driver applies the brakes.

The chassis features upper and lower control arms, and the car rides on 285/25ZR20 tires in front and 325/25R20s in the rear. The Faster One employs carbon-ceramic brakes and an active traction control system derived from Formula 1 racing cars.

The cockpit is essentially an integrated safety cell trimmed in leather and carbon fiber. Features include an F1-style steering wheel, power steering, automatic climate control, keyless entry, power windows, rearview camera and premium audio system with integral navigation. Buyers can upgrade the basic vehicle with extra-cost extended comfort and race packages.

Weber says small-series production is slated to begin in late summer, with individual cars priced from around $1.5 million.

What this means to you: Bugatti-like performance at Bugatti prices — and without those distracting good looks. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent

What this means to you: Bugatti-like performance at Bugatti prices — and without those distracting good looks.