David Mazzei’s Formula Five is a one-off Superlite SL-C-based build with a custom five-rotor rotary engine designed to evoke the sound of a late-1990s or early-2000s Formula 1 V10. The “1,500-horsepower” figure describes an original target, not the output established by the road test: its account says power was turned down to about 1,200 wheel horsepower for the drive, while a later report gives a 1,120-wheel-horsepower dyno figure.
What is the Mazzei Formula Five?
The Mazzei Formula Five, or MF5, is David Mazzei’s one-off build based on the Superlite SL-C kit-car platform. Superlite describes the SL-C as accommodating a wide range of drivetrains; Mazzei’s project takes that flexibility in an unusually ambitious direction, pairing a custom five-rotor rotary engine with a large turbocharger and a Holinger six-speed transmission, as described in the road-test coverage.
That distinction matters: the SL-C is the underlying platform, not a factory-built production supercar with a standard specification. The reported engine, transmission and other details describe Mazzei’s evolving individual car, not guaranteed equipment for every SL-C or a fixed production model. Superlite’s SL-C FAQs and buyer’s guide explain the platform and kit context.
How much horsepower does it really make?
There are three different power figures in the coverage, and they refer to different stages or circumstances. They should not be collapsed into a claim that the car was road-tested at 1,500 horsepower.
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| Figure | What it refers to |
|---|---|
| About 1,500 rear-wheel horsepower | Mazzei’s 2021 project post describes this as a target for the planned billet five-rotor engine and modified G57 turbo—not a dyno result. Mazzei’s project thread. |
| About 1,200 wheel horsepower | The 2025 road-test account says output was turned down for the public-road outing. It is that article’s reported road setting, not an independently verified measurement. Dumoid’s road-test feature. |
| 1,120 wheel horsepower | The Drive reported this as a 2025 dyno result shown in a Mazzei Formula video; the article reports the figure rather than describing its own dyno test. The Drive’s dyno report. |
So the most defensible answer depends on what “make” means: approximately 1,500 wheel horsepower was the builder’s stated goal; the road-test story says it was set to about 1,200 for that drive; and a later published report gives a dyno figure of 1,120 wheel horsepower. These figures are not interchangeable.
Why build a five-rotor to sound like a Formula 1 V10?
The sound was an explicit design goal, not just an incidental trait. In his 2021 project post, Mazzei described aiming for a five-rotor engine that could evoke an F1 V10 at half the engine speed. His explanation rests on how he characterizes the rotary’s firing rhythm:
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“A rotary engine fires likes a piston-motor, that is a two-stroke. So, in other words, if you hear a piston engine at 18,000 RPM, like a Formula 1 motor, a five-rotor will sound exactly like that at 9,000 [RPM].”
That is Mazzei’s explanation of the concept, as quoted in the road-test article—not an independent acoustic comparison or a claim that the car duplicates a particular F1 engine. The attraction is the attempt to combine the high, urgent character associated with an F1 V10 with a rotary configuration and a lower stated engine speed.
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What happened on the first reported road test?
Dumoid’s 2025 account describes Mazzei driving the car on public roads and says he kept to local speed limits. It also reports that the car had no power steering or power brakes. Those details suggest a demanding, highly specialized road car, not an ordinary supercar road-test experience. The same report puts its weight at just over 2,400 pounds, but does not supply independent weighing data.
The article calls the car road legal, but the available reporting does not establish registration or legality for this individual vehicle in every jurisdiction. A public-road outing is not proof that the car meets every state or country’s requirements. Anyone considering a similar build would need to verify local rules for registration, inspection, emissions and required safety equipment.
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- Die-Cast Metal Construction – Durable metal body with detailed plastic components
- Highly Detailed Design – Realistic exterior styling and interior details
- Free-Rolling Wheels – Smooth movement for display or play
- Perfect for Collectors & Kids – Great gift for automotive fans
Was its top speed tested?
No verified top-speed result is established in the cited road-test coverage. The article says a speed well over 200 mph was expected, while also noting that this had not been fully tested. Treat that as a projection, not a measured or demonstrated top speed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What makes this different from a standard SL-C?
The SL-C provides a configurable kit-car foundation; the MF5 is Mazzei’s individual interpretation of it. Its standout choices—the five-rotor engine, large G57 turbo, reported Holinger MXT six-speed paddle-shifted transmission, and extreme power ambitions—are the custom build, not a standard SL-C package. The builder’s 2021 post captures the original plan, while 2025 reporting shows that the car and its reported figures developed over time.
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