The two Marussia models, B1 and the newer B2, created under the watchful eye of former Russian racer Nikolay Fomenko (now a film actor and a showman), in fact surprised critics a lot. Does Russia indeed have talented designers? Marussias seem quite decently looking, but the feeling that the aggressive line has met your eye before is still there.

Image from automobili.ru

One more look – right, a bit of Aston Martin Rapide, a touch of Ferrari Enzo, a hint of Lamborghini Revention and a terribly recognizable likeness to Pagani Zonda. This brand cocktail produced a passable look that may even be considered by some as trendy and cool.

The performance also stunned the critics – this time with its pathetic engineering. Here, according to the critics, Russians still have miles ahead to walk.

Frankfurt 2009: Marussia B2 and B1 Hybrid (Image from autoblog.com)

The developers kept their mouths shut about the bowels of Marussia, and no one was allowed to look under the bonnet of version B2, but experts believe it’s equipped with the same 3.5 liter V-6 260 horsepower hybrid engine used for the first vehicle. By comparison, a regular Ford Focus ST has a 2.5 liter 225 horsepower engine.

Developers are also thinking about creating a Marussia crossover and opening a sales center in Moscow. The company is already said to have received orders for 17 B2 cars with MSRP starting from $147,000. The same Ford Focus ST goes for a quarter of this price.