Gryphon Veloce GTI
 Weight: 1,470lbs. Top Speed: 294MPH Fuel: HMFC-71 Fuel Capacity: 4 cells + collection arrays Engine: MAD Scramjets VexPower II Balancing System: Thrust vectoring & Internal Stability Control Base Price: 52,500,000ƒ |  |
Gryphon's Veloce GTI high-performance hovercraft is a departure from the previous Gryphon models. It is the lightest, at 1,470lbs, mostly due to is carbon fiber construction. The Veloce sets itself apart from the other Gryphons mainly by its looks: Gryphon designers abandoned the previous models' smooth curves (found on crafts like the popular Talon and giant GTR-7) for a more sharp, angular look. The most noticable difference in design, however, is the location of the side collectors. The Veloce sports the standard front Gryphon collector array, but engineers recessed the side arrays into the sides of the body in a pair of air scoops. The side collectors give a boost to the engine, whilst the front collector can be switched to either charge the fuel cells or power the engine. What appears to be a collector in the back, is not. The side energy collectors are a projected field covering a duct, similar to those found on the GTR-7. What appears to be a collector on the backside is actually the exit vent of that duct.
The VexPower II engine powering the Veloce represents the mastery of thrust-vectoring technology exhibited by MAD Scramjets engineers. The two nozzles are independently controlled, in order to both balance the craft during high-speed travel and assist in cornering stability. While not as powerful as engines used in other Gryphon crafts, such as the QuadroForce engine in the Talon, the VexPower II is one of the most efficient engines used in passenger crafts currently, increasing usable range on the craft's 4 fuel cells.
The interior seats two, with leather upholstry and drive-by-wire controls. A HUD, projected onto the windshield, comes standard. Almost every aspect of the engine's performance and health is monitored, and the engine's running parameters can be changed to avoid breakdowns. Gryphon's Race Performance software set rounds out the subsystems, turning this 3/4-ton machine into a speeding ticket waiting to happen.
Rear shot of Veloce, showing off the unique thrust-vectoring engine. The Veloce is currently the only Gryphon with movable thrust-vectoring nozzles.