Another example why investing in smaller, nimble companies is better than pouring billions of dollars into that sinkhole that is GM, the company that can’t seem to move forward.
A 187-MPH Hybrid As Fast As It Is Green
Italdesign Giugiaro is a familiar name to gearheads the world over, and its designs for everything from Hyundai to Ferrari are well known. Frazer-Nash, on the other hand, is generally considered the answer to a trivia question, but it was once a respected sports car company.
All of those names came together at the Geneva Motor Show to bring us the Namir concept, which combines Prius-beating fuel economy with Ferrari-like speed to produce what the companies say is the quickest, greenest hybrid on the planet.
Namir is Arabian for tiger, by the way. Given the specs on this ride, that name sure fits.
That’s right, this angular, scissor-doored sports car concept is a hybrid. The drivetrain was designed by Frazer-Nash, which Archie Frazer-Nash founded in England in 1923. Once a sports car maker, the company is now in the business of designing, building and marketing hybrid systems. The Namir combines an 814 cc endothermic rotary engine with four electric motors in a system that those involved in project claim delivers 91 mpg and CO2 emissions of 60 g/km. The Toyota Prius emits 104 g/km. Those are impressive numbers, but the number that really wows us is the claimed top speed of 187 mph and a zero-to-60 time of 3.5 seconds.
In theory, anyway, given that it’s a concept.
But the Namir is more than a design exercise. It’s a fully developed prototype. Giugiaro’s engineering division handled the chassis, body, and mechanical layout while the Italdesign Giugiaro Style Center penned the exterior and interior. Frazer-Nash oversaw the electrical and electronic elements, and the whole thing was built by Italdesign Giugiaro plant.
Who knows if this will ever see production. But Italdesign Giugiaro and Frazer-Nash are outside design and consulting firms, so they will work for companies like General Motors, Chrysler or anyone else in desperate need of a high-performance fuel efficient car to boost their sex appeal and CAFE numbers.
Just sayin’…
Main photo by our friends at autoblog.nl, which once again comes through when the automakers at the Geneva Motor Show don’t. Check out more pics of the Namir in autoblog.nl’s gallery. All other images by Italdesign Giugiaro.
via A 187-MPH Hybrid As Fast As It Is Green | Autopia from Wired.com.
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