Koenigsegg Quant Concept, 2009

Swedish supercar marque Koenigsegg and NLV Solar AG, a pioneer in photovoltaics and accumulator technology, have joined forces to create the Koenigsegg Quant Concept. The brainchild of this marriage of power and energy is a four-seater solar electric car. A full-scale model is to be unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Salon, with the two companies currently working on running prototypes to scale up for series production.

Two companies, one vision

The project was born when NLV Solar AG commissioned the environmentally aware Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg to develop and design a "car of the future", incorporating NLV Solar's groundbreaking, proprietary technology in the felds of photovoltaics and accumulators.

In 2008, the two companies signed a co-operation agreement to create a test vehicle for a unique propulsion system which makes optimum use of the solar technologies developed by NLV Solar AG, allied with an innovative accumulator unit. The groundbreaking thin-flm solar-cell coating is being implemented in one of Koenigsegg's signature avant-garde designs.

Groundbreaking technology

The advances in electric power generation and storage, combined with the aerodynamic, futuristic Koenigsegg design and engineering, will enable the NLV Quant to charge the FAES (Flow Accumulator Energy Storage) to full capacity in 20 minutes and give the vehicle a range of 500 kilometres. The additional power input from the invisible, thin-flm photovoltaic coating that covers the body of the car, further increases the range potential.

The revolutionary solar and FAES systems enable the design of a fully electrical vehicle, rather than relying on more commonplace hybrid solutions. This also simplifes the drive train layout and packaging, as only one propulsion system is needed.

Given the size of the The NLV Quant, it has an unusually low frontal surface of around 2 m2. This, combined with a drag coeffcient of around CD 0.27 and the effciency of the FAES, will enable the car to cover long distances between charges.

Style and substance

The ingenious Koenigsegg design provides a unique blend of supercar looks and the space of a traditional luxury sedan. The car will carry four large adults in comfort and also feature a spacious boot at the rear.

The gull-wing doors set the NLV Quant apart from any other four-seaters on the market. As well as being a stylish feature, they also make entry to the car more ergonomic, thanks to the lack of B-pillars. They provide easy access to both the front and rear passenger seats. The unique split side-lite feature allows all passenger to open and close the front and rear side windows separately, despite the fact that there is only one door per side.

Unique features as standard

The NLV Quant is rear-wheel drive, with four-wheel brake regeneration, ABS and ESP. It is powered by two electrical AC induction electric motors with variable frequency drive and in-line planetary step down drive, one for each rear wheel. The twin-motor design eliminates the need for bevel gears or a differential, further simplifying the lay-out and giving constant and controlled power proportioning to the rear wheels, in both drive and coast mode.

The projected curb weight of 1780 kg is very light considering that it is a battery-powered, four-seater, luxury performance car. This is partly due to the two-motor installation which weighs in at only 140 kg - a remarkable achievement considering the power output of 512 hp and maximum torque of 715 nm which allows the Koenigsegg Quant Concept to deliver 0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds and hit a top speed of 275 km/h. Another reason for the car's low weight is the utilisation of a carbon-fibre monotube backbone chassis, construction, which houses the FAES system safely inside the centreline of the car at the lowest possible position, bringing down the centre of gravity and central mass point. The FAES only weigh around 450 kg and contain no hazardous material or heavy metals.

Features

* Range of up to 500 km thanks to the new FAES technology, with rapid charging and unlimited charging cycles
* Thin-flm photovoltaic coating of car body
* Asynchronous motor technology
* Minimised running and manufacturing costs thanks to new technology
* Optimised safety
* Carbon chassis and Aluminium/carbon body.
* Unique/functional design, vehicle comfort and loading capacity

Preliminary Specs

* Power: 512 bhp
* Torque: 715 Nm
* 0-100 km/h: 5.2 seconds
* Top speed: 275 km/h
* Curb weight: 1780 kg
* Wheelbase 3102 mm
* Track
o Front: 1730 mm
o Rear: 1729 mm
* Wheels/Tires
o Front: 245/35 - 22"
o Rear: 265/35 - 22"
o low friction tires by Michelin
* Width: 2016 mm incl rear-view mirrors
* Length: 4879 mm
* Height: 1335 mm
* Rear-wheel drive
* Four-wheel brake regeneration
* Minimum 6 smart airbags, ABS and ESP
* 3 infotainment panels(one in front, two for the rear)
* Adjustable rear seats
* 3 zone Climate Control system
* Large leg room in the rear
* LED front and rear lights
* Body covered in NLV photovoltaic thin flm solar coating
* NLV mobile redox Flow Accumulator Energy Storage system - FAES
* Space for 4 full grown individuals

Breckland Beira

London's Canary Wharf is the stage for the show debut of a stunning new British sportscar on June 9 2008, as Breckland

Technology removes the wraps from its exclusive two-seat V8 soft top, the Breckland Beira, at London Motorexpo. Norfolk-based Breckland - part of Hong Kong-based multi-national, Riche Holdings - is vastly experienced in the development and production of high-quality, low volume specialist cars and prototypes for an array of prestigious international clients, including

Mosler, and has now employed its substantial skills in the making of its own limited-production supercar.

The Breckland Beira is a hand-built, two-seat roadster with unique styling cues, based on proven GM architecture and powered by

GM's LS2, 6-litre V8 engine, tuned to produce just a whisper short of 400bhp. Tipping the scales at some 1,400kg, the Beira's impressive power-to-weight ratio ensures invigorating performance, with the promise of a sub-five second sprint to 100kph, coupled with tremendous torque and a governed top speed of 155mph.

"Beira carries on from where Marcos and TVR left off in terms of providing maximum performance for money spent, and real

individuality", says Breckland Director, Mike Rawlings.

"We wanted to showcase Breckland's design and engineering capabilities and produce an exciting driver's car, with excellent handling dynamics, terrific performance and great looks," he added.
as petrol. This not only helps to reduce running costs and emissions, but also means Beira is capable of a range of some 700 miles between refuelling stops - that's the equivalent of travelling non-stop from the north to the south coast of France.

Beira dynamics Breckland Beira is based on the well-developed General Motors Kappa platform, on sale in the North American market. Breckland Beira differs in many significant respects from the GM products however, the most radical departure being the installation
of the potent, 6.0-litre, LS2 V8 engine, more commonly found in Corvette and Pontiac GTO models. It replaces the four-cylinder

Ecotec engine and, by comparison, produces more than twice the power of the original unit.
The mighty, fuel-injected, aluminium V8 and Tremec six-speed manual gearbox are neatly packaged under the Beira's swoopingbonnet, with a bespoke wiring harness and ECU, the latter being reprogrammed to allow the V8 to deliver close to 400bhp, combinedwith a dual-fuel capability. Other key considerations involved significant attention to chassis dynamics, to ensure the car corners, steers and brakes effectively with the significant increase in engine output.

To satisfy this requirement, the fully independent suspension was entirely re-engineered by Breckland in association with KW Suspension, with uprated springs, dampers and bushes, plus thicker anti-roll bars front and rear. The result is slightly less suspension compliance, but a more focused ride and handling.

Stopping power is provided by impressive, 325mm ventilated discs on all four corners, the fronts being grasped by six-pot callipers, with four-pot at the rear, both from UK specialists, HiSpec.Steering is via power-assisted rack and pinion, whilst the dramatically styled 18" cast alloy wheels are 8.5" front and 9.5" rears, shod with Bridgestone ultra-low profile tyres. Customer options include an upgrade to 19" diameter rims and tyres.

Exterior packaging In order to make the Breckland Beira eye-catchingly different, save weight and liberate additional luggage space behind the

passenger compartment, Breckland's design engineers have totally re-modelled both the front and rear body sections in-house, using lightweight composites instead of steel, the result being a highly distinctive nose section and pronounced fastback rear. Despite the inclusion of an additional 70-litre LPG reservoir to go with the existing, 13-gallon petrol tank, the Breckland Beira features a significant increase in usable luggage space with the hood down, thanks to some clever packaging solutions.

GM steel doors are used to ensure excellent side-impact protection and good sealing properties, while crash protection front and rear is provided by transverse aluminium crush structures attached to the hydro-formed steel chassis. Both front and rear bulkheads are steel to provide rigidity to the windscreen and hood.

Bespoke interior Breckland Beira features a custom-built interior, including electric windows, air conditioning, twin airbags - in the steering wheel and in the passenger dash - combined with clear, concise instrumentation, and hand-stitched leather/Alcantara seats and trim.

Breckland stresses that the Beira's interior can be customised to specific buyer requirements in terms of materials and equipment - one significant benefit of the company's inherent flexibility as a low-volume producer.
The stylish central instrument cluster incorporates a double DIN showcase of mobile entertainment from in-car specialists, Clarion.

Its immense specification includes a 7" TFT colour touch screen, DVD player, direct iPod and Bluetooth connectivity, and an in-built
30Gb hard disk drive (HDD) navigation system with full European mapping. Breckland Beira buyers can also opt for the rear

reversing camera, which relays the view behind onto the same in-dash display.

A GM manual cloth hood with heated rear screen is retained on the Breckland Beira and, when folded down, stows quickly and neatly out of sight under the deck lid for a smooth, integrated appearance. This is further accentuated by the sculpted deck lid, incorporating individual fairings behind driver and passenger.

Affordability The Breckland Beira is designed very much as a high-quality low-volume, affordable sportscar for enthusiasts, and follows the

highly appealing tradition of installing an easily available, American-designed V8 engine in a small, nimble, two-seater chassis to produce an exhilarating, high-performance package. Although using a tried and trusted concept, however, Beira is very much a vehicle for the 21st century, and accomplishes this with both environmental and fuel efficiency concerns in mind.

Buick 2-2 Bengal Roadster Concept

Buick Has Uncompromising Beauty and Unique Function

Sporty Bengal is poised to become a prized possession The Buick Bengal concept vehicle, a sleekly sculpted roadster with a convertible top and featuring a high performance powertrain, state-of-the-art voice- activated controls and a next-generation audio system, is making its debut at 2001 auto shows.

The Bengal is a car with "sensual elegance and versatility," said Dave Lyon, 31, Buick brand character chief designer. "We think this car will catch the attention of younger customers."

Bengal owes its beautiful proportions to its "wheels forward" architecture, which permits a long dash-to-axle ratio, said Lyon. The look is enhanced by 20-inch wheels. "We wanted a design that's drop-dead gorgeous, and I think we achieved that."

Bengal's 110-inch wheelbase is only two inches shorter than the Buick LeSabre - but that's somewhat misleading. Because its wheels are at the corners, the overall length of the Bengal is actually 25 inches less than the 200-inch-long LeSabre.

Roadster with Surprise Seating for Four
Inside, Bengal's leather seating gives driver and passengers the feel of comfortable club chairs, said Lyon. Also, leather inserts grace the wood steering wheel.

Powerful V6 with Six-Speed Auto Transmission

Bengal owes some of its exceptional handling and sculptural exterior appearance to an innovative powertrain. Its supercharged, 3.4-liter V6 engine, which generates 250 horsepower, is transverse-mounted with the six-speed automatic transmission in front of it, rather than behind. This new drivetrain creates a shorter front overhang and a more rearward center of gravity that gives Bengal great handling on curves.

The smooth power of the engine and precisefront-wheel-drive handling give this roadster self-assurance and control in all kinds of driving situations, Lyon said.

Voice Activated Controls, Head-Up Display

Quiet Servant, first shown on Buick's LaCrosse and Cielo concepts, is back -- featuring voice- activated controls from Visteon Corporation and a reconfigurable, color head-up display that shows gauges on demand. This enables the driver to control the car and its systems with voice commands or a four-position joystick on the steering wheel. As a result, the dashboard is simple and elegant and the driver operates the car with both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

Freed of the usual gauges and knobs, the entire dashboard is in fact one large flat-panel speaker from NXT Audio, anchoring Bengal's premium audio system. Altogether, there are five of these unobtrusive speakers which envelop the interior in audiophile-quality sound.

Buick General Manager Roger W. Adams said that one of the main benefits of the Quiet Servant package is to reduce the number of distractions to the driver. "This design eliminates gauges and controls - except when you need them - and allows the driver to concentrate on the road."

Target Customers are Affluent Young Families Adams said Bengal's target customers would be affluent young families that desire a fun vehicle to complement a more practical vehicle in the garage.