The new 2009 Peugeot RC concept continues the design language set out by the Peugeot RC ♠ and RC ♦ concepts released in 2006, striking cars that ended up showing bits and pieces of Peugeot's actual new design language.
Information is sparse on the new Peugeot electric sports sedan concept, possibly because as what Peugeot calls a "working laboratory," it hasn't completely been... finished yet.
The new Peugeot RC... whatever it ends up being called... concept is part of a growing trend among automakers toward developing and offering performance electric or hybrid electric sports cars. While every driver on the road would love the fuel economy of a Toyota Prius, many drivers will not settle for 10 second 0-60 times.
It is an exciting time in the automotive industry, as electric, hydrogen-burning and fuel cell technologies have left the stage of vaporware and are now beginning to become available in consumer cars. These fuel efficient performance cars have moved past the stage of dreams to realities, and the next step is to bring them to the stage of profitability and marketability.
Similar to the drivetrain model used in the upcoming Chevy Volt, the 2009 Peugeot RC concept promises the ability to run solely off electric power for extended periods, with a hybrid electric powertrain filling in the gaps when extra range is needed.
While it is clear from the wishful-thinking design that the Peugeot RC concept is a good distance from being built, the fact that another large player in the car business is actively developing this technology is a cause for excitement among tree huggers and autocrossers alike.
At least we can all agree on something.
PEUGEOT SHOWCASES NEW HYBRID CONCEPT CAR AT THE PARIS MOTOR SHOW
Official Peugeot News Release...
The 'RC...' whose full name will be revealed at the Paris Motor Show, is a hybrid concept car created from the passion and expertise of Peugeot's stylists and engineers.
It is a 'GT' coupé which provides the missing link between the RC ♠ and RC ♦ concept cars revealed in 2002 and the 908 RC, one of the stars of the 2006 Paris Motor Show. It's a working laboratory of many future ideas and brings together numerous stylistic, engineering and technological ideas all in a single vehicle.
The 'RC...' is also an accessible and versatile car, with four doors, four seats and highly innovative hybrid architecture.
Its aim: a very high level of efficiency both in terms of performance (with its potential maximum power output of 313 bhp) and minimal impact on the environment (CO2 emissions of 109 g/km in the combined cycle or ZERO in electric mode).
It is an exciting, eco-efficient vehicle which has all the characteristics that also ensure great driving enjoyment; a synthesis of ideas which demonstrates that respect for the environment and driving pleasure can be compatible.
Dodge Demon is an answer to the worrying concerns of the rising fuel price and the environmental hazards. The four-cylinder engine is capable of yielding a six-speed manual transmission.
The elegant interior of the Demon concept car is an inspiration from the old British sports car models. The new roadster promises a lot of fun with its interior modifications suitable for a thrilling driving experience. The cute carbon black cabin is decorated with three-spoke steering wheel and four-gauge cluster. The stitching on the seats has the smooth but contrasting pattern to appeal the eyes; the seams on the dashboard, door panels and seats are done with silver threads.
Unlike the typical cars, the console of the sports car Dodge Demon is not attached to the instrument panel; rather it is controlled by a silver and black manual shift knob. The instrument panel is equipped with all trendy instruments- the gauges, circular AC outlets, radio, etc.- enclosed by a gauzed aluminum bezel. There is a raised plateau at the rear of the console that is provided with a storage bin. The portion of the console under the instrument panel serves as an open storage space.
The exterior of the concept car Demon reminds you of the classic Dodge cars. The brawny lines, the gauzy aluminum grill, and the 19-inch aluminum wheels- all add flavor to the contemporary Dodge Demon. On the other hand, the projector headlamps and the hood add the traditional styles of the British cars.
But why the name 'Demon'? Doesn't it sound a bit evilish? Yes, with the new style and the angry-looking face, it is going to be devilish to its competitors on the road. The small cute body of this sports car offers a new challenge to the so-called muscular Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky. The Demon weighs about 250 pounds less than the mentioned sports cars. It makes a huge difference while performing!
Is Mazda Miata, the roadster that ruled the road for the past few years, listening? With the little Demon offering new challenges, the veteran roadster now has a reason to worry and needs to really push hard to reach the finishing line with its 2.0L four-cylinder engine.
Jae Chung, Principal Exterior Designer of Dodge Demon, Chrysler Group, compares the Dodge Demon with the legendary exotic car Viper and says, "While the iconic Dodge Viper is a dream car for many, the Dodge Demon is designed to be an attainable dream car."
With its bold design, with the powerful attitude, and the reasonable price, this young roadster is going to bring success to the company.
Sure, the little Demon is going to be a challenge to the Vipers too.
Autodelta's presence in Geneva is made more poignant by the recent appointment of its latest international dealer, Swiss-based B+K Automobile AG. Equipped with access to Autodelta's most popular and powerful models, which are tailor-made to customer specifications, this new dealer hopes to satisfy its clientele's wish for a car which combines beauty and an outstanding sporting heritage, with the benefit of extra power and enhanced performance. B+K Automobile AG will have two Autodelta demonstration cars on hand for potential customers to drive.
Autodelta arrives at the 75th Geneva Salon, after a highly successful 2004, when their new strategic direction of creating bespoke, individually-tailored Alfa Romeo models paid off handsomely. It all started with the debut of the 328 bhp Autodelta 147 GTA AM 3.7 at the prestigious MPH03 Motor Show. This car moved BBC Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson to enthuse that "mad amounts of power and astounding grip make this the hottest hatch - ever!" Then the Autodelta 156 GTA AM 3.7 arrived last summer, snapping at the heels of its little sister, before the Autodelta GT Super, embracing the latest supercharging technology, completed the line-up when it was unveiled at MPH04.
Autodelta firmly believe that with the arrival of the Autodelta Brera J5 3.2 C they have developed a high-performance sports car that is true to the Autodelta brand values: practical and user-friendly as well as being blisteringly quick and boasting agile handling. A car embedded truly with Autodelta's DNA.
The Autodelta J5 3.2 C has received the firm's famous "J-series" designation. The first time it has been designated on an Autodelta model in five years, this individual tag was previously applied to the GTV / Spider (J10), 156 (J11) and 147 (J12). The "J" (referring to the company's founder, Jano Djelalian) denotes that this is a highly-exclusive, hand-built, bespoke Autodelta model; a car that presents the driver with sheer exhilaration at the wheel while at the same cosseting him in comfortable, prestigious surroundings, and - so important at Autodelta where high performance is always coupled to genuine practicality - adhering the historic motto of the world-famous Alfa Romeo performance division: "A victory a day with the everyday car."
Meanwhile, the "C" designation stands for "Compressore". Announcing that this new car is supercharged brings another strong Autodelta tradition into the equation, one that has become very central to their engineering philosophy in recent years. With a huge wealth of experience in supercharging - including its application on the famous 'Arese V6' with a 400 bhp step arriving in final stages of its development, as well as on the direct-injection JTS engine, where Autodelta is the only company worldwide to offer forced induction on this Alfa Romeo unit (and in fact of all the major carmakers only VW have a production supercharged direct-injection engine) - it was logical that Autodelta would turn to this tradition as they looked to raise the Brera's bite in the power stakes. The Brera J5 3.2 C's dedicated supercharger unit is supplied by Rotrex to Autodelta; in fact the Rotrex C30-94 is considered to be the most compact supercharging unit available today noted for its durability, light inherent weight and compact form; Rotrex superchargers were also chosen by Koenigsegg to power their CCX supercar, which set the record for the fastest production car in the world.
The Autodelta Brera offers 348 bhp and 317 lb-ft of torque, the additional 88 bhp over the standard model turning this into a powerful four wheel drive 2+2 sportscar easily capable of fulfilling its driver's innermost demands and desires. 0-60 mph is achieved in 5.1 seconds while top speed is 162 mph.
A brand new stainless-steel exhaust system, created in conjunction with Autodelta's exhaust development partner Ragazzon, offers optimum gasflow properties as well as a distinct Alfa Romeo exhaust "note", and is immediately recognizable by its quad-oval tail pipes which are each engraved with the Autodelta legend. The suspension has been re-worked with new Autodelta Sport Line Dampers with Coil Over springs being specially developed for the car; while an upgraded braking system perfectly manages the additional requirements demanded of it by all the extra power.
Autodelta is also about style, and this area of the car has not been neglected by our experienced design team. A typical Alfa Romeo driver demands performance with inherent Italian styling; understated but individual. An Autodelta driver also makes these demands, but pushed to a further level; understated charms combined with aggression, sleek yet with the exclusive handcrafted Autodelta tradition instantly recognizable. To achieve these core requirements Autodelta's designers have evolved the "F1 look" that they first introduced on the Autodelta GT Super in 2004 and then the Autodelta 147 GTA AM Super (2005). With this dashing styling treatment, the front bumper arches upwards to meet the traditional "heart" grille, that most famous of all Alfa Romeo symbols, and one which sets an Alfa Romeo apart from the crowd. At the rear, the customary Autodelta splitter enhances the curving rump of the Brera.
The subtle but distinctive looks of the Brera J5 3.2 C are finally completed by 19-inch OZ Racing Ultraleggera wheels and Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tires.
As Autodelta rapidly approach their 20th Anniversary in 2007, and rise to the exciting opportunities and challenges that the new breed of Alfa Romeo models provides them, this new bespoke model truly heralds the arrival of a new era for the performance house.
Now, almost 40 years after the naissance of the Gran Turismo Alleggerita tag, leading Alfa Romeo tuning and design house Autodelta, are proud to unveil their latest creation: the Autodelta Alfa Romeo 156 GTA AM with Selespeed transmission, a car appropriately drawn from another classic Giugiaro design.
Based in London, Autodelta was founded in 1987 by the talented young engineer Jano Djelalian. The inspiration for his company's name came from the original Alfa Romeo racing team of the 1960s - the team that successfully campaigned the original GTA series. Their latest offering is certainly worthy of the glorious Autodelta name and could be regarded as homage to everything the GTA legend stood for - "A victory a day with the everyday car."
Inspired in part by Alfa Romeo's hugely successful FIA European Touring Car Championship cars, the Autodelta 156 GTA AM, is set to capture the hearts and imagination of Alfa Romeo enthusiasts around the world.
As with everything in life, first impressions are important. The 156 GTA AM's flared out wheel arches, 18-inch multispoke wheels and revised front and rear spoilers with quad tailpipes epitomize what high-performance Alfa Romeo motoring is all about.
Autodelta's Creativestudio design branch has successfully evolved the original shape set forward by Giugiaro, making a purposeful statement without upsetting the delicate line of the 156. With its generous air intakes, the front bumper insinuates the car's tuned 3.7-liter V6 engine. The increased air intake area at the front improves airflow to the engine and oil cooler.
The engine itself uses 101 mm bore forged pistons, gas flowed heads and is lightened and balanced. The factory injection system has also been reprogrammed, whilst a larger Ferrari derived throttle body is fitted. The electronics have also been re-mapped and modified to work with the Selespeed transmission. Already an object of great beauty, the Alfa Romeo V6 engine is now visually complemented by a sport carbon air intake.
Due to a wider front and rear track, the front and rear wings have been flared out. Totally new lightweight front wings now form a perfect 'wasp-waist', enhancing the car's powerful stance. The rear wheel arches have been offset by razor-sharp extensions, leading upwards to meet the rear optical units. Revised side skirts connect the muscular wheel arches, and include air outlets.
The taillights themselves are also unique to the Autodelta 156 range, incorporating four individual round elements behind clear lenses. A new rear bumper takes on the style of Autodelta's recent Alfa 147 GTA AM, providing a clear link between Autodelta's models.
Quad tailpipes protrude from the rear bumper, and are positioned either side of an air diffuser. The stainless freeflow exhaust has been developed by Autodelta, and greatly reduces the amount of back pressure over the standard GTA system. The rear end is completed by a subtle lip spoiler on the boot.
Autodelta's gorgeous multispoke 18-inch alloy wheels draw attention towards the meaty 6-pot brake calipers and heat-treated 355 mm cross-drilled and vented brake discs, which are complete with aluminum bells. This revised braking system, which includes special compound pads, has been developed by Autodelta and AP Racing to cope with the bucket load of extra horses. It is worth comparing these with the standard 4-pot Alfa 156 GTA Brembo brakes with 330 mm diameter discs.
The suspension system has also been upgraded, with stiffer performance-orientated bushes, height adjustable dampers with new coil springs and revised geometry settings for maximum body control.
Despite the car's competition inspired looks, Autodelta have developed the car for user-friendly everyday driving - their engineers, with Alfa tradition coursing through their veins, careful to remember this is after all a saloon. The end package is slightly gentler than the Autodelta 147 GTA AM, if 'gentle' is really a word we can associate with this blisteringly quick car!
An Autodelta-developed limited slip differential has also been included to help relay the extra power through the uprated clutch and custom-built 8.5 x 18" light alloy wheels shod with 235/40 R18 tires.
The Autodelta Alfa Romeo 156 GTA AM will be strictly customer-built, and each vehicle will have its own plaque carrying the serial number. With Alfa Romeo's own version still bearing the old body design, Autodelta are certain to proclaim another victory with the GTA label.
