Electric Ariel Nomad created as one-off technology showcase

Leading automotive engineering firm BorgWarner has converted an Ariel Nomad off-roader into a fully electric vehicle. The one-off machine was produced as a showcase for electric powertrain technology developed by the US company and its partners. It swaps the 235bhp Honda-built 2.5-litre petrol engine usually found in the Nomad for an electric system that uses two motors to deliver a total of 268bhp. The converted Nomad is rear-wheel drive, with each motor independently driving a rear wheel through two separate eDriveGear gear sets managed by torque vectoring. BorgWarner says the set-up offers “more power and durability”. The motors draw power from a liquid-cooled 350V 30kWh power pack. BorgWarner says the machine’s extensive use of torque vectoring through the electric powertrain improves steering response, and allows for regenerative braking to extend range. The British-built Nomad was chosen for the project in part because the open-top design makes it easy for BorgWarner’s team to easily install and remove components, and it is purely intended as a one-off showcase. Kahan Yilmaz, BorgWarner’s tech boss, said the converted Nomad was a “high-voltage demonstration” that “gives us a fantastic tool to showcase our extensive capabilities, collaborate with industry partners and evaluate current and future technology at a system level”. Ariel was not involved in the project, and is currently working on a fully electric machine of its own: a 1180bhp
Origin: Electric Ariel Nomad created as one-off technology showcase

Bentley unveils one-off Continental GT art car

Bentley has unveiled a one-off version of its Continental GT W12 painted by renowned Icelandic artist Katrin Fridriks. Created as a collaboration between London’s JD Malat Gallery and Bentley’s Jack Barclay dealership, the car wears a custom livery inspired by Fridriks’ show, Speed of Light – Commander. The car’s paintwork is primarily black, but Fridriks’ addition of a swirling grey pattern is said to imbue “the car with a sense of speed and motion, even at rest”. In her wider Speed of Light – Commander show, Fridriks adopts speed as a central motif, focusing more particularly on the speed of light. Fridriks said: “I’m so excited about working in partnership with Jack Barclay Bentley to create this unique, automotive artwork. “It’s the perfect marriage of the cornerstones of my art – capturing speed and energy, design, craftsmanship, precision and a strive for excellence.” The model pictured here is a show car, but Bentley will make one Fridriks art car available for sale, with the buyer able to specify their preferred trim. Pricing is available on application, and expected to be well in excess of the standard W12’s £159,000 starting price. The one-off has been signed by the artist, and will be on display at Jack Barclay Bentley in Mayfair, London, until 7 October, alongside a collection of her other works. It will then travel to the nearby JD Malat Gallery to be shown at a number of special events. The Continental artwork is the latest in a series of limited-run and one-off models unveiled by Bentley this year. As part of the firm’s 100th anniversary celebrations, it has launched special editions of its Bentayga, Continental, Flying Spur and Mulsanne models, as well as reviving its iconic Blower and Corniche classic sports
Origin: Bentley unveils one-off Continental GT art car

One-off Chevrolet eCOPO Camaro headed to auction block

Chevy shocked the aftermarket world when it zapped into SEMA last year with its eCOPO Camaro, a concept car that amped up drag racers across the nation so much it hertz.We all good on dad jokes, now? Cool.At the time, the eCOPO concept was based on the 2019 COPO (and not the hideous 2019 SS, thankfully) and driven by an electric motor providing the equivalent of more than 700 horsepower. With about 600 lb.-ft. of torque, Chevy estimated the thing could pull a quarter-mile in the nine-second range.Now, the works of it is being auctioned off by Russo and Steele as part of the action at Monterey Car Week. The thing is an electrical tour de force, as the electric motor is based on a pair of Borg-Warner HVH 250-150 motor assemblies.Each of them generate 300 lb.-ft. of torque and completely replaces the gas engine. It is connected to a conventional racing-prepared Turbo 400 automatic transmission that channels the motors torque to the same solid rear axle used in the production COPO Camaro race cars.When it was being developed, Chevrolet partnered with Hancock and Lane Racing partly because of the teams success in NHRA drag racing but also its involvement with Patrick McCue. You may recognize that name as a driving force behind the record-holding Shock and Awe electric drag racing car and his Seattle-area Bothell High School automotive technology program.(Its worth mentioning that, thanks to the latter, more than a dozen students participated in the development and assembly of the electrified drag car.)Its the Hancock and Lane connection that likely allows this eCOPO to appear on the auction block. The general understanding is that the racing company, not Chevy, actually owns the car, meaning it may not be GM whos offering it for sale. Russo and Steele plan to auction the eCOPO on Friday night around 8:45 pm, according to its website, and goes on to say the car has many unique parts other than its drivetrain, including a one-off hood and a copious number of special badges.And, yes, the eCOPO does have a real VIN. Just dont try to pull any funny stuff at the
Origin: One-off Chevrolet eCOPO Camaro headed to auction block

Is the new De Tomaso a copy of this Glickenhaus one-off?

There are no take-backs on the Internet. Especially when tens of thousands of people’re watching your social media accounts. But that seems to be fine with James Glickenhaus, the American filmmaker and owner/manager of boutique exotic shop Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus (SCG), who hasn’t even bothered to try to delete the Twitter and Instagram insults he recently lobbed at the new De Tomaso P72 and its creators. Glickenhaus quotes himself in an Instagram post from @glickenhaus (as well as in a Tweet) saying in no uncertain terms that the P72 directly rips off his P3/4 and P4/5, as well as interior features from Pagani. He also throw in a little diss on American artist Jeff Koons for some reason. View this post on Instagram Due to the increasing cascade of posts like “Nah, I don’t see any similarities, LOL” and inquiries from the Fourth Estate, here are our responses: “They put tracing paper over our P 3/4, pasted on much of our P 4/5, stole an interior from Horacio, pumped it up like a Vargas Girl and turned it into Anime. I see Koons not Caravaggio.” Jim Glickenhaus “Copy, noun: ‘a thing made to be similar or identical to another’” Jesse Glickenhaus #ferrarip45bypininfarina A post shared by Glickenhaus (@glickenhaus) on Jul 8, 2019 at 7:41am PDTDe Tomaso claims the P72 is a new design inspired by the brand’s P70 of the early 1960s. The P70 began as a collaboration between Carroll Shelby, Alejandro De Tomaso and Peter Brock, with Shelby bringing the motor, De Tomaso the chassis and Brock the design. It was never officially finished. We refuse to take sides on this one, but the cars certainly have their similarities, including the shape of the front end, as well as the canopy. Just different enough to avoid actual plagiarism. Similar enough to the sincerest form of flattery. Think Ferrari Barchetta and AC Ace. Charles L. Rosenblum (@CharlzR) July 8, 2019As one Twitter commenter points out, maybe Glickenhaus should just take it as a compliment. De Tomaso will make just 72 of the P72s. And at US$1.1 million each, if they’re “copies” as Glickenhaus claims, they’re pretty darn good ones.
Origin: Is the new De Tomaso a copy of this Glickenhaus one-off?

Ferrari one-off models have five-year waiting list

The growing trend for one-off Ferraris is in response to clients’ increasing demands for extreme personalisation, says Ferrari commercial and marketing boss Enrico Galliera. Such is demand, Galliera says unique models “have the longest waiting list of all our product lines” at four to five years. “The client has not only a unique car but a unique experience working with the designer in the process. It’s the pinnacle of Ferrari,” he commented. The Italian supercar maker has recently revealed two one-offs, the P80/C and SP3JC. Unique Ferrari models are not available to anyone, explains Galliera: “It is offered to top clients only. We receive requests from clients, and it won’t be considered unless they are in a pool of our top 250 clients or so.” Despite growing demand, Ferrari will only produce two to three one-offs a year, to ensure the access to such models remains exclusive and because production capacity won’t allow more. The P80/C, based on the 488 GT3 race car, has the longest development time of any Ferrari one-off made to date. Galliera said a typical one-off takes 18 to 24 months to complete, but this took between two and a half and three years. “This car was never going to be a road-legal car, so there were no limitations on what we could do,” he explained. A number of top-end car makers, including McLaren, Rolls-Royce and Bentley, have shown interest in producing unique models in recent years, no doubt largely motivated by strong profit margins and brand
Origin: Ferrari one-off models have five-year waiting list

Skoda builds one-off Karoq-based SUV for cyclists

Skoda has unveiled a one-off concept version of the Karoq, which boasts a number of modifications aimed at cycling enthusiasts. The Karoq Velo was conceived by Skoda’s UK design team, which carried out a survey of more than 1500 cyclists to determine what features to fit to the SUV. Skoda’s research found that 27% of the cyclists said a major downside of riding is returning to their vehicle in dirty or damp cycling wear. As a result, the Velo features a spin cycle washing machine and integrated pressure washer, meaning owners can clean their clothes and bike before loading the car after a ride. A full tool kit and puncture repair facilities also feature, in response to the 31% of survey respondents who reported mechanical issues as a major obstacle to enjoying cycling. A comprehensive LED lighting system means that night-time repairs can be carried out without the need to hold a torch or locate a streetlight. In addition to the two slots on its conventional roof-mounted bike rack, the Velo can carry a third bicycle in a bespoke cradle mounted in the boot, in the name of enhanced security and protection from the elements. Included with the Velo is a Follow Me drone, which can be set up to track a cyclist through their ride and capture photos, before returning to a bespoke bonnet-mounted magnetic landing pad. Any footage taken can then be immediately uploaded to the internet, thanks to the Velo’s inbuilt Wi-Fi hotspot. Further connectivity comes in the form of Skoda’s emergency call function, which can be activated to send the vehicle’s location immediately to Skoda and obtain urgent assistance. The Karoq Velo is a one-off concept not destined for sale, but a fully-working example will be used as a cycling support vehicle in the coming months. Skoda recently revealed the Mountiaq, an off-road pick-up version of the larger Kodiaq SUV, which was built by students at the firm’s in-house vocational
Origin: Skoda builds one-off Karoq-based SUV for cyclists

Rolls-Royce to auction one-off 115th anniversary 2020 Phantom

Rolls-Royce is marking its 115th anniversary with a one-off 2020 Phantom to be auctioned off online by Canadian firm RM Sotheby’s later this year. R-R and RM Sotheby’s announced the special build during a five-course dinner and anniversary celebration held at RM Sotheby’s recently revamped NYC gallery. Fittingly high-brow. You can’t really see what you probably can’t afford yet, though, as all Rolls-Royce has given us is the above artist’s drawing. The colour is probably close, as it did disclose the bespoke car will be red. The interior will play home to “an original hand-crafted leather work of art” of some sort, and there’ll be multiple anniversary markings like numbered door sills, plaques and perhaps some limited-ed badges on the exterior. Rolls-Royce’s 115th birthday was actually May 4. On that date in 1904, Henry Royce and Charles Rolls got together at a hotel in Manchester and formed the company that would bring us cars like the Corniche, the Ghost, the Wraith and of course the Phantom. “While Roll-Royce motor cars have a history of crossing the block at RM Sotheby’s, tonight we are looking to the future of the brand,” said Martin Fritsches, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Americas, at the NYC event. “The eighth-generation Phantom will carry the longest running name in luxury motoring into a new era. Built on the ‘architecture of luxury,’ this new Phantom commission offers one special owner the chance to enjoy a motor car that is bound to be a classic over the next 115 years.” As to how much would such a classic cost, there’s been no official word. The base Phantom comes in at over half a million dollars, and that’s before the options. A bespoke anniversary edition Phantom like this has the potential to be the feather in the cap of some immensely wealthy individual’s collection. It will not go cheap. The one-off 2020 Rolls-Royce Phantom will go up on the auction block at Sothebys.com this
Origin: Rolls-Royce to auction one-off 115th anniversary 2020 Phantom