showcase – All about car

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

McLaren has unveiled a series of personalisation options open to buyers of its new GT through its in-house Special Operations division. The McLaren GT by MSO will make its public debut at this weekend’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It showcases a range of interior and exterior styling tweaks said to be inspired by iconic British architecture. The model is painted in a newly developed shade of silver that’s exclusive to MSO, with the door skirts, front splitter, wing mirrors, brake calipers, rear bumper and diffuser finished in the division’s graphite grey. Also included is the MSO Bright Pack, which comprises a polished titanium exhaust tip, black diamond-cut alloy wheels and chrome window surrounds. Inside, the seatbacks, sunvisors, door cards and armrest are stitched in a pattern that pays homage to the geometric canopy design of the British Museum in London. The seats are trimmed in white leather, with elements of grey leather throughout the interior continuing the exterior’s design theme. Additional interior features unique to the model include MSO-branded headrests and sills, silver-infused carbonfibre shift paddles and bespoke floormats. The GT by MSO also shows off the optional electrochromic sunroof, which can turn opaque in high-intensity sunlight and shield the car’s occupants from glare. MSO hasn’t modified the GT’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine, meaning the special edition model can accelerate from 0-62mph in 3.2sec and on to a top speed of 203mph. Ansar Ali, managing director of McLaren Special Operations, said: “We believe that the McLaren GT has class-leading elegance and sophistication and is the perfect car to further personalise, whether it be through an MSO Defined or MSO Bespoke option or, alternatively, a unique, customer-inspired design that MSO delivers a stunning interpretation of.” MSO unveiled a one-off reworking of McLaren’s new 720S Spider at this year’s Geneva motor show. As well as a unique blue-grey colour scheme, the 202mph roadster featured a carbonfibre tonneau cover, a sports exhaust and Alcantara interior trim. Costs for MSO’s range of bespoke GT upgrades are yet to be detailed, but deliveries of the standard model are scheduled to begin this autumn, with prices starting from
Origin: New McLaren GT Special Operations showcase heading to Pebble Beach