UniqueONES Maybe not many people know the Porsche-built sports car in the late 1980s. In appearance, this sports car at a glance reminds us of the Porsche 911 made by the German automaker from the same era, but has an unusual appearance like a sand-buggy.
The
mentioned car was Porsche Panamericana Concept, is built on the basis of the all-wheel-drive 911 Carrera 4, and its bodywork was built with plastic and carbon fiber panels. This 2-passenger, 2-door sports coupe concept produced by Porsche AG.and presented to Ferry Porsche on his
80th birthday at the time. It designed by Harm Lagaay (designer) and Ulrich Bez (technical director) to renew the design of the Porsche 911.
Interior and dashboard view of 1989 Porsche Panamericana Concept. (Picture from: FabWheelsDigest)
The Porsche Panamericana Concept is powered
by a horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine driving all four wheels
and combined with 5-speed manual transmition system,
that translated to a top speed in the 160 mph or beyond, and
acceleration to 60 mph in under 6 seconds.
Left side view of 1989 Porsche Panamericana Concept. (Picture from: FabWheelsDigest)
There's an outstanding characteristic
of the car were its wide wheel covers with the objective to have enough
room for various sizes of rims and tires, so if necessary it could be
transformed in an off-road car. FYI, the three part Speedline rims were made exclusively for this model.
Rear side view of 1989 Porsche Panamericana Concept. (Picture from: FabWheelsDigest)
The
roof line was homogeneously streamlined and sloped gently towards the
rear engine deck. It could be covered with a waterproof fabric with a
pink zipper. Various roof configurations were possible be applied on the car, which implies as the car could be an hybrid of a targa, convertible, coupe and off-roader.
Whether Ferry Porsche ever used to car to blast across sand dunes or pretend he was in a Group B rally race is unknown. With the growing financial crisis at Porsche at the end of 1980s put an end to the possibility of actual production. Today, the unique concept sits in Porsche's museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. *** [EKA [24072015] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | FABWHEELSDIGEST | HOWSTUFFWORKS]
RareONES Every time we exploring the cyberspace up to corners, we always find a unique figure of automotive creations is rarely seen and known by people. So, this time, again we've found the unique GTM Libra sportscar that we've never known and seen before, it made by a British manufacturer named GTM (Grand Touring Mini) Cars Ltd.
The GTM Libra is debuted at 1998, and was targeting a niche market for more affordable compact sports cars as similar size to the Lotus Elise. (Picture from: AutoBild.de)
Actually Libra is not the only kitcar model from the British automotive company that has been established since 1967, there have been several other models ever made such as the Cox GTM Coupé, GTM Coupé, GTM Rossa, and others. In fact, Libra is the most famous and successful in terms of sales among the models that have been produced by GTM ever.
The GTM Libra has old-fashioned nose similar to a 70s sports car, round headlights and fog lights, an air intake that looks like the mouth of a catfish. (Picture from: Wikipedia)
Even though it was developed as a kitcar, Libra has an appearance that is no less beautiful than the similar-sized intact sports car made by a well-known manufacturer. It can be described visually, this compact-sized British sports car has a length of about 3.56 m, width of 1.65 m, height none less of 1.15 m and a wheelbase of about 2.32 m.
The GTM Libra has an appearance that is no less unique and beautiful than the similar-sized intact sports car made by a well-known manufacturer. (Picture from: BradleyJamesClassics)
Before launched, the car was developed for about three years by GTM Cars directors Peter Beck and Paddy Fitch, in collaboration with designer Richard Oakes and suspension designer Bryn Davies. As quoted from Wikipedia, the Libra was launched on the UK kitcar market back in 1998, and it seems that the automaker was targeting a niche market for more affordable compact sports cars as similar size to the Lotus Elise.
At first launched, the GTM Libra was initially powered by an 1.4 liter Rover 'K'-Series engine. (Picture from: Wikipedia)
Though the GTM Libra was conceived as a compact-sized sports car, but the auto maker still maintain to strive for the lightest possible weight, for that why the car does not use subframes for its suspension system, instead all the mounts are bolted directly to its GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) monocoque body.
It uses unequal length wishbones of GTM design at the front occupying uprights from the Rover Metro/100 range and a forward mounted steering rack for extra legroom. While the rear suspension is an unusual double trailing arm design, bolted to the rear bulkhead and using the same uprights as the front.
The GTM Spyder launched in 2000 as the Libra' convertible version, no wonder if it carried detail components used on the Libra, plus many more that have been made specifically for the mid-engined convertible. (Picture from: Diseno-Art)
At first launched, the GTM Libra was initially powered by an 1.4 liter Rover 'K'-Series engine, later also it has been fitted successfully with 1.6, 1.8, 1.8 VVC and KV6 2.5 liter Rover engines as well as the Toyota 2ZZ-GE, some Honda units and the Audi 1.8T turbo engine.
The GTM Spyder was completely styled by Richard Oakes in further two years development to create it to be a such true British open top sports car. (Picture from: Wikipedia)
Then the GTM Libra's engine or transmission unit is held in a frame hanging off the rear bulkhead, a frame which also locates the rear hinging engine cover which incorporates a sizeable boot which can accommodate a full size set of golf clubs.
There is nothing special about the interior of the GTM Spyder where the dashboard is filled with only a steering wheel and a simple instrument panel with three main car's gauges. (Picture from: CarEnthusiast)
The front 'clamshell' conceals the radiator, battery, master cylinders etc. and also manages to stow a full size spare wheel (either 16" or 17"). Meanwhile its removable roof panel can be stowed behind the seats for an open top driving experience.
The GTM Spyder is the most dramatically changed moulding requiring major modifications to the closed box sections within the tub to replace the rigidity lost from removing the roof section. (Picture from: CarEnthusiast)
Not only that, by benefiting from the engineering which had been developed during the creation of the Libra, the manufacturer launched its convertible version called GTM Spyder in 2000. Many of the detail components used on the Libra are carried through into the Spyder, plus many more that have been made specifically for the mid-engined convertible.
Just like Libra, the GTM Spyder was completely styled by Richard Oakes in further two years development to create it to be a such true British open top sports car. The central monocoque of the GTM Spyder is the most dramatically changed moulding requiring major modifications to the closed box sections within the tub to replace the rigidity lost from removing the roof section.
Further strengthening to the floor pan was added along with a redesigned rear bulkhead. In all about 30 kilos have been added to the weight of the central tub, unfortunately the additional strengthening and modifications to the rear bulkhead have removed the option of fitting the most powerful 2.5 litre V6 engine.
ForgottenONES The world's automotive enthusiasts must have heard the name Franco Sbarro. That's right, he is a renowned Italian-born Swiss car designer, automaker, and also the founder of a school where students study the art of designing and building motorized vehicles. To this day, maybe it's countless how many motor vehicles ever designed by him together with young experts who graduated from his school.
The Lancia Ionos by Sbarro sports car concept was actually inspired by the original design of the Lancia Stratos, which was then developed in such a way as to create their own interpretation of the car. (Picture from: Pinterest)
Among the many great works that have been produced by Sbarro, it turned out that there were some that had caught our attention to be discussed, and this time the choice fell on a unique car named Lancia Ionos by Sbarro, supposedly it was built to be the modern interpretation of the iconic Lancia Stratos racing car, and debuted at the Geneva Motor Show 1997.
The Lancia Ionos sports car concept posed along with its creator Franco Sbarro. (Picture from: Autokult.pl)
How can it all be connected? Let's start with the names, which are both inspired by the layers of our Earth's atmosphere. As the name of Stratos is associated with the stratosphere, the name of Ionos also comes from the ionosphere.
The Lancia Ionos by Sbarro one-off car concept carries a pure sports racing style, and has a low and sleek bodywork, and an aggressive front-end with small headlights. (Picture from: Autokult.pl)
So, this car project, which was the responsibility of Franca Sbarro's design school students, was actually inspired by the original design of the Lancia Stratos, which was then developed in such a way as to create their own interpretation of the car, so that finally the Lancia emblem was pinned in front.
The Lancia Ionos sports car concept is compact in size at 3,800 mm long, 1,800 mm wide, just 1,100 mm high and has a wheelbase of 2,270 mm. (Picture from: TheAutoChannel)
This one-off car concept carries a pure sports racing style. So in appearance you would find this Sbarro-designed car has a low and sleek bodywork, and an aggressive front-end with small headlights. Then its sports car impression is further emphasized by the presence of butterfly-styled doors that open upwards. While, the rear features semi-circular taillights and twin exhaust tips.
The Lancia Ionos sports car concept's cockpit refers to the construction of the helmet's protective glass, where the transparent parts on the front and sides resemble a visor. (Picture from: Autokult.pl)
This two-seater concept car is compact in size at 3,800 mm long, 1,800 mm wide, just 1,100 mm high and has a wheelbase of 2,270 mm. Uniquely, the cockpit of this Lancia Ionos by Sbarro concept refers to the construction of the helmet's protective glass, where the transparent parts on the front and sides resemble a visor.
The Lancia Ionos sports car concept is powered by a mid-mounted 10-cylinder engine with a certain arrangement of cylinders in an inverted V shape, or as Sbarro himself prefers to call it in the letter A-shape. (Picture from: Autokult.pl)
Remarkably, the Lancia Ionos by Sbarro concept car is powered by a mid-mounted 10-cylinder engine with a certain arrangement of cylinders in an inverted V shape, or as Sbarro himself prefers to call it in the letter A-shape. This engine was specially created by combining two units of the 2.4 liter 5 cylinder inline taken from the Lancia Kappa.
The Lancia Ionos sports car concept's unusual engine capable of producing around 405 hp, and does not significantly increase the weight of the vehicle which only weighs 1,100 kg. (Picture from: Autokult.pl)
This unusual machine is claimed to be capable of producing around 405 hp, and does not significantly increase the weight of the vehicle which only weighs 1,100 kg. The arrangement of the cylinders in the shape of the letter A makes it possible to tuck in the Porsche 911 Carrera 4's gearbox system between the rows of cylinders, and also the 4-wheel drive system is also taken from the same model.
Furthermore, this Sbarro's concept car adopts Mercedes-Benz's exhaust system and also equipped with a Brembo brake system. Even though the Lancia Ionos by Sbarro concept is 26 years old, it still looks fresh and original. In fact, the car never went into production, but it is one of the most interesting projects under the name of Franco Sbarro to this day. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SBARRO.PHCALVET.FR | AUTOKULT.PL | THEAUTOCHANNEL ]
NEW Hypercars Some time ago at the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix racing event held on May 3, 2023, you can see there's an exhibition activities carried out by the Turin-based automaker, Laffite Automobili. In fact, it was not an impromptu event, the company had announced 1 month ago with the tagline that it wants to create a real revolution by launching its first model.
Laffite Automobili launched five
electric hypercars at once (from left to right) such the Laffite Atrax
Off-Road, the Atrax Stradale, the LM1, the Barchetta Coupe, and the
Barchetta at the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix 2023. (Picture from: NewsRnD)
Maybe some of you are unfamiliar with the Italian auto manufacturer. This is commonplace because the auto brand formed by Bruno Laffite together with Pascal Cohen in 1998 was originally managing race track and karting school academies. Their common passion for racing and vison for street legal racing cars started 30 years ago, and still remain.
The Laffite LM1 prototype has an exterior appearance that is very thick
with the spirit of the 24-Hours Le Mans race. (Picture from: 20Minutes.fr)
After the auto company founded, it's known the Laffite completed its first hypercars design and engineering processes in 2014, then its first street legal SUV hypercar, the Laffite X Road went out of productions in 2019 and got immediately sold out.
The Laffite LM1 prototype posed along with the company founder Bruno Laffite and Pascal Cohen. (Picture from: Carscoops)
The auto marque is known in collaboration with several famous names in world's automotive such Fabrizio and Giorgetto Giugiaro, the two Italian creative souls of GFG Style, an independent and established style center. As well as, L.M. Gianetti, the renowned Turin-based engineering and automobile manufacturing company.
They have been linked together as the best teams to create the most prestigious ever hypercar lines. And today, once again Laffite making history. For the first time in the industry, 3 electric hypercars are revealed the same day, during the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix.
The Laffite Barchetta featuring with a single glass canopy. (Picture from: AutoDesignMagazine)
In the heart of the F1 village, which is hosted to the announcement and launching event of the first 3 models of the brand, the Laffite LM1, the Atrax and the Barchetta, as well as their first two variations, the Atrax Stradale and the Barchetta Coupe was made by company.
Interior view of the Laffite Barchetta. (Picture from: Carscoops)
Furthermore all those three models can be classified as electric-powered hypercars, which are the result of the design work of GFG Style which was fronted by master Giorgetto Giugiaro and his son Fabrizio after leaving Italdesign. As quoted from 20Minutes.fr, the launch of these three hypercars at once is intended to pay homage to several motor sport disciplines which is reflected in their respective names.
The Laffite Barchetta Coupe featuring with a double-bubble cockpit. (Picture from: AutoDesignMagazine)
Well, the company's first car model is the Laffite LM1 which has an exterior appearance that is very thick with the spirit of the 24-Hours Le Mans race. Even though it is thick with the style of a racing car, it can be driven on the road.
As mentioned before this hypercar is powered by an electric motor capable of spitting out a maximum power of 1,167 hp and a peak torque of 2,500 Nm to drive all-the-wheels, so it can accelerate from rest to 100 kph in just 1.9 seconds and send it running up to a top speed of around 350 kph.
The Laffite Atrax (in pictured was Stradale version) proposed as a
sporty SUV with an exaggerated and extreme shape with important volumes
and generous roominess, allowing for a 2+1 seat architecture. (Picture
from: AutoDesignMagazine)
The second model named the Laffite Barchetta, which featured the most unique design among the three models exhibited by Lafitte Automobili at the time, but was also the least power of them. Its electric motor will produce 578 hp of power and 990 Nm of torque, which makes it reach 100 kph in 3.5 seconds. It will also have the shortest electric range, capable of traveling an estimated 242 miles (390 km) per charge.
The Laffite Atrax presented in two versions, ie the off-road version and
the Stradale version, designed to tackle urban roads. (Picture from: Carscoops)
As you can see, indeed the car’s true highlight is the design. By featuring a double-bubble cockpit (or a single glass canopy for the Coupe version) and a kind of roll bars (halo) that offers rollover protection, the car looks more like a concept than a production vehicle.
The Laffite Atrax (in pictured was the off-road version) featured with
butterfly doors, a carbon monocoque, and an F1-style steering wheel.
(Picture from: TheMilliardaire)
The last model was Laffite Atrax is proposed as a sporty SUV with an exaggerated and extreme shape with important volumes and generous roominess, allowing for a 2+1 seat architecture. As you can see this all-electric crossover featured with butterfly doors, a carbon monocoque, and an F1-style steering wheel.
While its drivetrain claimed to be burted out power of 1,151 hp and 2,500 Nm of torque. That will get the 4,850 lbs (or approx 2,200 kg) vehicle accelerated up to 100 kph) in just 3.8 seconds, and onto a top speed of 240 kph. The SUV is offered in either its aggressive stock configuration, or in the more road-focused Stradale trim.
Furthermore, Laffite says that it has spent more than 15,000 hours engineering each vehicle, and the company plans to sell between 24 and 26 of each model. For instance, it says the automaker will build 26 Atrax SUVs, with a starting price of $1.69 million, and said that deliveries of the first Atraxes are expected to begin in March 2024. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | LAFFITE AUTOMOBILI | THEMILLIARDAIRE | CARSCOOPS | TOPGEAR | AUTOMOTIVEEV | AUTODESIGNMAGAZINE | NEWSBREAK | 20MINUTES.FR | NEWSRND | ]
New SUV After over a year ago it launched its first electric SUV, called the Type 132 or Lotus Eletre, and now, Lotus Cars is rumored to be releasing such a compact electric SUV model which it says to be a rival for the Porsche Macan and many others.
The upcoming Lotus Type 134 is mentioned to be Porsche Macan-rivalling small electric SUV. (Picture from: BlackXperience)
Internally, the British automaker refers to its anonimous next electric SUV as the Type 134, which is planned to launch early next year along with the Type 133. So we can be sure that this is not the Eletre model was launched last year in China, and it said will have much smaller than it.
The upcoming Lotus Type 134 will have a strong focus on aerodynamics to optimise range and performance. (Picture from: BlackXperience)
Furthermore, Head of sales and marketing for Lotus, Mike Johnstone said that the company will produce the Type 134 around 75,000 units per year, which is expected to account a half of its annual sales in 2028.
The upcoming Lotus Type 134's dimension is said less than five meters long, and would be used a different platform, which likely a variant of the EPA architecture is aimed to the smaller car models. (Picture from: GiornaleDiSicikia)
So far the automaker company which has now been acquired by Chinese auto company Geely still hasn't revealed yet exact details of the anonimous model, but Johnstone hinted that it would be used a different platform, which likely a variant of the EPA architecture is aimed to the smaller car models.
The birth of the Lotus Type 132 or Eletre marks a new era of Lotus as an EV maker that draws on elements from the Evija electric hypercar and the Emira sports car. (Picture from: Autocar)
The Type 134's dimension will be less than five meters long, similar to the Polestar 4, so it's natural to be touted as a potential rival to the upcoming Porsche Macan. As mentioned above, the Type 134 will share technology with the Lotus Eletre and Type 133, though its more affordable position and more compact size could mean it has smaller battery options.
The Lotus Eletre's rear featured with its Lotus script and full-width light bar fading into triangular intakes along the sides, clearly comes from the sports cars. (Picture from: Autoblog)
It also stated that the Type 134 will be tasked with delivering the bulk of Lotus' planned sales growth, Johnstone is adamant that ensuring it maintains the company's core philosophy of performance and driving dynamics will be at the heart of the development.
The speculative rendering images of what it could be like the Lotus Type 133 or Lotus Envya performance sedan that shares many components with Eletre. (Picture from: WhichCar)
"A great deal of effort has gone into ensuring the future cars we introduce to market are in the way you would expect Lotus to handle them. Take Eletre for example: the attributes team has been involved in its development, people who understand what it's like to drive a Lotus," as Johnstone concluded.
The speculative rendering images of what it could be like the Lotus Type 133 or Lotus Envya supplied by Theottle. (Picture from: WhichCar)
It could be said that the Type 134 is Lotus's
ticket to get into the smaller vehicle and more affordable segments
where the company hopes to make a significant buzz. Like the Eletre, this SUV was built with a focus on aerodynamics to optimize range and performance, which is likely to result in a dashing coupé-esque roofline..
Wait&See Before we start discussing the hypercar that will be built by the German car manufacturer. As we all know, various world's top automotive brands have started preparing their newest, more sophisticated electric hypercars. But for Porsche to present their hypercar, they have to wait at least another 5 years to come.
2015 Porsche 918 Spyder, known as the hot hybrid that helped kickstart Porsche's EV movement. (Picture from: MotorTrend)
So, as reported by Carscoops, Porsche said that the German car manufacturer needed more time to develop their hypercar battery. According to them, the battery technology must match the character of a hypercar which also has a very high performance orientation.
The Porsche Mission R is the vision of an all-electric vehicle developed by Porsche equipped with a battery-electric drivetrain for customer motorsports.. (Picture from: MotorTrend)
Furthermore, the German manufacturer through Michael Steiner as the head of Porsche's R&D Departement said they were trying to adapt the right battery cell technology to be implemented into their hypercar.
"In the midst of our battery technology development, we noticed a dynamic change in battery cell technology that is suitable for our hypercars. So we have to ensure that this technology is suitable for our hypercars," said Steiner.
The new Porsche Taycan GTS now charges the Porsche electric driving experience with even more intense emotions. (Picture from: MotorTrend)
He also mentioned that the development of this battery requires at least 2 years. In addition, several technologies such as chassis, drivetrain, and several other developments also require a long development time.
Porsche itself actually already has a new hypercar model that will reportedly be used in the 24-Hour Le Mans endurance race called the Porsche 963 LMDh. It's basically uses a hybrid drivetrain configuration with an electric motor and battery that is made to last for endurace racing. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARSCOOPS | MOTORTREND ]
Whether Ferry Porsche ever used to car to blast across sand dunes or pretend he was in a Group B rally race is unknown. With the growing financial crisis at Porsche at the end of 1980s put an end to the possibility of actual production. Today, the unique concept sits in Porsche's museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. *** [EKA [24072015] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | FABWHEELSDIGEST | HOWSTUFFWORKS]
