A sporting variation on the Chevrolet Volt theme.
At the Geneva auto show, GM's German subsidiary Opel will be showing off the Flextreme GT/E concept. A welcome evolution from the firstFlextreme, the GT/E offers a glimpse into the sleek future of Opel design and propulsion technologies. (Anglophiles can substitute “Vauxhall” for “Opel,” but the engineering is done in Germany either way.) Penned as a four-door coupe like the Volkswagen CC and the Mercedes-Benz CLS, the Flextreme GT/E is as aerodynamic as it is visually striking. At 185 inches long but just over 51 inches tall, this is a low, dramatic car.
The GT/E uses the Chevy Volt’s range-extending concept. Power comes from an electric motor fueled by lithium-ion batteries. The fully electric range is around 40 miles; beyond that, a small combustion engine works as a generator and provides electricity for another 300 miles. Torque is plentiful at 273 lb-ft, and the Flextreme GT/E takes just under nine seconds to get from 0 to 60 mph. Maximum velocity, Opel says, is over 125 mph.
Tall 21-inch wheels look super skinny wrapped in slim 195/45 tires, while other aero tricks include an aerodynamic vehicle floor and vertical spoilers which automatically grow out of the rear body sides above 30 mph. Not for aerodynamics, but because show cars need their tricks, the back doors are hinged at the rear.
The GT/E moniker is a reminiscence of some of Opel's sportiest models from the 1970s and 1980s. Back then, "E" stood for Einspritzung, or fuel injection. Now we suppose it stands for Elektrisch. Sporty? We'll have to wait and see.
http://www.caranddriver.com/news/opel-flextreme-gt-e-concept-auto-shows
