Morgan Readying Pure Electric Aero Supersport Concepts

One of the oldest and most traditional carmakers in the world, Morgan Motors, has joined forces with a consortium of British technology specialists for the development of two new pure-electric sportscar concepts that will be introduced next year.

The Morgan +E programme will give birth to two new prototypes, both based on the Aero Supersport’s aluminium chassis, but without the BMW-sourced 4.8-litre V8 engine, which will be replaced by a new derivative of Zytek’s electric powertrain.

Zytek first experimented with a high-performance electric sportscar back in 1997 when it converted a Lotus Elise to electric drive, which led to engineering programmes with both Chrysler and General Motors, followed shortly after by a deal with Daimler to develop and build electric powertrains for the Smart Fortwo ED (electric drive).

The Morgan concept models will make use of a new derivative of Zytek’s 70kW (94bhp) 300Nm electric powertrain, which the company says is already supplied to U.S. automakers. The electric motor will be fed by a Li-Ion battery pack integrated into the Aero's aluminium structure.

Bizarrely, the concept's electric powertrain will drive through a conventional manual gearbox.

“Keeping the motor in its sweet spot will help it use energy more efficiently, which will increase the vehicle’s range,” explains Zytek’s engineering programme manager Neil Cheeseman. “It also allows us to provide lower gearing for rapid acceleration from pull-away and higher gearing for top speed. It should also make the car more engaging for keen drivers.”

Morgan said that the collaborative research and development project is being part-funded by a £100,000 grant from the Niche Vehicle Network CR&D Programme, which is managed by CENEX.

 

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2012 Saab 9-3 gets styling upgrades, powertrain enhancements

Saab has pulled back the curtain on the 2012 9-3, available once again in sedan, SportWagon and convertible variants. Across the range, buyers can now expect to be met with a new front fascia with the company’s signature headlight design borrowed from the sultry 9-5. Likewise, the grille now packs a larger Saab wing across the nose of the vehicle and all models will come with fog lights as standard equipment. Out back, the new 9-3 is dominated by a redesigned valance, and sedan models all come with a standard spoiler for the first time.

In the UK, buyers can spec their 2012 Saab 9-3 with a new turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine with 163 or 220 horsepower depending on configuration, as well as the tried-and-true 1.9-liter twin-turbo-diesel four cylinder. The oil-burning mill will continue to be available in 130, 160 and 180 horsepower variants. Saab says that the company has managed to increase the efficiency of the company’s gasoline engines by around four percent thanks to tricks like variable valve timing, direct injection and twin-scroll turbocharging. Expect this new 2.0-liter mill to trickle over to the United States, as well. Hit the jump for the full press release.

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2012 Buick LaCrosse dropping trim levels, V6 available as no-cost option

In addition to having eAssist added to its four-cylinder powertrain, the 2012 Buick LaCrosse is undergoing a few other changes. We aren’t talking about styling or content tweaks – instead, General Motors is revising its packaging strategy for the LaCrosse. Buick will be ditching the CX, CXL and CXS trim level designations and simply offer large option packages that encompass all of the available amenities.

For 2012, the 2.4-liter Ecotec engine with eAssist technology will be offered as the “standard” powertrain. We recently had some very limited drive time with an eAssist-equipped LaCrosse (stay tuned for our full impressions), and found the four-cylinder with 182 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque to be pleasantly adequate and its highway rating of 37 miles per gallon downright remarkable. eAssist-equipped cars will look no different than other LaCrosses, save the addition of model-specific 17-inch wheels on efficiency-optimized tires and other fuel-saving upgrades not visible from outside the car.

The General’s 280-horsepower direct-injected 3.6-liter V6 will still be made available, complete with the newHiPer Strut front suspension that helps keep torque steer to a minimum, but buyers can now select it as a no-cost option, and also opt for all-wheel drive.

Final pricing information has not been released, but Buick tells us that the entry level LaCrosse will start around $30,000. Currently, the LaCrosse has a base MSRP of $26,995, which suggests the addition of eAssist and its associated fuel-saving parts isn’t cheap. What Buick has effectively done is ditched the “base” LaCrosse model and left two identically priced models for buyers to choose from: one focused on exceptional fuel economy and the other on power.

Production on the 2012 LaCrosse will start this summer with the first round of cars hitting dealerships this Fall.

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