Morgan showcases Midlands technology with new electric sportscar

WORCESTERSHIRE sportscar manufacturer Morgan Motors has showcased the best in Midlands technology with the official unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show of a new electric vehicle concept.

The new car, which is an electric sportscar with a five-speed manual gearbox, has been designed by Malvern-based Morgan with the support of Lichfield-based Zytek and Birmingham’s Radshape.

Although the Morgan Plus E is only a concept at this stage, should there be strong market reaction then the vehicle could be put into production.

“We wanted to see how much fun you can have in an electric sportscar, so we have built one to help us find out,” said Morgan operations director Steve Morris.

“The Plus E combines Morgan’s traditional look with high-technology construction and a powertrain that delivers substantial torque instantly at any speed. With the manual gearbox to increase both touring range and driver involvement, it will be a fantastic car to drive.”

Geneva showcases strength of GKN Driveline

BIRMINGHAM-based GKN Driveline has proclaimed the Geneva Motor Show to be a major success, with 65% of new car launches at the show featuring its technology.

The firm said the situation confirmed its position as the global leader in driveline solutions.

“Geneva 2012 is an emphatic display of our global position,” said GKN Driveline global engineering director, Rob Rickell. “With a broad range of new cars from face-lifts to global firsts to concepts, this show is a glowing indictment of the industry’s determination to meet new challenges and we are pleased to play our role in this, exploring new driveline technology to reduce the weight, mass and drag of our components while delivering more power and torque for our customers.”

Examples of the firm’s successes include the supply of electronic torque vectoring (ETV) for the new BMW X6 M50d, the electro-magnetic control device(EMCD® for the new high performance all-wheel-drive MINI JCW Countryman ALL4, the power transfer unit (PTU) for Ford’s new Kuga, the electronic torque manager(ETM®) fitted to the new BMW M6 Coupe, the direct torque flow (DTF) fitted to Audi’s new A6 Allroad Quattro and the Audi RS4 Avant and the electric all-wheel drive – eAxle which is fitted to a growing number of new hybrid cars.

BMW enjoys record February sales

BMW used the show to announce record sales in February, backed by strong demand across the core brand together with MINI and Rolls-Royce.

The group sold 127,634 vehicles worldwide during February, up 14.2% on last year (111,724). Since the beginning of the year, the German manufacturer has seen a year-on-year sales increase of 10.5%.

Ian Robertson, BMW board member, said: “February was another record month for the BMW Group and we intend to continue the positive development. We aim to exceed our 2011 record sales in 2012 and to maintain our position as the number one premium car company worldwide.

“The new BMW 3 Series, which was launched worldwide in mid-February, will play an important role in driving further growth for the BMW Group. It has had an excellent start, with incoming orders exceeding our expectations. Additional new models such as the luxurious BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé will also provide for further impetus in the second half of the year.”