8/18/2007

Loremo working prototype debuting in 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show

It certainly looks cool, but even fuel mileage in the realm of 117 mpg may not be enough to convince buyers that the nearly totally impractical configuration is worth it. Seriously, a car you have to shimmy over the fender to get into? Think of how much fun that'd be in the winter, especially if you wanted to keep your pant leg clean. Do the Limbo Rock! The concept has nice lines, looking like an update of one of those "car of the future" flights of fancy from the 1950's. Fitting right into that theme is the tilt-away windscreen and controls – again more fun for inclement weather. Well, that was cathartic. The real news here is that a roadworthy prototype will hit the stand this September in Frankfurt. Details between the showgoing car and actual production models may vary slightly, but the show car will be a very close approximation of what Loremo hopes to offer for sale. One thing that's definitely going to come in for adjustment are the fuel consumption figures. The 117 mpg figure was realized with a computer simulation, so we'd expect that number to change as the prototype goes about proving out all the theory. In addition to the motor show circuit, Loremo will be competing for the California X-Prize in hopes of securing further development funding.

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