Morgan, Rolls Royce and Vauxhall Exhibition

Created Date: 01/04/2011

Morgan

Never one for falling into the more contemporary designs of most other car manufacturers, Morgan has always kept their models historic and faithful to the old days. No surprise then that their reveal, the Morgan Threewheeler, did exactly that. Morgan started out producing three wheelers back in 1909, so this is familiar territory for them. Their aim is to keep the classic feel but bring it up to date with more advanced materials and technology. The bodywork is based on a tubular frame wrapped in aluminium, with a leather-padded cockpit protected by two rollover bars. This all adds up to it being incredibly light, with a 0-60 speed of 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 115mph if you’re feeling brave. Pricing is still unconfirmed.

Rolls Royce

Rolls Royce have jumped on the Eco Bandwagon with the world’s first ever ‘battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment’. The Phantom 102 EX Concept isn’t scheduled to go into production, but Rolls Royce say it will answer important questions regarding what constitutes an acceptable cruising range between battery charges, and whether a battery Rolls could operate in extremes of weather. EX stands for experimental and this is exactly what the project is, an investigation into future drivetrain alternatives. Owners of current Rolls Royce models will be invited to give the 102 EX a test drive and then have their opinions documented to further improve the cars performance. They say the technology learnt from their little project will go on to sculpt future cars from the company.

Vauxhall

Vauxhall unveiled their direct Ford S-Max competitor the Zafira Tourer Concept, saying that it’s pretty much ready for production. The new Zafira hints very strongly at the car Vauxhall is expected to put into production by the end of this year, with most features showcased on this model expected to carry over. Carrying seven seats like the old Zafira, the middle seat in the second row can now fold down to create armrests for the rear occupants. Vauxhall call this Flex7, with the middle seat also doubling as a 'lounge seat' if the rear passengers don’t need the extra space. The interior is surprisingly premium for a car that will be expected to put up with toddler related damages. Trimmed in a light brown caramel-coloured leather, with contrasting dark brown trim on the doors, this is not something that sounds particularly child friendly. In-car entertainment sounds interesting, as Vauxhall have included connectivity options for iPads in the middle seats. Putting them in the docks on the back of the front seats allows your kids to watch films or surf the internet while on the move. Up front, the driver gets a touch-screen infotainment system in the centre console and the caramel leather theme continues along the dashboard. Exterior looks stick close to current ranges, with a slight hint of their upcoming hybrid models thrown in such as the more aggressive front headlights.

Article written by Thomas Wellburn...

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