Just like a cinematic trilogy, Swiss electric car maker Protoscar has introduced the third version of their Lampo concept line, called the Lampo 3.
The unveiling of the third concept line comes two years after the first Lampo first made waves at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009 and a year after the Lampo 2 was introduced to us. Three concepts in three years with no production version in the horizon.
Disappointing as that may sound, there’s just may be a little glimmer of hope for the Lampo 3. With the ultimate goal of producing a purpose designed premium electric sports car, Protoscar has spared no expense in developing every nook and cranny of the whole Lampo line, complete with over 30,000 kilometers of testing with the Lampo and Lampo 2.
All the testing and development was then put into the Lampo 3, marking the first time in the company’s three-year development phase that word is spreading of a limited production release sometime in the future.
Whether there’s truth to that or just a product of wishful thinking, one thing we know is that there’s some legitimate buzz going on about the Lampo 3. Let’s hope that this ’buzz’ leads to something a little more concrete.
Details after the jump
Design Language
Here’s something we know about the Protoscar Lampo 3: it’s not going to win any design awards now or in the near future, but it also isn’t as bad as the horrendously looking Lampo2. According to Protoscar, the inspiration of the latest incarnation of the Lampo electric concept line was taken from the American Le Mans and FIA GT1 series cars and how these performance cars were presented while keeping a keen eye on its design dynamics. Looking at the Lampo 3, a few elements stand out with the 2+2 car, including a shortened bonnet compared to its predecessors, a longer wheelbase, a shorter rear overhang, and a tucked and swooping profile makes the car look so much better than the rodent-looking Lampo 2. The new design language of the Lampo 3 also takes its cues from the company’s "LAMPO DNA", creating a unique blend of aggressive design with a structured aesthetic history.
Performance
The Lampo 3 boasts of three electric motors with two of these motors located on the rear axle while the other seated comfortably in the front. All three motors combine to produce an output of 420 kW, which is about 550 horsepower and 664 lb/ft of torque to go with 32 kWh of Lithium-Ion battery capacity. This figure translates to a 0-62 mph time of just 4.5 seconds, a top speed of 136 mph, and a driving range of 124 miles running solely on the 32kWh battery that consists of four water cooled Brusa-branded packs using cells from Kokam.
As an electric car, the Lampo 3 comes equipped with a new BRUSA on-board charger NLG6 that allows up to 22kW of charging power, allowing the electric car to be charged with a host of power options out on the market these days. These include a standard single-phase 10 A plug all the way up to a three-phase 32A for charging at industrial plugs.
Hopes for Production Anytime Soon?
While it’s completely tempting for the Swiss manufacturer to introduce a production version of the Lampo 3 to the market, there are still a lot of question marks as to how the car will be able to translate from a three-generation concept line to a production car.
The good news is that Protoscar looks to be more confident with the latest version of their project and there are talks that the company could offer a production model in limited numbers down the road. For now, the Protoscar Lampo 3 is headed to to the test tracks with 2010 GT1 24 hours of Le Mans winner, Gabriele Gardel, manning the wheels.
Looks MUCH better than its predecessors
It’s got some serious power
Best of the 3 versions
No timetable for production version
Rear end still needs improvement
No price yet
Posted on
05.24.2011 @ 01:03