Vauxhall Flextreme GT/E concept car

*The shape of things to come
*New electric concept car
*On show at Geneva motor show



This is the Vauxhall Flextreme GT/E electric concept car, which will make its debut at the Geneva motor show at the start of March.

The Flextreme GT/E is a four-door coupe that uses the same E-REV plug-in hybrid drivetrain as the Ampera, which will go on sale in 2012 for around £35,000.

With its battery fully charged – which takes three hours through a household socket – the GT/E has a projected range of 40 miles. That’s enough for the majority of journeys taken in the UK, but for longer trips there’s also a 1.4-litre petrol engine to generate more electricity and provide a total range of more than 300 miles.

175mpg and emissions of 40g/km
Vauxhall says the system provides an average 175mpg and CO2 emissions of less than 40g/km. With a 161bhp and 273lb ft of pull, the Flextreme GT/E, is capable of a 0-62mph dash in 9.0 seconds and a top speed of 124mph.

The concept car is a little shorter than an Insignia family car, but is much lower and sleeker. Its rear doors are rear-hinged, like those on the new Meriva.

It is designed to be as aerodynamic as possible and has a drag coefficient of 0.22, lower than that of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe, which is the most aerodynamically efficient production car with a figure of 0.24.

The Flextreme GT/E also has intakes at the front to guide airflow around the body. The wheels have low-rolling-resistance tyres, while 350mm-long active spoilers are deployed at speeds above 30mph to improve aerodynamics. There are no door mirrors, just small, drag-reducing cameras instead.