German startup Loremo AG will debut its concept car at the Geneva Motor Show this week. "Loremo" is derived from "low resistance mobile," and embodies the company's philosophy of efficient transportation that consumes minimal resources during both production and operation. In practice, this means lightweight, aerodynamic vehicles with phenomenal fuel efficiency.
The Loremo will be offered in two models, the LS and GT. The LS is powered by a 20 hp, 2-cylinder turbodiesel, while the GT gets a 50 hp, 3-cylinder unit. Both are 2 2, mid-engine/RWD configurations with a 5-speed gearbox. The GT will go from 0-62 mph in 9 seconds, but the real strength of the Loremo is fuel efficiency - the GT consumes only 2.7 liters per 100 km, while the LS needs only 1.5 liters/100 km. According to my calculator, the LS will go over 150 miles on a gallon of diesel! More after the jump.
Light weight and low drag are the watchwords for Loremo - the LS weighs only 990 lb, with a Cd of 0.2.
According to Loremo, the LS will be priced at about $13,100, while the GT will sell for less than $18,000. The company calculates the all-in operating costs (depreciation, maintenance, insurance, fuel) of the LS model over six years to be a parsimonious 23 cents per mile. Unfortunately, the Loremo isn't scheduled for production until 2009.
[via Le Blog Auto]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 11)
Strom @ Feb 27th 2006 4:53PM
The important (for us) question is - will it be available in the USA?
cuda @ Nov 21st 2007 5:51AM
I doubt if this car will be available to the general public in the United States.Just like the same cars that get better gas mileage can not be gotten.They will find a reason to ban it.Too light too cheap.Can't take profits from the pigs don't you know.
bozena @ Feb 24th 2008 5:51PM
I would be glad to purchase such a car for the pries anounces, please keep me informed.
ready to serve as a rep in North Carolina
Tyler @ Feb 26th 2008 9:47PM
yes this will be coming to the USA. it will be coming next year sometime. they havent specified when though.
Brent @ Feb 27th 2006 4:58PM
Not the most attractive vehicle, but I'd sacrifice looks for that kind of economy any day.
rip @ Feb 27th 2006 5:21PM
Well, it looks small, ugly, slow, and unsafe(unless it is using some sort of exotic composite for bodywork...if so, replace unsafe with expensive).
It's easy to design a car purely for fuel economy. As evidenced by this car. Unfortunately, there are other constraints like safety, performance, style, practicality, and comfort.
Interesting corporate philosophy though.
AJ @ Feb 25th 2008 2:23PM
Beauty is most certainly in the eye of the beholder. Of course, I'm just an old lady . . . but I think it's really attractive. I'd buy one in a hot second, and THEN figure out how to get my 70-year-old limbs in the thing. Right now I drive an '82 deisel Mercedes and believe me, the acceleration is not as good as this one. In the 25 years I've driven this car, I've learned to compensate. It merges very well. If I can learn how to do it, ANYONW can.
virgil3 @ Apr 6th 2008 3:42PM
get a clue .There are saftey standards that have to be meet to sale a car in the US.If you dont like it dont by it and stay out of the chat rooms .Dillhole
Gunnar Heinrich @ Feb 27th 2006 5:23PM
The Loremo is like a sleek version of GM's failed EV1. I truly wonder if they scrapped every last one of those cars.
http://www.automobilesdeluxe.blogspot.com
Rich Palmer @ Nov 22nd 2007 9:55PM
The EV1 did not fail. It was torpedoed by big oil and poor management by GM. Mobil oil now owns the rights to much of the EV1 technology. Unfortunately yes, they were all destroyed. See "Who killed the electric car"
Strom @ Feb 27th 2006 5:47PM
#3 (rip) - Did you actually go to the website?
"Small" - What vehicle with good mileage isn't? It still seats 4.
"Ugly" - I actually kind of like it. It's definitely not as ugly as a Prius.
"Slow" - The GT version goes 0-60 in 9 seconds (actually pretty good for the power), and still gets about 90 mpg.
"Unsafe" - "Loremo's linear cell structure meets all static requirements to crash safety and driving dynamics. This structure weighs only 95 kg and consists of only few sheets metal parts and can thus be produced at very low cost. The structure has been patented in many countries (patent no. PCT/EP98/01114)."
There's more, too, but it sounds like you didn't even check the site out.
Joe @ Nov 22nd 2007 10:40AM
Lightweight = Unsafe is UNTRUE!
How about a Indy Car, ~1500 pounds.
go from 200+MPh to 0 in 0.0 seconds by crashing into a wall, and yet walk away from it.
but because it's light it's un safe,, yeah,,
Edsel @ Feb 27th 2006 6:08PM
Interesting design but some features could be problematic. If you must enter the vehicle from the front, like an old BMW Isetta (sp?), doesn't this pose an extraction problem in front end collisions? Also, the 450-470kg weight kinda light for the interstate?
rip @ Feb 27th 2006 7:44PM
Strom:
No, I didn't go to the site. Mostly because the salient details were provided by autoblog. And because this car won't be available for several years, if at all. And because, like I said, there are lot more factors with vehicles than just fuel economy. So what's your point? Do I need to go to their website to figure out I think the car is slow and ugly?
I'm not sure where your disputing what I said, other than styling, which is a matter of taste.
It may be fast for the hp. But so what. In real life, 0-60 in 9 seconds is slow. Which is also unsafe (merging into a highway for example). So I stand by my comment there.
It may not be small compared to other high mpg cars, but its small compared to all cars. One of the reasons that high mpg cars usually don't sell well here is that they are impractical for most people. The same argument could be made for many sports cars too.
As for it being safe... it might meet static safety requirements, whatever that is. However, there is a simple matter of physics. I'm skeptical of a how a car weighing less than 1000lbs. will do in a crash with a car that weighs 3500lbs. Nevermind how it will do against an suv weighing 5000lbs or a big rig. I'm thinking that in a 30mph crash with a 5000lbs suv this car will launch off the road, if it isn't crushed or shattered. Granted the passenger cell might stay completely intact, protecting the occupants from the initial impact. But they may find themselves flying into a building or flying off a bridge into a river. Or bouncing between cars like a pinball. I think it is too light to be safe. Now if all cars weighed less, this wouldn't be much of an issue.
To be fair, I admit I might be completey off base here. This car might very well be as safe as most cars.
Anyway, did you even bother to read the rest of my posting? ;) I stated that there are lots of factors involved in making a car. This car seems to excel at one and is weak in several others.
elvin williams @ Nov 26th 2007 5:22PM
Rip
A car is only as safe as the driver.My favorite
ride of all time was a Subaru 360 p/u. 70 mpg
45 mph cruise.NO seat belts,the only thing between you and the rest of the world was 1/16 inch of steel.
You learn to be carefull ie everyone is out to run over you.
Insurance company's rule the world.Try being responsable for your action's,the world will be a better place.
later
Elvin
David @ Feb 27th 2006 8:05PM
0-60 in 9 seconds will allow you to merge, watch the trailers this summer. Three years from now we may be crying for this car if oil continues to creep up. I would give it shot
hydrogen_wv @ Feb 27th 2006 8:34PM
Pontiac firefly - 900lbs
Toyota Echo - Not much more than that..
Dodge Omni, Geo Metro, Ford Aspire, Honda CRX, Honda Del Sol...
The weight is fine, especially with the technology we have today. If a 900lb car is good enough in 1990, it's fine 16 years later.
Now, as far as looks.. It looks sporty.A few styling cues are a bit off, but with work it could maintain the low Cd and look good too... Besides, it's a concept car that's 3 years out. Get a better design team and not just some physics gurus and they could have a gem...
Besides, the weight is all relative... That's like saying 5000lb SUVs are too lightweight... imagine what would happen if they get hit by a rig going 65mph. The problem isn't the weight of the car and such, the problem is how stupid people drive... bumper to bumper at 80mph, running red lights, etc...
And 0-60 in 9 seconds isn't bad... I drove an '89 Camaro with a V8 that didn't do a whole lot better than that... and my Pontiac Sunbird... 11 secs. You can merge onto the highways easily as long as you aren't a total idiot.
And 150mpg.... wow. That's all I can say.
pat doherty @ Dec 1st 2007 6:51PM
firefly is very similar, ie the same as a metro, my 95 metro weighs 1600 lbs, or is it 1800 lbs, look it up as will i.
Strom @ Feb 27th 2006 8:52PM
"0-60 in 9 seconds is slow".
Many vehicles sold in the USA are slower than this. The Prius, many SUVs, and many other small-engined vehicles go 0-60 in about 10 seconds. Honestly, if you NEED a car to go 0-60 faster than that, you're a bad driver. What happened to planning ahead and being aware of one's surroundings? Also, is a Prius unsafe? What about a Toyota Corolla, VW Beetle, Chrysler Pacifica, or even Toyota Camry? The base models of these vehicles all go 0-60 in about 9 or 10 seconds.
As far as safety - there are light-weight vehicles sold in the US that meet the crash test guidelines. What about the Lotus Elise? The Loremo would definitely be safer than a motorcycle (which some people use for commuting due to the frugality).
I think that automatically assuming this vehicle is unsafe is what people use to rationalize purchasing a 3-ton behemoth SUV. Those vehicles make everyone's driving experiences less safe.
If we encourage this type of technology, it will continue to blossom. New materials and manufacturing processes will allow us to "have our cake and eat it too".
As for "unfortunately, there are other constraints like safety, performance, style, practicality, and comfort" (from your original post), this vehicle looks much more practical than other small cars out there. Style is obviously subjective and personal (as you have stated). Performance is not really an issue here as performance-wise this vehicle falls in line with other economy cars (and others). Safety, we will have to see, but it sounds like they're trying to make this a safe car. Lastly, I'm sure this car will be sufficiently comfortable. Will it have LCDs in the back of every head-rest, seat heaters, and 400 lbs. of sound deadening? Probably not.
pat doherty @ Dec 1st 2007 6:52PM
0 to 60 in 9 seconds if very respectable. i have a metro that is slower than that and most traffic under accelerates me. to the guy that says it is unsafe what do you drive? bet most of your cars aren't faster. unless you have always had performance/muscle cars.