Obscure British car-maker Connaught introduces hybrid sports coupe
Britain has always had lots of small cottage industry car-makers that exist in varying degrees of obscurity. Most of these manufacturers usually have spotty quality and reliability and never export their products off the island. They also usually exist on the hairy edge of financial solvency. Along with companies like Reliant, Caterham, Noble, Bristol and others is a company called Connaught. Connaught originally came to life in the 1950s before fading away at some point, and then being revived in 2002. They came back with a coupe powered by an odd little 2.0L narrow angle V-10(22.5 degree vee) engine with an integrated supercharger that is rated at 300 hp.
Connaught has now announced a new hybrid version of their type-d coupe which they are calling the worlds first hybrid sports coupe. This one also appears to use the basic 2.0L V-10, except that the supercharger is replaced by an electric motor. They are calling this one a mild hybrid, with a combined total output of 162 hp. Acceleration is claimed at 6.5 seconds for 0-60 mph with a curb weight of less than 1900 lbs. Fuel economy is rated at 35 mpg (US gallons) combined city/highway. The car uses a 48V electrical system and super capacitors that capture energy from the regenerative braking. The chassis is built on a light-weight steel space frame. The conventional type-d GT is priced at about $120,000, but no price seems to be available for the the hybrid version yet. More information is available at the Connaught web-site and more photos are after the jump.
[Source: Connaught]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ThwartedEfforts 7:53AM (11/08/2006)
Don't go tarring all Britain's small car makers with the same brush: names like Caterham, Noble and Bristol may lack the research and development of mass-produced rivals, but they're not of "spotty quality and reliability" principally because their major components are borrowed from major manufacturers! Even TVR -- the real culprit here -- ended up producing cars that actually worked when you wanted them to.
If you're after a *genuinely* unreliabile car, look no further than any Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, Renault, Citroen...
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Sam Abuelsamid 8:17AM (11/08/2006)
Take it easy there. I did say most, not all and there are clearly exceptions. I am in fact a big fan of many cars that feature electrical systems from the Prince of Darkness himself, Joseph Lucas. The TR6 and Austin-Healey 3000 have been among my favorite cars since I was a kid. The TVR Griffith was also a classic, and the Esprit Turbo for all its flaws (yeah I'm talking about you! Renault gearbox) was a blast to drive. And if I could choose any one car to have as a toy, it would be an Elise.
As for unreliable, having owned a VW Passat for the last five years(along with knowing several other VW owners), I would say that VW is definitely gunning for that crown.
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Andrew 4:50PM (11/08/2006)
That's a pretty mediocre application of hybrid technology, I'd say. Especially when a Lotus Exige S gets 31 mpg, does 0-60 in 4.1 seconds, and will likely cost less than half what the Connaught does.
Application needs to be matched to function, I think.
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