Lotus APX

The Lotus APX (APX stands for "Aluminum Performance Crossover") is a concept car created by the British automobile marque, Lotus. It was first introduced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. It is the first complete vehicle built on the new Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA). This vehicle is also a first for Lotus, as it is the first crossover SUV they have ever built.

Engine

The APX uses a Lotus designed & developed supercharged V6 engine. It gives out a displacement of 3 liters. The power output of this engine is 300 hp (224 kW) at 6250 rpm with a torque of Auto Nm|360|0 at 4500 rpm. It can go from 0-60 mph in 5 seconds (0-100 km/h in 5.4 seconds). The APX's top speed is 152 mph (245 km/h). The suspension of the APX makes it perfect for off-road use (another first for the Lotus brand) with its permanent 4 wheel drive. The combined fuel consuption is estimated to be around 8.7l/100 km or 32mpg.

Also shown at the NADA 2007 show was an all-electric 4-wheel drive version of the APX, with 0-60 mph times of 4.8sec. The licensing distributor, ZAP, states it has a capacity of up to 644 wheel horsepower, up to convert|350|mi|km|0|sing=on range, recharge in as little as 10 minutes, and a top speed of up to Auto mph|155|0. They claim up to 9,000 recharge cycles and 1 penny per mile recharge costs.

Design

The APX exterior is very sporty and very slick with the fact that it is all-aluminium. The interior of the APX derives from sportscars, which derives from Lotus' specialty. It features, like any other modern concept car, digital screens, futuristic gadgets, and plenty of buttons. It does feature HVAC control.

References

* [http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z11126/Lotus_APX/default.aspx Lotus APX Info from ConceptCarz.com]
* [http://www.zapworld.com/ZAPWorld.aspx?id=4560 Lotus APX Demonstrator from Zapworld.com]