Photo: Facebook screenshot
Rimac Automobili is a small Croatian company that managed to build, almost out of nowhere, what can probably be described as the world's first true electric hypercar.
The Concept_One had everything a vehicle of its type needed: sexy design, a stratospheric price, exclusivity and, most importantly, outrageous performance figures. What it didn't have, though, was an engine, using four electric motors instead, each powering its own wheel.
The car quickly became the stuff of legends, helped in no small measure by Richard Hammond's stunt from last year. The Grand Tour presenter was testing the Concept_One during a hill climb in the Alps when the road suddenly turned left and the British TV man didn't. The outcome of the crash was a firey one, but luckily the Hamster only needed a few days of hospitalization.
But even though they are still building and selling the car, the Concept_One is now history. We've been referring to its replacement as Concept_Two so far, despite the fact Rimac said it would bear a completely different name when it's unveiled at next month's Geneva Motor Show.
We've been treated to a couple of teasers so far - two still images -, but none has been awfully revealing so far. Well, that changed drastically today after the company published a very short clip of the car cruising through a dimly-lit tunnel.
It's all CGI, of course, but at least we get to see the front end in full, and it looks like a very clean progression of the Concept_One design. It's only the company's second model, but it has already succeeded in creating a styling signature, and in this sporty segment that's heavily influenced by aerodynamics no less.
While the Concept_One looked more like a GT - a car that could eat up mile after mile at speed and in comfort - the new car features a lot more aggressive design elements. The front lip is much more heavily prominent, and the "grille" is also larger. The side is more muscular with wide hips at the rear and an active spoiler. The first teaser also suggested there would be a lot of intricacies at the back, all presumably there to help the unnamed car slip more efficiently through the air.
As for the technical part, the new car is said to have a 120 kWh battery pack (no mention of the actual range) and offer Level 4 autonomy. We'd take that last part with a hefty pinch of salt since everything about the car seems to be production-ready, but the self-driving part just doesn't fit in. Besides, this doesn't seem like the kind of car you want to be driven it, does it?
The car quickly became the stuff of legends, helped in no small measure by Richard Hammond's stunt from last year. The Grand Tour presenter was testing the Concept_One during a hill climb in the Alps when the road suddenly turned left and the British TV man didn't. The outcome of the crash was a firey one, but luckily the Hamster only needed a few days of hospitalization.
But even though they are still building and selling the car, the Concept_One is now history. We've been referring to its replacement as Concept_Two so far, despite the fact Rimac said it would bear a completely different name when it's unveiled at next month's Geneva Motor Show.
We've been treated to a couple of teasers so far - two still images -, but none has been awfully revealing so far. Well, that changed drastically today after the company published a very short clip of the car cruising through a dimly-lit tunnel.
It's all CGI, of course, but at least we get to see the front end in full, and it looks like a very clean progression of the Concept_One design. It's only the company's second model, but it has already succeeded in creating a styling signature, and in this sporty segment that's heavily influenced by aerodynamics no less.
While the Concept_One looked more like a GT - a car that could eat up mile after mile at speed and in comfort - the new car features a lot more aggressive design elements. The front lip is much more heavily prominent, and the "grille" is also larger. The side is more muscular with wide hips at the rear and an active spoiler. The first teaser also suggested there would be a lot of intricacies at the back, all presumably there to help the unnamed car slip more efficiently through the air.
As for the technical part, the new car is said to have a 120 kWh battery pack (no mention of the actual range) and offer Level 4 autonomy. We'd take that last part with a hefty pinch of salt since everything about the car seems to be production-ready, but the self-driving part just doesn't fit in. Besides, this doesn't seem like the kind of car you want to be driven it, does it?
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