A British-built world beating electric racing car will be one of the star attractions at the Regent Street Motor Show on Saturday 2 November.
Proving the ‘E’ in EV can stand for ‘excitement’ just as much as ‘electric’, the Drayson Racing Technologies Lola B12 69/EV Le Mans prototype will be on the Michelin stand at London’s free-to-view motoring extravaganza fresh from breaking no fewer than four World Speed Records.
The brainchild of former science minister Lord Paul Drayson, the sleek all-electric racing car claimed the records earlier this month (October) on a runway at Elvington Airfield in Yorkshire.
The official FIA-sanctioned record attempt saw the whisper quiet machine claim the World Electric Land Speed Record for sub-999kg vehicles by covering a flying mile at an average speed of 205.139mph. In so doing, the car broke its own record of just over 204mph, set in June. It also covered a flying kilometre at an average speed of 333.271kph.
Two other records tumbled at the same time: the car set a new EV acceleration world record by taking just 9.742 seconds to cover a quarter mile from a standing start… and it claimed a new outright British Land Speed Record for any wheel driven vehicle, regardless of its type of propulsion.
Green in colour and commitment, the racing prototype will be displayed by Michelin, whose Le Mans-derived LMP1 race tyres it used for the successful attempt. Michelin will also be showing the advanced treaded 18in race tyre that it has created for the new FIA Formula E Championship for electric-powered single seaters which starts next year and comes to London in June 2015. And its fuel saving Energy E-V road tyres can be found on other EVs on display in Regent Street, such as the acclaimed Renault ZOE.
Lord Drayson said,
“For the land speed record, we absolutely had to have tyres with the right sort of grip and which provided outstanding traction off the line. Michelin offers tremendous R&D support which, for us, makes ours an important long-term partnership.”
Malcom Scovell, Commercial Director, Michelin Tyre Plc.,UK and Ireland, commented,
“Whether it’s developing tyres for Britain’s world record breaking electric car, the electric race cars of tomorrow as for Formula E or zero emission city cars, Michelin is at the forefront of tyre technology for a cleaner, sustainable and exciting future.”
Like Michelin, the Regent Street Motor Show embraces cars of all shapes and sizes. As well as the latest machinery from manufacturers including MINI, BMW and Renault, there will be historic displays from Aston Martin, which is celebrating its centenary this year, and Porsche which will be paying a 50th birthday tribute to the 911.
And there will also be a display of up to 100 veteran cars, all built before 1905. They will be competing for top honours in the EFG International Concours d’Elegance, before taking part in the annual Veteran Car Run from London to Brighton the following day (Sunday 3 November).
In four short years, the Regent Street Motor Show has become a keenly anticipated fixture on the motoring calendar which attracts more than 250,000 visitors on the day.
This year Regent Street will be closed to traffic in its entirety, from Piccadilly Circus to Oxford Circus, with manufacturer displays on the famous Wren Crescent.
Source; Regent Street Motor Show
