01 Mar 06
Loremo stands for 'low resistance mobile', apparently, which gives more than a few clues to the nature of the LS and GT, aerodynamically enhanced economy cars. Bearing more than a passing resemblance to the wind-cheating Honda Insight, they are lightweight and low-powered.
The LS is no performance car, with its 20bhp two-cylinder turbodiesel engine, but it uses a claimed 1.5litres of fuel per 100 kilometres - an astonishing 188.3mpg, by our calculations. The GT is considerably quicker, thanks to a three-cylinder 50bhp engine, yet it can still go 100km on 2.7litres of fuel (that's 104.6mpg) - and accelerate 0-60mph in nine seconds. Neither should be too dull to drive, either: those tiny engines are mid-mounted and drive the rear wheels, which could give a proper sports car feel. They might not be the most practical of runarounds, but Loremo claims 2+2 seating capacity, which is more than the Insight could manage.
Loremo has paid attention to creating a production process that uses the minimum of resources, in order to produce a car with as low an environmental impact as possible.
It should also be low-cost; projected starting prices for these cars are around the £9,000 mark, with the GT at less than £12,000.
The company is aiming for production in 2009 and is hoping its showing at Geneva will attract some wealthy investors to help make this happen.
