AC Schnitzer GP3.10 3 Series Coupe with Alternative LPG Drive
Clear your conscience of the conservationist's guilt trip with an extravagant new super tuned performance car. This is exactly what AC Schnitzer is proposing with the GP3.10 GAS POWERED 3 Series Coupe.
The GP3.10 uses the screaming 5.0L V10 engine from BMW's M5 and M6 models and has been retrofitted to bivalent form which uses two forms of fuel, one of which is from a renewable energy source. In the case of the GP3.10, petrol and Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) are used. Bivalent engines using CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) and LPG are quite common for industrial fleets and various commercial applications but also use other rare fuels such as hydrogen as seen in BMW's Hydrogen 7.
Technically speaking, the GP3.10 has a fully sequential LPG system with two 5-cylinder vaporizers, remapped control unit and modified exhaust after treatment system with sport catalytic converter and exhaust manifold.
Advantages of LPG not only can be seen in 15% less CO2 emissions but LPG is also cheaper than petrol. Additionally, there should be little difficulty fueling since there are 2700 LPG fueling stations across Germany. The main disadvantage of LPG is that you need to put the LPG fuel tank somewhere. Usually placed in the trunk, it takes up some of the storage capacity, but for the tuner type this isn't much of a sacrifice since they usually have huge speaker cabinets there anyway. The LPG fuel tank holds 80 liters in addition to the 60 liter petrol tank. The engine can be switched from LPG to petrol at any time.
The stereo type of green cars evokes an image of quirky little cars which tend to have poor performance and driving dynamics. That's not the case for the GP3.10 as the LPG stream produces an additional 45hp to 552hp and 540 Nm of torque. 0-100 km/h (62 mph) comes in 4.5 seconds and 200km/h arrives in 13.9. Top speed is 320km/h.
Visually, the GP3.10 based on the E92 BMW 3 Series Coupe gets an extroverted styling kit which includes a front “power” bumper with mesh grille, rear skirt with integrated diffusor and centrally mounted exhaust tip, rear 60mm wheelarch extensions and fender top wings with chrome rib.
Although the GP3.10 is a one-off creation not for sale, AC Schnitzer is sure components will trickle down to the AC Schnitzer range. AC Schnitzer has put a value of EUR 198,000 on the GP3.10.
The AC Schnitzer GP3.10 GAS POWERED will make its debut at Frankfurt next week. Stay tuned for live photos.
Source: AC Schnitzer
Press Release (Click to expand)
Green Energy with 552 HP und 540 Newton metres
Driving pleasure has been written large at AC Schnitzer for 20 years. And happily, nothing will change for the 62nd IAA. But this goal can be reached in a totally alternative way, as the launch of the superb AC Schnitzer GP3.10 GAS POWERED shows. This high-performance coupé has LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas) drive, where power and efficiency, economy and ecology, meet in an exciting study.
As if the extravagant exterior of the project vehicle, based on the current 3-series coupé, were not enough, under the bonnet growls the V10 engine of the current M5/M6 which AC Schnitzer is presenting at the show for the first time in bivalent design: The vehicle has a fully sequential LPG system with two parallel 5-cylinder vaporizers. There’s no loss of power or dynamics. The engine, tuned with a remapped control unit and modified exhaust tract with sports catalyst and exhaust manifold, develops 552 HP/406 kW and produces up to 540 Nm at the crankshaft. In itself, that’s 45 horses more than the M5/M6. But why power this with LPG?
Liquified Petroleum Gas is a sensible alternative to normal petrol fuel, both economically and ecologically, and after corresponding conversion can be burned in almost any petrol engine. Per liter, LPG is not only cheaper than petrol but produces around 15 percent less CO2 from the exhaust. With over 2700 filling stations in Germany alone, fuel supplies are guaranteed everywhere, and the 80 liter gas tank fits on board with the original 60 liter petrol tank. So you can switch between fuels at any time. In any case, acceleration is more than just acceptable. The sprint to 100 km/h takes 4.5 seconds, and the 200 mark is passed after just 13.9 seconds. Only at 320 km/h does the pressure on your back begin to ease. Nimble enough to show the rear lights to many powerful sports cars. Especially when a racing suspension from Aachen provides incredible handling qualities. And to match the power of the acceleration, there’s the brakes on the AC Schnitzer GP3.10 GAS POWERED: At the front, 8-pot fixed calliper brakes with perforated and vented discs size 374 x 36 mm, at the rear a 4-pot brake system with 350 x 24 mm discs.
Talking of slowing down: the striking body design will soon bring passers-by to a stop. In conjunction with the mineral green special paintwork, the AC Schnitzer aerodynamic kit is a real eyecatcher. The air intakes on the front wings, with their characteristic chrome ribs, and the rear 60 mm wheelarch extensions, are particularly successful. With the AC Schnitzer GP3.10 GAS POWERED, AC Schnitzer has created a feast for all the senses, where the centrally positioned sports rear silencer with its sonorous crescendo takes centre stage acoustically.
The rear styling with its special contours and the rear skirt with integral diffuser, the rear roof wing with carbon centre part, are as aesthetically pleasing as the powerful front skirt with its coarse- mesh sports grille. The latter makes an effective contribution to the breathing of the oxygen- hungry five-liter engine. Equally breathtaking for the spectator is the first sight of the racing rims Type VI.
The latest creation from the Aachen wheel manufacturer combines the classic Y-spoke appearance with five striking hollow spokes and bicolor finish. Naturally these decorative elements are not just available for the AC Schnitzer GP3.10 GAS POWERED. For the moment however the latter is a unique creation not for sale, with an estimated value of 198,000 Euro. But we can still get excited because for sure, numerous components will soon find their way into the regular AC Schnitzer range. Parts of the exciting sports interior can already be ordered for example by customers with a 3-series coupé.
Comments
View Comment Rules
Add Comment
bmwaddict
September 8, 2007 1:05 PM
