Corvette: Whisper-quiet 252 electric hp
ZEITGEIST Classic cars are loud and sometimes a bit bitchy. Not so the '62 Corvette Dinora from Marton Manufaktur: The vehicle is as quiet as a whisper. Instead of a V8, an electric motor provides power. For some lovers of old American cars, this may sound heretical, as if the vehicle's soul had been torn out. But you could also say that the classic car has [...]
For some lovers of old Yank cars, this may sound heretical, as if the vehicle's soul has been ripped out. But you could also say that the classic car has been given a new lease of life with pioneering technology. The all-electric Corvette is polarizing. And that's a good thing.
Sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.8 seconds
At first glance, Dinora (prices and equipment are available on request) does not show the transformation. The classic has been completely restored and now looks like a new car. But if you open the hood, you won't find what you would normally see there. Instead of the engine, you can see the battery and its cells through a viewing window.
Together with the battery in the rear, the vehicle has a capacity of 68 kWh. Enough to drive at least 300 kilometers. The engine is now located where the vehicle's transmission used to be. The unit delivers a peak output of 185 kW (252 hp) and 390 Nm of torque.
As is usual with electric motors, this torque is available from the first revolution. As a result, the car feels significantly more dynamic than its gasoline-engine counterpart and sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.8 seconds.
Climate amortization after 40,000 kilometers
But even before you start driving, you are reminded by small, custom details that you are not sitting in an ordinary Corvette. You won't find circular displays for oil level or coolant temperature. Instead, displays inform you about the current and average fuel consumption or the remaining range.
Business manager Silvia Marton: "It was important to us that the car looks as if it had already rolled off the production line 57 years ago. Because electric cars also leave their mark on the environment, Dinora is currently undergoing its own life cycle assessment. However, it is already possible to say that the vehicle will have paid for itself in climate terms after 40,000 kilometers at the latest compared to the internal combustion Corvette."
Electric Dinora starts at the Wave Trophy
Anyone who wants to experience the Corvette Dinora can do so at the next classic car Sunday Morning meeting at the Stierenmarkt in Zug, which will take place on June 2. In addition, Dinora will tour Switzerland as part of the Wave Trophy from June 14 to 22, 2019.
