Swiss tuner Rinspeed has come up with a neat take on the need to (appear to) be green.
The Rinspeed E2 is basically a Fiat 500 Abarth hopped-up from its factory output of 135bhp to an altogether more meaningful 160bhp. The twist is a dashboard-mounted button that allows the driver to switch to ‘commuting’ mode, limiting output to a measly but politically-correct 60bhp, in which case the fuel consumption also drops to around 70mpg. Out on the highway and with full-power mode selected economy is said to be about half that figure, although performance figures aren’t quoted. However the highway mpg numbers still seem pretty respectable for a car that Rinspeed says ‘is transformed from an Italian flea into a hornet’!
Rinspeed boss Frank Rinderknecht clearly believes the E2 marks a sensible direction of travel for drivers of the future.
‘I don’t believe too much in eco tuning. Many drivers are not willing to miss out on driving fun and don’t want to drive something that announces to the world they are doing without,’ he says.
The charismatic Mr Rinderknecht is clearly an ‘unreconstructed’ automotive enthusiast. The Rinspeed press notice opens with something along the lines of: ‘What is round and cuddly, has eyes to fall in love with, a sexy behind – and performs on demand?”
The official E2 handout picture suggests there might be a couple of right answers to that question.
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