It has all the makings of a summer blockbuster hit: three big stars in Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt; a thinking man’s action plot regarding a hitman from the future whose contract is on himself; and yet another of those magical futuristic movie cars that run on hydrogen. I don’t pretend to know if the upcoming Looper, which is currently filming in New Orleans and scheduled for a 2012 release, has a twist ending to its story. But one twist I’m sure of is that the aforementioned supercar is no figment of the imagination that is relegated to the future; that car is Ronn Motor Company’s Scorpion HX, and if you live in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area or in Atlanta, you could place your order for one today.
The knock on hydrogen-powered cars has often been that not enough hydrogen fueling stations exist to make them practical. But that concept generally concerns only hydrogen fuel cell cars, which use a refillable tank of hydrogen to produce electricity that subsequently powers an electric drivetrain. The folks at Ronn Motors have tried something a little different. By modifying an Acura V-6 to run on a combination of gasoline and hydrogen, similar to the engine modifications made to create a natural gas vehicle, Ronn claims they can achieve 40 mpg and significantly reduce CO2 emissions. And the really clever part is that the hydrogen component of the fuel mix comes from an onboard electrolysis unit that creates hydrogen from water…so you never have to find a hydrogen filling station. This car makes its own.
If Ronn’s power figures are to be believed, the results are quite impressive, with the twin-turbocharged flex-fuel engine delivering 650 hp. The carbon fiber roadster’s exotic rear-engine body is undeniably eye-catching, and can be credited to Metalcrafters of Fountain Valley, California, who have solidified their reputation over the years with aerospace projects, movie cars, and concept and limited-edition production cars for major manufacturers, including Ford’s recent Iacocca Edition Mustang.
Distribution for the $250,000 Scorpion is still being ironed out, with Eco Luxury Motorsports gaining exclusive territorial rights to Florida and Georgia. Until other contracts are negotiated, it looks like the rest of the nation will have to wait for a little while.
For more information, visit www.ronnmotors.com
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April 14, 2011King of Luxury: By Appointment Only : Bijan
