8:20 am, April 10, 2015
SHELL, in collaboration with the legendary race and road car designer Professor Gordon Murray and engine specialist Osamu Goto, is to co-engineer an ultra-compact, efficient car for city use based around the internal combustion engine.
The Shell car is scheduled to be unveiled in November 2015 and people will be able to follow the development of the car through the website www.shell.com/Projectm.
The Shell concept is intended to be a simple, practical global city car, drawing together the most innovative aspects of lightweight engineering, streamlining and driveline efficiency. Once built, the car will be tested on the road.
The concept is intended to inspire thinking about maximising personal mobility while minimising energy use.
Gordon Murray
Initiated by Shell, the collaboration, which is called Project M, brings together Shell’s Lubricant’s Technology Team, The Gordon Murray Design Group and engine specialist Geo Technology. This means the development of the lubricants, engine and vehicle will be completely integrated, delivering results that none of the groups could achieve by working alone.
Shell will design the motor oil and aims to show what can be achieved when its products are integrated into the design right from the start.
Selda Gunsel
Selda Gunsel, the vice-president of Lubricants Technology, said: ‘Since working with the Gordon Murray Design team on the T.25 car in 2010, we have given further thought on how to deliver a complete rethink of the car, using as little energy as possible. We believe this Shell car will demonstrate how efficient a car can be when Shell works in harmony with vehicle and engine makers during design and build, supplying fuels and lubricants technical expertise.’
The three parties last collaborated in 1988 on Ayrton Senna’s and Alain Prost’s Honda–powered, Shell- fuelled race cars that won all but one grands prix that season.
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