A new sports car concept, constructed almost entirely by UK-based companies, has been revealed ahead of its Delhi Auto Expo appearance. The Birmingham Bolt was conceived in an effort to highlight the city’s automotive and manufacturing strengths and to drum up interest in joint ventures between UK businesses and Indian companies.
Described by Business Birmingham manager Martyn Mangan as a high-performance, premium concept, the Birmingham Bolt could make production in less than 18 months, thanks to “our existing research, development and manufacturing base”.
Chief executive of marketing Birmingham Neil Rami added, “The message we’re sharing with investors in Delhi is that two-thirds of all UK automotive R&D is conducted in the Greater Birmingham area, and global vehicle manufacturers such as Jaguar Land Rover, Toyota and BMW source over four billion pounds of components locally."
Local companies used in the concept’s construction include Ricardo and ZF for the car’s drivetrain, a Unipart exhaust system and Alcon and Caparo-derived braking and safety system.