Pulse
Ferret from Desperate Dans an old work buddy with his pulse thing
Revealed: 340mph hybrid motorbike
By Henry Biggs
January 23 2008
What is your vision of the future of high speed transport? Jetpacks perhaps? Driverless pods, bullet trains, scram jets?
Well according to Dr Peter Markus, a former Mercedes-Benz and Porsche engineer, it is an enclosed hybrid motorcycle capable of 340mph and Lucerne to London in an hour and a half. Its maker intends it as a long-distance commuter for a world in which city transport is provided by solar powered electric vehicles.
GALLERY: Acabion GTBO
The Acabion GTBO looks remarkably like a 1950s Bonneville Speed Week contender, often fashioned from B-52 drop tanks, but its specifications sound bang-up-to-date. An electric motor and 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol unit together produce a scarcely credible 750bhp making the GTBO capable of 100mph in first gear. Hitting the triple tonne takes 30 seconds and top speed is 340mph. But don't think the GTBO has run out of steam; that is simply the point at which the electronics rein things in - 330mph is achieved on half throttle. A low kerb weight and very slippery shape makes it efficient as well as fast; fuel economy at 100mph is said to be 100mpg.
At a Veyron's top speed of around 250mph, the GTBO can still achieve 25mpg and unlike the Bugatti, the GTBO actually has some luggage space. There is accommodation for two and steering is by motorcycle style handlebars although with such a lengthy wheelbase, handling would be interesting to say the least;
the two small drogue wheels retract at anything above around town speeds. Although simply intended as an awareness builder for Dr Markus' ideas for future transport solutions, the GTBO is fully functional and anyone willing to part with £1.4 million and wait three years can have one. The bit we like best is the tail - what other machine gives a V-sign to the car it just overtook?
