The NARO concept is a "free leaning" vehicle targeted at urban mobility that addresses the key issues of efficiency and emissions. It is based on a research work started by Prodrive in 2003.

The Narrow Car Company has licensed this work and is developing the concept through to production.

The targeted fuel consumption is 100 miles per gallon (60 g/km of CO2 emissions). The powertrain is based on a 400 cc, single-cylinder, 4-valve gasoline engine that delivers 20 bhp.

The Naro concept will be presented in its latest evolution at the AFVI (Alternative Fuel Vehicle Institute) Show, which takes place from 1 to 4 April 2007 in Anaheim (Southern California, USA).

The Vehicle

NARO is a fully enclosed, two-seat four-wheel vehicle with the banking action of a motorbike to prevent it tipping over when cornering. It features an aluminium structure, with thermoplastic sandwich body panels and carbon composite closures.

The vehicle has the footprint of a motorcycle yet is taller than most MPV's — this provides the driver with the visibility to see and plan ahead when moving through traffic.

This ability to plan, together with a significant road presence, greatly improves the safety of the vehicle.

NARO is one third the weight of a typical European saloon and has half the frontal area. Hence its power demand is a quarter of that required for today's passenger cars resulting in ultra high efficiency.

The fully enclosed cabin provides passenger-car levels of safety protection (e.g. airbags, ABS, etc) and comfort.

A common platform is used for a range of 3 models: NARO Executive Commuter, NARO Taxi, and NARO Dispatch.

The design

Initial styling design work was completed in 2004 by Coventry University School of Art and Design.

Designers created themes for the executive commuter, taxi, and light van trade market segments.

Design Teams

• Commuter Concept: Robert Craft, Dan Durrant, Paul Goldsmith, Mark Robinson.
• Taxi Concept: Andy Chapman, Alex Brady, Leon Comben, Rollo Dixon.
• Dispatch Concept: Bustani Pollard, Oliver Durrell, Imran Younas, Peter Stiller.

Additional images are available on Gizmag's gallery.

The Project

The starting research stagewas completed in early 2005, and resulted in the creation of a running mule - basically a steel frame with powertrain, suspension, steer and roll control systems installed.

Running-mule testing at Prodrive's test circuit, in Warwickshire

Once the stability of the vehicle was demonstrated, the development switched to the prototyping stage.

The styling and layout work was carried out in partnership with designers from Swansea Institute School of Industrial Design, who developed a skeletal upper structure, fabricated from extruded aluminium sections, on a lower base platform constructed from a carbon composite moulding.

Among the technical partners are Prodrive, which provided the "free leaning" vehicle concept and vehicle dynamics support and Swansea Institute School of Mechanical Engineering, credited for the skeletal upper structure and carbon composite platform (designed by Matt Reeves) and the door mechanism design.

NARO Concept - Technical Specifications

Powertrain

• engine - single cylinder, 4 valve, gasoline
• capacity - 400 cc
• max power - 20 bhp
• transmission - automatic - CVT

Dimensions

• length - 2.50 m
• width - 1.00 m
• height - 1.70 m
• dry weight - 300 kg

Performances

• 0-60 mph - 12 sec
• top speed - 85 mph
• fuel consumption - 100 mpg
• CO2 emissions - 60 g/km

(Source: NARO via AutoBlogGreen)