Jaguar has been awarded the Royal Automobile Club's prestigious Dewar Trophy for the I-Pace concept, while Hipercar, the consortium behind the recently unveiled 1180bhp Ariel P40, has won the Simms Medal.
Jaguar's boss, Dr Ralf Speth, collected the Dewar Trophy, which was awarded for the I-Pace’s position as the first ever full-electric Jaguar. The I-Pace will go on sale in 2018 as a rival to the Tesla Model S and Model X, although it will be otherwise peerless until other established manufacturers catch up with their electrified vehicles.
Upon accepting the award, Speth said: “Our design and engineering teams have done an incredible job with the I-Pace concept. It marks the next generation of Jaguars - compelling innovative technology, future-facing design, zero emissions. [The car will be] a new driving experience that retains and enhances the unmistakable essence of Jaguar.”
Ariel project manager Neil Yates, Delta Motorsport engineering director Nick Carpenter and Equipmake managing director Ian Foley collected the award - each representing one of the three companies which have together developed the electrically-powered, gas turbine range-extender-equipped Ariel P40.
The award judges paid particular focus to Ariel’s ability to bring radical concepts to life, as it did with the Ariel Atom and Ariel Nomad, rather than letting them remain on the drawing board.
Director of Ariel, Simon Saunders, further lauded the car’s talents upon receiving the award: “The Hipercar Consortium set out to collectively develop an extremely advanced car, one which brings together UK-developed technology in every aspect of its design.
“Not only is Hipercar going to be one of the fastest vehicles in the world, but also will one be of the most cutting edge.”
The awards, former recipients of which include Gordon Murray (Dewar Trophy) and Riversimple (Simms Medal), are only given when the Royal Automobile Club deems there to be worthy winners. In the last fifteen years, there have only been three years that no winners were selected.
Read more:
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Gordon Murray wins RAC's Dewar Trophy
Ariel Nomad review
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Jaguar I-Pace: first drive of electric SUV concept
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Well deserved
I'll my full praise till the reveal but I have a sneaking suspicion this won't be the last award. Well done JLR!!