Palumbo: Yankee for lean, mean and green

We've already reported on 'green supercars' such as the Tesla Roadster (more here) and Morgan Life Car (more here), and now here's the next instalment in the saga of eco-friendly tearaways.

The slinky sportscar pictured alongside is the handiwork of US company, Palumbo, and it mates a petrol engine with a supplementary electric motor to minimise the rate at which it slurps unleaded.

The hybrid powertrain is said to be good for 257kW, which endows the Palumbo M-80 with the ability to bolt to 60mph (96km/h) in a claimed 3.9sec. That's right up there with the latest Porsche 911 Turbo.

Yet the roadster is said to consume just 6.0lt/100km (thanks to stop-start technology that cuts the petrol engine when not required), which means day-to-day running costs shouldn't be too much worse than those of a Toyota Yaris.

Part of the reason the M-80 is able to serve up this performance/economy equation is weight -- or, specifically, lack of it. It tips the scales at exactly one tonne. The secret lies in its extensive use of carbon-fibre and aluminium in the construction of its spaceframe chassis and bodywork.

Also noteworthy is the fact that the M-80 dispenses with the supercar form guide by relaying power to the wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to make the most of the engine's instant power at low revs.

Palumbo says the CVT is the transmission of the future for supercars, and suggests it could even be applicable to racing.

The mid-engined, two-seater roadster is "designed and engineered to be an everyday driver" says Palumbo, and it adds that "reliability and convenience are designed into the M-80 from day one".

"It is also a car that you can drive to a track event, race competitively, and then drive back home," trumpets Palumbo.

Well, all sounds great on paper, but there's no word as yet on when (if at all) the M-80 will go into production.

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Palumbo M-80 specifications: