BOWLER IN NEW HANDS

CPP Global Holdings Ltd, the specialist coachbuilder based in Coventry, UK, following several months of positive dialogue, has acquired Bowler Off Road Limited, the Derbyshire-based manufacturer of the Nemesis high-performance cross country racer, for an undisclosed price.

Bowler was founded by Drew Bowler in 1999 and produces its Nemesis high performance off-road racer, based on current Land Rover technology, to meet the FIA T1 specification for the World Cup Cross Country Championship. Several Bowlers run by private customer race teams have completed the gruelling annual Paris-Dakar Rally over the last decade.

CPP is a world-class British coachbuilding company with a workforce of 250 highly skilled automotive specialist designers, technicians and craftsmen. It has vast experience working with global luxury car brands, by adapting standard vehicles, or undertaking full production of ultra-low volume standalone models. 

Development and engineering will remain at Bowler’s current facilities in Belper, Derbyshire. Production, including of the Nemesis EXR road-going variant from early 2012, will be transferred to CPP in Coventry.

Brendan O’Toole, managing director of CPP, said: “This acquisition is extremely positive news for fans and customers of Bowler vehicles. I have followed the brand closely for several years and am delighted to have the opportunity to take the Bowler brand to new heights on the basis of very exciting plans“. Drew Bowler, managing director of Bowler, said: “Bowler will expand and reach its full potential thanks to the access we now have to greater resources in a number of respects: finances, the highly skilled workforce, its technical capabilities and advanced facilities. We will continue to do what we do best, which is developing, engineering and racing our cars“.

BOWLER RAPTOR CONCEPT

The  BOWLER Raptor – the work of Ryan David Skelley, a 2009 graduate of Coventry University’s Automotive Design course – is an extreme concept car with aspirations for breaking new records.

The Raptor is inspired by the Dakar and Baja rallies and the vehicles which compete in these races. Whilst keeping elements of traditional 4x4s, the design also incorporates modern-day technology and eco-conscious materials to create a truly exceptional off-road buggy. The vehicle features an all electric drivetrain, unique exposed chassis and minimal bodywork to propel itself to speeds of up to 130mph and a race distance of 190 miles.

The vehicles angular bodywork takes inspiration from both modern architecture and superbikes, resulting in both a unique vehicle aesthetic as well as a highly functional body panel system. The body panels are all held onto the vehicle with hex-head bolts, all independent of each other and can be replaced quickly when damaged. The vehicles alloys were designed to be in sync with the bodyworks aesthetic, whereas the tires were designed to create a contrast, using a combination of both dune buggy paddle tires and digital technology as inspiration. The vehicle contains many unique features, such as the exposed carbon fibre chassis designed to bring the occupants closer to the action and heighten the sense of speed, whilst providing ample safety. A lack of A-pillars and a cantilever roof provide an unrivalled view from the driver's seat, giving a near panoramic view of the landscape.

The electric drivetrain is powered by Lithium-Titanate batteries, rechargeable through a standard wall socket or a dedicated high powered outlet. The batteries can also be quickly and easily replaced using the Raptor's unique "hot-swap" battery system. The "Hot Swap" battery system is based on the Better Place battery technology. The vehicle's battery consists of two EnerDel Lithium-Titanate packs in tandem, a total of 52kW, paired with a next generation Siemens electric motor and single speed transaxle. The iPhone in the dash provides the vehicle with a constant internet connection as well as acting as a secondary screen. This allows the occupants to receive real-time course and weather updates, race statistics, GPS data.