Zagato Volpe

[Bob Purton]

Hehe Bob I wouldnt fancy driving a vacuum cleaner myself

Marcus, what makes you say that? They can make the body however they like! Worst is the renault Zoe... What where they thinking?

I actually like the car very much Jonathan. I like the doors, the fact that its a single seater and the big wheels too, are not the small wheels the reason why many microcars have such terrible ride quality?

[Big Al]

I actually like the car very much Jonathan. I like the doors, the fact that its a single seater and the big wheels too, are not the small wheels the reason why many microcars have such terrible ride quality?
[/quote]

Small wheels yes. However reasonable size wheels with suspension would be better than to larger wheel with low profile tyres, they love those don't they, minimal suspension movement or else no room inside the car. This is a classic designers car so the look is dreadfully important. The doors are OK as it allows flexible parking into small spaces. I have no doubt there are other dribbly bits that could be dispensed with for practicality.
Comparing most of these prototype machines with our beloved classic Microcars only serves to show that if you put an engineer in charge they make something work, if they are any use. If you put a stylist in charge you get something the looks good. You then have to give it to an engineer who has to make it work. One reason most of these flights of fancy come to nothing as in reality by the time the engineer has done his stuff perhaps the car does not actually look like the prototype or it has become far to expensive to make. Where we touch on the third element of the job, finance.
Our miniature manufacturing heros mostly self financed or found backers and made the car and attempted to sell them. Classic entrepreneurial activity and just what our country needs. Sadly it is just what our country has all but banned or legislated out of existence. Very little is made like that now. Any prospective manufacturer has to negotiate a minefield of bureaucratic traps, find finance having used his up just attempting to get to the start line. Having now got an accountant/financier and an advisory overhead telling him what to do he then has to create the product. If that is successful he then needs employees who are trained to be able to work rather then cop off every five minutes and in trades he needs. Since the UK does not do this to well, might be OK in Germany, he probably uses imported workers. However the whole thing is costing so much the finance guys are in full control and would much rather make a 4 wheeled purple car than a green 3 wheeler and our fledgling manufacture is farted out of a meeting with nothing while the money boys make a quick killing off his back.
Alternatively we are offered hand made sweeties in the shop window full in the knowledge that mass production will never happen.
Yet our little cars exist and in fact could be re manufactured into the very thing we desire. Cheap urban transport. Though at the cost of originality. Spacey engined Schmitts, Majasty Heinkels are just the glimpse of what could be done. Having gone far enough to create a fully modernised model it would be worth salvaging all the IDs one could get and someone with the correct skill base, it is not me, manufacture them. Either that or do it from Vietnam or something. Some creativity on historical facts and there is money to be made. My vote would be the Heinkel as in fact it is a very neat design and would rub up rather well.

[Bob Purton]

Isnt that what Tritech, Harrington and a host of others tried and failed?

[marcus]

Bigger wheels require much more space lost to steering clearance in the wheel arches, but do improve ride, so perhaps more compact suspension is allowed. Bigger tyres last longer too and give better grip and braking. It's always a compromise.
The doors are great. During my lifetime there has been a MASSIVE increase in car safety: Impact/crumple Zones, safety cells, anti-lock brakes, seat belts, airbags, Side Impact Protection, dual circuit brakes, collapsible steering columns, padded steering wheels.....a monumental change from 60s cars, but all aimed at protecting the safety of those inside the car.

If car makers had to be concerned about the safety of those that the car hits, then normal front hinged doors would have been banned 50 years ago! Sliding doors (as on a few new French cars) and upwards pivoting doors SHOULD be the only legal doors. Every year thousands of cyclists get injured, and scores killed by front hinged doors being thoughtlessly flung open right in front of them. Just 3 days ago one of our tenants got a bad leg injury from just this. Like me, he is a very experienced and "Road Wise" cyclist who is also a regular driver so he knows how irritating bad cyclists can be to motorists. I know another who lost his left arm and shoulder to a car door.

Sliding/upwards pivoting doors also mean the car can be parked closer to walls to make for much more compact parking space requirements.

To add to that many people who drive big executive saloons and 4WDs now park in the middle of a parking bay to ensure they have plenty of room to swing open their large doors, and prevent getting dings from the cars either side. If safe and compact sliding/pivoting doors were mandatory these problems would vanish overnight.

As I said, "car safety" is rarely extended to anything beyond the safety and convenience of the occupants.

[richard]

how would YOU know, Stuart he he 

[Big Al]

Isnt that what Tritech, Harrington and a host of others tried and failed?

I did put in the caveat 'the right person'. Tritech tried making to many shortcuts - mainly due to finance I think. They also did two cars rather than one better. Harrington, is he trying to make whole modern cars or steal in on a regulatory whim? Not up to speed here but the issue with Asia is to be very hard on quality control. iN A HURRY SO HAVE NOT THOUGHT OF OTHER SPECIFICALLY BUT IN NO WAY IS SUCH A THING EASY.