New Kitcar Design Sketches and Concepts
Discussion
KDIcarmad said:
Found this photo a few days ago what do you think! Would a new car like intrest any of you.
http://home.online.no/~selode/design/cars/3w-Messe...
fuoriserie said:
KDIcarmad said:
Found this photo a few days ago what do you think! Would a new car like intrest any of you.
http://home.online.no/~selode/design/cars/3w-Messe...
If you're the size of Audi then it isn't so big a problem:
What's interesting there is that that is a relatively 'easy', mostly-single-curvature screen, and quite wide, too. The picture posted a page or so back of the disguised prototype shows a very different screen:
which is much harder to produce in small numbers, but which reduces optical problems in the driver's main field of view (the show car's screen would be slightly odd to drive behind), and very hard to arrange a decent wiper for!
The plus side for those of us interested in low-volume / kit cars is that this move by major manufacturers to come up with radical small cars provides a potentially large choice of interesting windscreens and other parts to plunder from the parts bins. The downsides, of course, are that the whole raison d'etre for such vehicles - that they meet a need not met by mainstream manufacturers - is about to be removed.
As a new poster I have look back at past post and note a few things, one of which I fell is very other looked. If you own a car, any car, stop reading go out to that car and sit in it...
Now answer this question you are sitting in your car, what can you see? Yes, the dash board and the cabin around you. When driving you must regular look at dash board. Clearly this should be well designed and the look of whole cabin reflect the nature and look of the car. When you design a car thing about the dash board and cabin so they fit with the over all car.
This is a Rumen a French build car for more information and pictures please visit www.4stroke-design.com.
Look closely at this car, there are some very clever touches. Did you spot the "flat" windscreen? That the door open like normal doors, but look suicide door from the 30's? The engine is in the boot and comes from Smart. This is a fun car, well designed and very French. If you go to there website you will know the read hatch/door can be replaced with a panel to create an open rear end. Very usfull on a sunny day. Inside cabin reflect the nature of the car, very glamorous and stylish. I see this as as glamorous car with a lot of style.
I know a lot of you will not like it, but that's not the point. As a design it all fit together, everything looks right and a lot of through has gone into getting it right. That's what we need in today's Kitcar designs. This car like many kit started as one persons dream. It is still that a dream car that's on the road. I hope this stats you think and dreaming. Maybe these post will change the direction of kit car or just let us share a few ideas that go no where. Only time will tell.
Now answer this question you are sitting in your car, what can you see? Yes, the dash board and the cabin around you. When driving you must regular look at dash board. Clearly this should be well designed and the look of whole cabin reflect the nature and look of the car. When you design a car thing about the dash board and cabin so they fit with the over all car.
This is a Rumen a French build car for more information and pictures please visit www.4stroke-design.com.
Look closely at this car, there are some very clever touches. Did you spot the "flat" windscreen? That the door open like normal doors, but look suicide door from the 30's? The engine is in the boot and comes from Smart. This is a fun car, well designed and very French. If you go to there website you will know the read hatch/door can be replaced with a panel to create an open rear end. Very usfull on a sunny day. Inside cabin reflect the nature of the car, very glamorous and stylish. I see this as as glamorous car with a lot of style.
I know a lot of you will not like it, but that's not the point. As a design it all fit together, everything looks right and a lot of through has gone into getting it right. That's what we need in today's Kitcar designs. This car like many kit started as one persons dream. It is still that a dream car that's on the road. I hope this stats you think and dreaming. Maybe these post will change the direction of kit car or just let us share a few ideas that go no where. Only time will tell.
- *******************************************************************************
KDIcarmad said:
As a new poster I have look back at past post and note a few things, one of which I fell is very other looked. If you own a car, any car, stop reading go out to that car and sit in it...
Now answer this question you are sitting in your car, what can you see? Yes, the dash board and the cabin around you. When driving you must regular look at dash board. Clearly this should be well designed and the look of whole cabin reflect the nature and look of the car. When you design a car thing about the dash board and cabin so they fit with the over all car.
This is a Rumen a French build car for more information and pictures please visit www.4stroke-design.com.
Look closely at this car, there are some very clever touches. Did you spot the "flat" windscreen? That the door open like normal doors, but look suicide door from the 30's? The engine is in the boot and comes from Smart. This is a fun car, well designed and very French. If you go to there website you will know the read hatch/door can be replaced with a panel to create an open rear end. Very usfull on a sunny day. Inside cabin reflect the nature of the car, very glamorous and stylish. I see this as as glamorous car with a lot of style.
I know a lot of you will not like it, but that's not the point. As a design it all fit together, everything looks right and a lot of through has gone into getting it right. That's what we need in today's Kitcar designs. This car like many kit started as one persons dream. It is still that a dream car that's on the road. I hope this stats you think and dreaming. Maybe these post will change the direction of kit car or just let us share a few ideas that go no where. Only time will tell.
Welcome to PH. Some very well-observed points. For me, I think cabin and dash design is massively underrated. I love classic Saab 900s, precisely because they 'fit' me so well; that environment makes up for a host of problems with the vehicles.Now answer this question you are sitting in your car, what can you see? Yes, the dash board and the cabin around you. When driving you must regular look at dash board. Clearly this should be well designed and the look of whole cabin reflect the nature and look of the car. When you design a car thing about the dash board and cabin so they fit with the over all car.
This is a Rumen a French build car for more information and pictures please visit www.4stroke-design.com.
Look closely at this car, there are some very clever touches. Did you spot the "flat" windscreen? That the door open like normal doors, but look suicide door from the 30's? The engine is in the boot and comes from Smart. This is a fun car, well designed and very French. If you go to there website you will know the read hatch/door can be replaced with a panel to create an open rear end. Very usfull on a sunny day. Inside cabin reflect the nature of the car, very glamorous and stylish. I see this as as glamorous car with a lot of style.
I know a lot of you will not like it, but that's not the point. As a design it all fit together, everything looks right and a lot of through has gone into getting it right. That's what we need in today's Kitcar designs. This car like many kit started as one persons dream. It is still that a dream car that's on the road. I hope this stats you think and dreaming. Maybe these post will change the direction of kit car or just let us share a few ideas that go no where. Only time will tell.
- *******************************************************************************
As for the car you've shown - fantastic! I'd style it a little differently, but the overall effect - a sort of answer to the question of what a 2CV coupe designed by Spyker would look like - is wonderful and coherent.
Interesting comment on the A series. I queried the continued use in Kit Car construction, of an brilliant but 60 year old outdated design myself, earlier today on a thread.
I think it is a clear sign of the very poor innovative vein in Kit Cars today.
The Matiz (800cc twin cam all alloy 5 speed}, or the A class which is also twin can 1600cc all alloy 5 speed are so much lighter, more fuel efficient, vastly better breathing and available en masse from scrap supplies are just two alternatives. There are many more utilising modern toy japmobile cars scrapped.
If you could make this into a one donor car so much the better.
Even worse are the plethora of Seven clones which are all not as good as the original Lotus. The Robin Hood which I bought part built (very badly unbuilt) and rebuilt to finish, has so much flex in the chassis that driving on undulating roads and round S bends is a real bodily experience. I still have it and it does give wind in the hair motoring. And around every other limb! I reckon its worth about nowt.
We need a really different outside the box design and concept. That is the way to get enthusiasts back.
The Haynes/locost/locust/RH/sundry other seven clones are not the future.
Look at the secondhand prices: decent Duttons fetch more. FGS!!!!!!!!
I think it is a clear sign of the very poor innovative vein in Kit Cars today.
The Matiz (800cc twin cam all alloy 5 speed}, or the A class which is also twin can 1600cc all alloy 5 speed are so much lighter, more fuel efficient, vastly better breathing and available en masse from scrap supplies are just two alternatives. There are many more utilising modern toy japmobile cars scrapped.
If you could make this into a one donor car so much the better.
Even worse are the plethora of Seven clones which are all not as good as the original Lotus. The Robin Hood which I bought part built (very badly unbuilt) and rebuilt to finish, has so much flex in the chassis that driving on undulating roads and round S bends is a real bodily experience. I still have it and it does give wind in the hair motoring. And around every other limb! I reckon its worth about nowt.
We need a really different outside the box design and concept. That is the way to get enthusiasts back.
The Haynes/locost/locust/RH/sundry other seven clones are not the future.
Look at the secondhand prices: decent Duttons fetch more. FGS!!!!!!!!
I'm posting a few images of a concept car exhibited at the Frankfurt Show 2011 that could be manufatured by any kitcar company, maybe slightly more lowtech but still feasble .
Edited by fuoriserie on Monday 26th September 20:35
Edited by fuoriserie on Monday 26th September 20:36
Edited by fuoriserie on Monday 26th September 20:37
, I would love to see something similar in the UK...
Steffan said:
Interesting comment on the A series. I queried the continued use in Kit Car construction, of an brilliant but 60 year old outdated design myself, earlier today on a thread.
I think it is a clear sign of the very poor innovative vein in Kit Cars today.
The Matiz (800cc twin cam all alloy 5 speed}, or the A class which is also twin can 1600cc all alloy 5 speed are so much lighter, more fuel efficient, vastly better breathing and available en masse from scrap supplies are just two alternatives. There are many more utilising modern toy japmobile cars scrapped.
If you could make this into a one donor car so much the better.
Even worse are the plethora of Seven clones which are all not as good as the original Lotus. The Robin Hood which I bought part built (very badly unbuilt) and rebuilt to finish, has so much flex in the chassis that driving on undulating roads and round S bends is a real bodily experience. I still have it and it does give wind in the hair motoring. And around every other limb! I reckon its worth about nowt.
We need a really different outside the box design and concept. That is the way to get enthusiasts back.
The Haynes/locost/locust/RH/sundry other seven clones are not the future.
Look at the secondhand prices: decent Duttons fetch more. FGS!!!!!!!!
I agree totally, but sadly the sevens are a big part of kit cars and I believe will remain so for a long time. As my on off interest in kit car started in very early 1980's my interest predates most of them. It only in the last 15-20 years that the sevens demand has increased. I think it is a clear sign of the very poor innovative vein in Kit Cars today.
The Matiz (800cc twin cam all alloy 5 speed}, or the A class which is also twin can 1600cc all alloy 5 speed are so much lighter, more fuel efficient, vastly better breathing and available en masse from scrap supplies are just two alternatives. There are many more utilising modern toy japmobile cars scrapped.
If you could make this into a one donor car so much the better.
Even worse are the plethora of Seven clones which are all not as good as the original Lotus. The Robin Hood which I bought part built (very badly unbuilt) and rebuilt to finish, has so much flex in the chassis that driving on undulating roads and round S bends is a real bodily experience. I still have it and it does give wind in the hair motoring. And around every other limb! I reckon its worth about nowt.
We need a really different outside the box design and concept. That is the way to get enthusiasts back.
The Haynes/locost/locust/RH/sundry other seven clones are not the future.
Look at the secondhand prices: decent Duttons fetch more. FGS!!!!!!!!
You like me like Dutton's take on the seven idea. I would differ on them being better than current seven type cars. The engineering and quality of modern kit is better today, your own Robin Hood sounds fun and probably was a lot easier to put together than a Dutton. By Lotus 5/6's also flex, Colin Chapman built them like that as it kept the weight down and the wheels on the road.
This is aimed at all of the current seven company's. Dutton was bigger and sold more cars than most of today's. Look what happen to them.
I have built several Duttons including a 4.2 Rover V8 one I bought half (badly) built. That was the most difficult car to drive I have ever been in. It regularly ignored the front wheels and understeered off course then snapped into oversteer and only the very lucky could catch her.
We tried everything to sort this but the gross weight imbalance and very crude suspension made it impossible to drive safely.
I know Tim Dutton Wooley of old he sold me a Pheaton kit personally back in the 1970's. He was actually driving a Lambo, then the Dutton car business made good money, but went on too long. Still see him regularly at shows with his amphibious car one of life's survivors.
I agree the best of the modern kits are much better than Dutton's although I still have personal like for the Dutton. However some of the Kit Cars on offer leave a lot to be desired, it is very much a case of Caveat Emptor in my view.
The sheer number of project half built (generous assessment) dross on Ebay tells the story. I always check the dimensions of such offers if they interest me. All of the last six kits I looked at had really serious dimensional variations so that the car would be crabbing like old Minis used to do unless you split the chassis and fixed it all.
Unless there is a fundamental improvement in the originality and mechanical ability of today's Kit Cars I seriously doubt if the Kit Car Industries are going to last very long.
Its not just the recession, although that is affecting luxury purchases, it is the constant repetition of designs and failure of the KC Industry, to offer a really competitive innovative affordable product, that is at the heart, of the problem.
Innovation and new radical designs offered at affordable prices are the future.
Can the KC industry do this? The jury is out.
We tried everything to sort this but the gross weight imbalance and very crude suspension made it impossible to drive safely.
I know Tim Dutton Wooley of old he sold me a Pheaton kit personally back in the 1970's. He was actually driving a Lambo, then the Dutton car business made good money, but went on too long. Still see him regularly at shows with his amphibious car one of life's survivors.
I agree the best of the modern kits are much better than Dutton's although I still have personal like for the Dutton. However some of the Kit Cars on offer leave a lot to be desired, it is very much a case of Caveat Emptor in my view.
The sheer number of project half built (generous assessment) dross on Ebay tells the story. I always check the dimensions of such offers if they interest me. All of the last six kits I looked at had really serious dimensional variations so that the car would be crabbing like old Minis used to do unless you split the chassis and fixed it all.
Unless there is a fundamental improvement in the originality and mechanical ability of today's Kit Cars I seriously doubt if the Kit Car Industries are going to last very long.
Its not just the recession, although that is affecting luxury purchases, it is the constant repetition of designs and failure of the KC Industry, to offer a really competitive innovative affordable product, that is at the heart, of the problem.
Innovation and new radical designs offered at affordable prices are the future.
Can the KC industry do this? The jury is out.
Steffan said:
Its not just the recession, although that is affecting luxury purchases, it is the constant repetition of designs and failure of the KC Industry, to offer a really
Innovation and new radical designs offered at affordable prices are the future.
Can the KC industry do this? The jury is out.
These few lines needs a reply for the KC industry. Sadly they are not ready to be radical or innervate. Innovation and new radical designs offered at affordable prices are the future.
Can the KC industry do this? The jury is out.
I visited the Detling KC show this year, and noticed the second most common cars were three wheelers. Mostly 2CV based. These also showed the same lack of new designs as most look like they belong in the 1930's or 1950's, but come from 1980's.
How many of you remember that around 1990 the Bond Bug made a come back as a kit. It also gained a wheel! This was a car aimed at under 25's, a group not buying Reliants other cars. The kit car industry need a design like this. A car aimed at new buyers, different buy! Will it happen? Unlikily!
This topic seem to have gone dead. Clearly it like the whole kit car industry lacks new ideas.
Here one that I hope some one takes up. A city sprint car. What a mean is a car that has lost acceleration at 10-40mph. Link this to a short wheel base and good vision and you have a cit sprint car.
A second one that is good. An electric car with no batteries, just a generator with a small ICE (internal combustion engine)powering it. That ICE should probably be from a motorbike or car not a normal generator as these do meet the road emission rules. Done right and this would be a fast interesting car.
Here one that I hope some one takes up. A city sprint car. What a mean is a car that has lost acceleration at 10-40mph. Link this to a short wheel base and good vision and you have a cit sprint car.
A second one that is good. An electric car with no batteries, just a generator with a small ICE (internal combustion engine)powering it. That ICE should probably be from a motorbike or car not a normal generator as these do meet the road emission rules. Done right and this would be a fast interesting car.
Why would you want a generator driven by a small I/C engine to be your primary power train? Surely there is a lack of efficiency in converting combustion energy to electrical energy rather than converting it to mechanical drive? And won't there by a lag too, whereas at least if you had stored energy in a battery you could get an instantaneous response.
Kev M said:
Why would you want a generator driven by a small I/C engine to be your primary power train? Surely there is a lack of efficiency in converting combustion energy to electrical energy rather than converting it to mechanical drive? And won't there by a lag too, whereas at least if you had stored energy in a battery you could get an instantaneous response.
You would need an electric motor too, to actually provide the drive. If you were to design a layout like this to replace, say, a 100 bhp engine, your "small I/C engine" would need to produce a good chunk more power to overcome the generator and motor efficiencies, plus some other electrical losses.
You might be able to get rid of the gearbox though.
This design had been around a while, but I'd love to see it as a kit car, maybe for an MX5 http://www.carbodydesign.com/archive/2007/05/21-be...
A modern take on the Mk1 Ford Escort as a small coupe.
A modern take on the Mk1 Ford Escort as a small coupe.
See above posting. Would this make a good kit car? It is very different to any current kits.
Personal I think this would not fit within today kit car scene. Yes retro design are common, normal hinting back to a sportscar of 50's or 60's. This is a totally new design only use a hint of the M1 Escort looks.
It is probably better if a company with links to Ford build this.
Edited by KDIcarmad on Sunday 19th February 14:32
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