RE: Images of Melling's Hellcat emerge
Discussion
0-60 in less than 3 secs out of a 6 litre NA v10 sounds the business.
Sadly, IMO the car is extremely ugly! When you look at a ferrari or TVR you feel the sensation of speed, when you look at this car, it just looks like a box??!!!
If Melling makes this car a reality, who would part with 100k for one? I think he should have hired someone who pencil's better designs.... and worked a price around the 60k mark, IMO.
Good-luck Melling - you'll need it!
Sadly, IMO the car is extremely ugly! When you look at a ferrari or TVR you feel the sensation of speed, when you look at this car, it just looks like a box??!!!
If Melling makes this car a reality, who would part with 100k for one? I think he should have hired someone who pencil's better designs.... and worked a price around the 60k mark, IMO.
Good-luck Melling - you'll need it!
stumpage said:
Seeing as every time we see a new coupe it gets the 'Looks like a Hyundai Coupe' comment. We have seen it with the new XK, Aston, Ferrari to name a few. Could it be that Hyundai took all the basic design signatures of these long established car makers and included the details into their car so it would look a lot like the others. Thus the Hyundai really looks like and 'insert coupe name here' rather than the other way round. Same with any new car maker, do they really want to take a gamble looks wise when the established are liked so much?
Just a thought, just a thought
It's all to do with the amount of metal above the wheels, in this case far too much. Compare it to a Vette or a Maranello
>> Edited by apache on Monday 29th May 19:16
the dodger said:
Melling is an icon in the engine design world - that's a fact. He's had his hand in the design of "most" car engines (and motorbike engines) throughout the lands. The AJPV8 was and still is a screaming success. The Speed 12/6 less so, mostly because it was put into production prior to sufficient development. Ask Ravenscroft why it had problems if you think Melling doesn't have the credentials.
I think you may be judging the guy without knowledge of the facts. Like too many PH-ers nowadays.......
Seriously, no axe to grind, but I really would be interested in concrete evidence of any previous (or subsequent) stuff. I'd never heard of this guy before his involvement with TVR or since.
Avocet said:
Melling is an icon in the engine design world - that's a fact. He's had his hand in the design of "most" car engines (and motorbike engines) throughout the lands. The AJPV8 was and still is a screaming success. The Speed 12/6 less so, mostly because it was put into production prior to sufficient development. Ask Ravenscroft why it had problems if you think Melling doesn't have the credentials.
I think you may be judging the guy without knowledge of the facts. Like too many PH-ers nowadays.......
Seriously, no axe to grind, but I really would be interested in concrete evidence of any previous (or subsequent) stuff. I'd never heard of this guy before his involvement with TVR or since.
My advice : send your CV to Melling as an engine designer, pass the interview, then have fun ......
I'll wait 'till his next car, thank you. There seems to be a tradition with independent supercar manufacturers, in that your first car must perform magnificently, but be ugly as sin (think: Mosler, Noble). On your second go 'round, however, you hire a guy who can design a car that doesn't look like a retarded potato peeler and suddenly you've got a hit on your hands.
lap_time said:
Heres something for Melling to ponder: Dreams are like rainbows. Only idiots chase them.
>> Edited by lap_time on Sunday 28th May 11:08
Ive never heard a more apathetic and mind-numbing phrase that I can only speculate the most un-ambitious and boring individuals have as an outlook on life.
lol. figures. a guy designs a front engine, 700 hp, 2700 lb car, practically the holy grail of supercar pwr:weight ratios, and it looks like a turd. lovely. Almost as hideous as the invicta s1. At least this doesn't look like it's melting. Why why why can't all supercars be as graceful looking as the farboud gts? Can't wait for that one. Hope they're in business long enough for me to buy one in 5-8 yrs...
polus said:
Heres something for Melling to ponder: Dreams are like rainbows. Only idiots chase them.
>> Edited by lap_time on Sunday 28th May 11:08
Ive never heard a more apathetic and mind-numbing phrase that I can only speculate the most un-ambitious and boring individuals have as an outlook on life.
I've got plenty more where that came from...success is a journey not a destination, so stop running...for every winner there are dozens of losers, chances are you're one of them... And I realise that without dreamers, the entire car industry wouldn't exist. SO the quote should read "some dreams...". It just has to be a good looking dream to begin with. And YES I remember the comments I made on the M6 (at least they actually put it into production)
In my opion the bloke is visionary,who else was trying to put together two Jap. bike blocks onto a common crank 17 years ago? WHOOOOO a 2 litre V8,lightweight with 200BHP? unfortuately he never completed this project as he seems to get bored and run to his next idea.
The Hellcat,I doubt it will sell six,it looks like a pig and since to most of us uninventive people thats all that counts.
And hey,whats the big news in lightweight powerfull engines now,Jap four`s bolted together as a V8!
The Hellcat,I doubt it will sell six,it looks like a pig and since to most of us uninventive people thats all that counts.
And hey,whats the big news in lightweight powerfull engines now,Jap four`s bolted together as a V8!
jonnywalker said:
In my opinion the bloke is visionary,who else was trying to put together two Jap. bike blocks onto a common crank 17 years ago? WHOOOOO a 2 litre V8,lightweight with 200BHP? unfortuately he never completed this project as he seems to get bored and run to his next idea.
The Hellcat,I doubt it will sell six,it looks like a pig and since to most of us uninventive people thats all that counts.
And hey,whats the big news in lightweight powerfull engines now,Jap four`s bolted together as a V8!
So what you're saying is that he couldn't do it and the Japs could. I would like to bolt together two Gold Wing flat sixes to make a 3.6 Flat 12 but lack any skill so am I a visionary? Small V8's aren't really revolutionary. Daimler had a 2.5 V8 in the 60's, Ferrari had a 1.5 V12 in 1947 and Renault and Alfa had 2.0 V6's but nobody really wanted them. From my recollection, the whole point of a V8 is a big capacity unit that sounds like the Earth just opened it's bowels.
Melling, I believe, had a significant influence in the design of the Jaguar XJR supercharged engine if I rightly recall.
I don't think this thing looks too bad. The Hyundai influence is there, but then the Hyundai has a carbon copy of the roofline and c-pillar from the Ferrari 456GT so I don't see that as a problem. It's not a pretty car (Hellcat) but it's not ugly. I do detest the name though. (But I like the look of the Bristol Fighter - function dictates, not styling)
I think that Mr Melling will succeed in building some of these machines. He doesn't seem to be the kind of gent to shout his mouth off without something to substantiate his claims. Steve Cropley's column in Autocar yesterday suggests that there is some tangible progres with the car and that some working examples will be available soon.
I hope it's a success. At 100k, it isn't that much more expensive than the MG SV-R. In my experience, generally, when someone is spending over about £70k on a car, they are in a position to spend £100k or more.
I don't think this thing looks too bad. The Hyundai influence is there, but then the Hyundai has a carbon copy of the roofline and c-pillar from the Ferrari 456GT so I don't see that as a problem. It's not a pretty car (Hellcat) but it's not ugly. I do detest the name though. (But I like the look of the Bristol Fighter - function dictates, not styling)
I think that Mr Melling will succeed in building some of these machines. He doesn't seem to be the kind of gent to shout his mouth off without something to substantiate his claims. Steve Cropley's column in Autocar yesterday suggests that there is some tangible progres with the car and that some working examples will be available soon.
I hope it's a success. At 100k, it isn't that much more expensive than the MG SV-R. In my experience, generally, when someone is spending over about £70k on a car, they are in a position to spend £100k or more.
tuscan_thunder said:
I hope it's a success. At 100k, it isn't that much more expensive than the MG SV-R. In my experience, generally, when someone is spending over about £70k on a car, they are in a position to spend £100k or more.
Not exactly a storming sales success.....the MG and they ended up flogging them off for far far less.
>> Edited by LuS1fer on Thursday 1st June 10:52
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