Triumphs/Disasters of packaging?
Discussion
Which cars manage to achieve the most/least amount of interior space within a given length? LJK Steright once said that he liked cars because he appreciated good engineering, surely this must apply to cars like the mini and toyota iq that manage to provide a surprising amount of interior space within their diminutive frames? Regarding the IQ, I appreciate the magnificent packaging but can't help but feel it would be better applied to a larger car - say, a supermini with mpv space - rather than the answer to a question nobody asked which it seems to be. I mean, who really needs a car that small?
Space per centimetre I reckon the Honda Jazz must be near the top of the list. my daughter bought a sideboard and got it in, but it is the way you can lift the rear seat sdquabs and push a bike across plus all the other ways of changing the space that gets my vote. It's certainly more spacious than my C class Merc estate
davepoth said:
Austin Maxi is brilliant for packaging, it's just a shame it looks like a pudding from the outside.
My Dad and Grandad both replaced Cortinas for them and they were very well packaged. My Grandad couldn't fit his Cortina in his garage yet he could fit his Maxi in even though it was a lot more spacious. The main reason for this was the fact that the Cortina was a lot wider at the bottom than the top due to the way it was styled, which made the the doors 6 inchs thick at the bottom! So it was means of Substance over Style with the Maxi, instead of Style over substance like most cars. All the seats folded forwar and backwards, so it could be used as a Double bed or a Storage space. On top of that it had an OHC engine, Hydrolastic (Then Hydragas from 1975) Suspension, and a 5-Speed gearbox. In 1969. However there is of cause many flaws in the car, but that was due to BL management, not Issigonis. Oh, and I like the styling. All the other Issigonis cars are well packaged as well.I once got into the back of Audi S5. The front seats (electric) barely moved forward and getting in involved breathing in and some yoga, getting out was another matter, lots of twisting and turning. I'm a slim male, so I imagine there are some fat people trapped in an S5.
The largest coupe I had been in and the most difficult of any car ever where I had to get into the back.
The largest coupe I had been in and the most difficult of any car ever where I had to get into the back.
MartinQ said:
People are surprised that I managed to fit in an Elise, since I'm 6' 5" and quite long legged. It's certainly a good use of a small amount of space.
The Fiat X1/9 was better 
Similar car/size, but managed to carry a full size spare wheel, and had both front and rear boots. The targa top also fitted in the front boot, and didn't take up much space.
rsv gone! said:
The Clio can fit four adults in in reasonable comfort. Compare that to the Mini, of similar size, where the front seats go back and can touch the rear seat cushion.
I can't drive a clio, I can drive a mini. For me, that's more a question of where the respective designers "spent the space budget". I don't really consider the Mini a 4-seater, but for me it would be the only one of the two I could even drive, so on that basis it wins. Oddly.C
lowdrag said:
Space per centimetre I reckon the Honda Jazz must be near the top of the list. my daughter bought a sideboard and got it in, but it is the way you can lift the rear seat sdquabs and push a bike across plus all the other ways of changing the space that gets my vote. It's certainly more spacious than my C class Merc estate
+1 - The amount you can get in it is truly astounding - the folding up/down seats are truly impressive.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff