McLaren F1 Designer shows electric prototype

[A Scotsman]

Don't get too excited,,,,,,,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8344532.stm

[LongQ]

I suppose if it had 2 seats Mandelson would have been there as well ...

Not sure I would want to use that for a school run ... or anything really.

I wonder if Gordon Murray has lost the plot?

[dougc]

I thought that funny looking prototype thingy was the forerunner to Murray's long time coming city car?

[VXRTOM]

I'm pretty sure I could have built something that looks 10 times better with nothing more than a hammer, a few nails and a few old baked bean cans

[Stu R]

VXRTOM said:

I'm pretty sure I could have built something that looks 10 times better with nothing more than a hammer, a few nails and a few old baked bean cans

Not too hard given that firing runny turd from a catapult would yield better looking results, but it is a prototype

[VXRTOM]

Stu R said:

VXRTOM said:

I'm pretty sure I could have built something that looks 10 times better with nothing more than a hammer, a few nails and a few old baked bean cans

Not too hard given that firing runny turd from a catapult would yield better looking results, but it is a prototype

You're not wrong. However arn't protoypes a bit like concept cars, which usually look amazing and make you reeaaaallly want one (then the actual one is brought out and looks st in comparison). So I dread to think what the 'real' one is going to look like if this is the 'prototype'

[k-ink]

Looks just like the F1

[Throttle Body]

LongQ said:

I wonder if Gordon Murray has lost the plot?

I don't think so. Whereas other car designers tend to get everyone excited by some futuristic-looking masterpiece without having any clue how it might be implemented, Murray's car is primarily about the engineering and the manufacturing process. The styling will be important, but comes after the underlying structure is developed.

[LongQ]

Throttle Body said:

LongQ said:

I wonder if Gordon Murray has lost the plot?

I don't think so. Whereas other car designers tend to get everyone excited by some futuristic-looking masterpiece without having any clue how it might be implemented, Murray's car is primarily about the engineering and the manufacturing process. The styling will be important, but comes after the underlying structure is developed.

So how radical is that compared to existing concepts from one field or another?
I have read of this revolutionary approach several times over the last few years but beyond the visionary concepts have not seen much that describes what it is about.

So often these revolutionary concepts for manufacturing splutter along and eventually either disappear or evolve into a completely different product. Or evolve and then disappear. Here's one I recall from times past.

http://www.oldwoodies.com/feature-africar.htm

And then there is this, complete with its 'F1' designer, from 2000:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/988265.stm

which now seems to have morphed into this:

http://www.mdi.lu/english/

and will be promoted in the US by this company, starting in 2010/2011 apparently.

http://zeropollutionmotors.us/

I can understand the need to really work through a process, especially if it is genuinely revolutionary and potentially practical, before starting to implement it. If only British Leyland had understood the same back in the 60s and 70s! However to have publicised a small town car that was never seen without being wrapped up (or did I miss that showing?) but 'promised' something vaguely acceptable and then to move to the thing in the photo for a real vehicle publicity shot seems more than strange. Worse, the vehicle that Drayson is driving is a petrol version.

So was Murray pushed into the publicity by Drayson? After all Drayson is probably under pressure to come up with 'green' comments for voter's consumption and yet try to make out, as all government do, that the country is in good shape to be a manufacturer (yep, right) of new leading edge workd beating products that the government has proudly and wisely invested in - but prudently so the costs are small.

I used to fall for some of that guff 25 years ago but not now.

If you are trying to promote a new concept technology using thid sort of description ...

"It will be created using a manufacturing process, called iStream. All the parts are designed by computer and welded together rather than stamped out of metal sheets. This means iStream factories can be just one fifth the size of traditional plants."

... it's probably a good idea to have an illustration that shows something that does not look like it has been stamped out of metal sheets.


Read more guff here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-122...


If he wants to be really realistic about 'sustainable' futures Murray should design something that is a fraction of the weight and comes with pedals for providing motive power when there is no electricity available because the power system has failed.

No wonder Drayson seems to be intent on taking most of his racing team activity to the US these days. The locals might get a bit wise to him if he operated too close to home.

Never mind, peasants, the rich and powerful have spoken and deigned to show you what you can look forward to in the future - so long as you don't make a fuss and the EU Central Committee allows the local parish run from Westminster to provide this subsidy from the money you hand over to it.

Actually to be fair I think it could be argued that Murray lost the plot when he designed the Mac F1 EXCEPT that it was certainly an engineering tour de force of its kind at the time and that time was one when pretty much anything was acceptable to showcase ability. Impracticality was simply an additional badge of honour. I had and have no problem with that especially when the resulting output is so limited. If he limits output of the T.25/T.27 to 100 units I could live with that too, though who knows where they might be useful even clothed in something like a weather protecting lightweight bodywork.

On the other hand if this is simply the 'early days' of the development of the process of manufacturing by istream it suggests we have a long way to go before we see the benefits of the revolution and begs the question about what has been going on since the ideas came to him some years ago.

Ultimately the press release, as reported via the links I have seen, is so full of BS waffle that it is really difficult for me to allow it any credibility at all.

Just my tuppence worth.