Tuesday 16th April 2002

285mpg

VW unveil their super frugal two seater

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[Roadrunner]

8.5bhp?! I used to have radio controlled car as a kid with a 3bhp petrol engine.

[plotloss]

From the look of it the only thing its missing is two buttons and a lead to plug it in to the computer.

Matt.

[ATG]

wonder what it would be like with a large motorcycle engine shoved up front?

[hansgerd]

With all the expensive components like the magnesium spaceframe, the carbon fibre bits and the high tech parts I wonder what the production cost will be like. As a demonstrator it's a nice idea to show what's possible and the mpg value is really impressive but for the mass market it might be just too expensive.

[ZZR600]

quote:
wonder what it would be like with a large motorcycle engine shoved up front?

A hyabusa motor would do the trick

[Mitch Casto]

The 285 mpg Volkwagen is an example of the value of a narrow body - lower drag by reducing the frontal area. But, there is a way to be more narrow and more fun : Tilting Three-wheelers. These have 3 wheels but can lean thru curves so that they don't roll over though they can be as narrow as a motorcycle in some cases.
The number of wheels isn't the issue, the ability to lean to remain stable is. Also the ride is more comfortable because the lateral forces are cancelled on the riders by tilting.

See www.maxmatic.com/ttw_index.htm for examples.

We have an email discussion group devoted to these machines.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tilting/

Mitch Casto
USA






Dreirad three-wheelers 3-Rädern 3 wheels drei-rädern 3 wheels Kurvenneiger Kurvenleger " curve casual " Neigetechnik triciclo Tre Ruote "three wheeled" tilting inclinazione leaning inclinzione inclining inclinazione cambering incurvamento articulated articolato swiveling girare triciclo three-wheel tres rueda 3-wheeled 3-rodado three wheels tres ruedas tricycle trois roues three-wheeled 3-roues
tricycle articulé articulated tricycle inclinaison tilting s'incline pivotement pivoting penchement leaning articulé articulated pendular pendulaire rock bascule basculante

[andytk]

300mpg? I'm sure a leadfooted petrolhead could get it down to around 50mpg

Incidentally with 8.5 bhp and 290 kg that works out at about 30bhp/ton. Now as some of you may know I drive a skoda which weighs in at about 50bhp/ton. This is about as slow as I care to ever be, sometimes there just isn't enough power when pulling out of junctions etc etc. Plus top end speed is goverened more by aerodynamic drag than power to weight so the 30 to 70 time will be appalling.

This little thing reminds me of the uni challenge run by big petrol companies (I think) where teams compete with strange one seat contraptions powered by modified model car engines and covered in clingfilm for aerodynamics. They manage about a million miles to the gallon so how come by (presumably) throwing huge amounts of money at this voltswagon can only manage 300 odd?
I tell you students are a bunch of geniuses

Andy

[thom]

quote:
This little thing reminds me of the uni challenge run by big petrol companies (I think) where teams compete with strange one seat contraptions powered by modified model car engines and covered in clingfilm for aerodynamics. They manage about a million miles to the gallon so how come by (presumably) throwing huge amounts of money at this voltswagon can only manage 300 odd?
I tell you students are a bunch of geniuses

This annual event is called "Marathon Shell"...

[myridin]

For reasons of Patent & Not Invented Here VW has not used what is probably the best platform -The Pereves Ecomobile- which is a 2wheel single track teardrop, also see The Quasar- A Britt product from the Feet Forward Motorcycle Group, also see The Owasso Pulse- A US product,single track 2seat with Honda GoldWing Engine, also check out the Diesel Enfield Motorcycle which used a 412cc Robin one incarnation was fitted into a MZ with a variomatic transmission and got I believe 200mpg riding 2up at 55mph, this with no turbo air cooled and lousy aerodynamics.There is much more that could be done with this concept!!! For anyone interested enough to do more research I can supply URL for all of the above and much more. Happy Surfing!!!

[Preston1990]

Hmmm...........You know that's rather like a TVR isn't it!

285mpg and 8.5 bhp!

Oh no, silly me - it's the other way around isn't it!!

Regards Preston1990

(Complete TVR Postcard collection one day!)