Gordon Murray unveils lightweight city car
Discussion
hmm not sure it will catch on. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11301831
JonRB said:
How is this news? How is this "unveiling" when we've seen prototypes for the past year in the media, including Fifth Gear and EVO?
They were previews. This is the formal press release to the general public. Give the guy a break anyway - he's an automotive genius and he deserves ten times as much press as that facist with the silly hat that just visited the UK 
OK, he appears to have invented the smart car but put the driver where the crumple zone is to squeeze in another passenger. While I admire a design that uses materials efficiently I can't see this design getting many ncap stars. While lentil munchers that like to show people how much they suffer by driving G-wiz buckets they are an exception to the trend of most people who buy automotive white goods, where safety rating and resale value is king.
I'd love to get a proper look at one of these, and the manufacturing process behind them. I've followed this project since its early days and believe at the time it was first mooted it seemed a great idea.
However I think they have been too slow in getting it to market, there are too many conventional rivals that do most of what this car does in consumer terms, Aygo, i10 etc..., but the manufacturing process will be this cars greatest legacy, its so streamlined compared with normal methods and could revolutionise vehicle manufacturing as we know it.
Unfortunately I think they are asking the average consumer to accept too much change in a single vehicle. The 1+2 seating capacity is fine in theory, but lots of people like to be able to see and chat to their passanger as they travel around, and the forward hinging door, makes exiting the car a bit of an exhibition. Could be a great petrolhead bargain though if it handles well which I understand it does.
However I think they have been too slow in getting it to market, there are too many conventional rivals that do most of what this car does in consumer terms, Aygo, i10 etc..., but the manufacturing process will be this cars greatest legacy, its so streamlined compared with normal methods and could revolutionise vehicle manufacturing as we know it.
Unfortunately I think they are asking the average consumer to accept too much change in a single vehicle. The 1+2 seating capacity is fine in theory, but lots of people like to be able to see and chat to their passanger as they travel around, and the forward hinging door, makes exiting the car a bit of an exhibition. Could be a great petrolhead bargain though if it handles well which I understand it does.
patmahe said:
However I think they have been too slow in getting it to market, there are too many conventional rivals that do most of what this car does in consumer terms, Aygo, i10 etc..., but the manufacturing process will be this cars greatest legacy, its so streamlined compared with normal methods and could revolutionise vehicle manufacturing as we know it.
That's my understanding, too. Could well become the saving grace of sub-1,000,000/annum vehicle manufacturers, and thus automotive variety and freedom of choice.Gordon Murray said:
"The actual factory that builds an iStream car - no matter what shape it is, no matter what size it is - is about 20% of the capital investment and 20% of the size of a conventional car manufacturing plant - and about half the energy."
So, like I was saying on the Lotus thread about somebody stepping into the lightweight sports car market once Lotus have disappeared up the CEO's Gucci man-bag...otolith said:
Gordon Murray said:
"The actual factory that builds an iStream car - no matter what shape it is, no matter what size it is - is about 20% of the capital investment and 20% of the size of a conventional car manufacturing plant - and about half the energy."
So, like I was saying on the Lotus thread about somebody stepping into the lightweight sports car market once Lotus have disappeared up the CEO's Gucci man-bag...
I was thinking the same thing! Good point!All we need now is a small efficient normally aspirated engine producing around 150bhp. A k series would do 45-50mpg in that car easily and satisfy EU requirements, but sadly it's no longer made.
A sports version of this car with the three seater driving position and an engine giving 250-300bhp per tonne would be pretty much my perfect car.
Edited by RobM77 on Tuesday 21st September 12:36
thinfourth2 said:
Its utter s
t we need 3 ton plus V8 city cars with seating for 8 people
Can i join the ignorant idiot club now?
Most people do need more then one or two seats at some times, maybe not every day, and as most people aren't as rich as the average PHer it seems, they can usually only afford one car which by definition must be a compromise. t we need 3 ton plus V8 city cars with seating for 8 peopleCan i join the ignorant idiot club now?
Gordon Murray is no idiot, and people criticising the car are missing the point of the exercise, which is clearly stated in the article incidentally.
The car exists merely to showcase the design and manufacturing process involved, using an 'end product' that taps into the currently newsworthy eco-thinking.
If he'd developed another supercar using the same methods (which is highly possible) then he would have been pilloried.
The point a lot of people are missing is that this process could lead to the rebirth of the small-scale car manufacturer (think TVR....!). I'm hoping he'll be licensing the technology, priced according to the intended volume of production.
The car exists merely to showcase the design and manufacturing process involved, using an 'end product' that taps into the currently newsworthy eco-thinking.
If he'd developed another supercar using the same methods (which is highly possible) then he would have been pilloried.
The point a lot of people are missing is that this process could lead to the rebirth of the small-scale car manufacturer (think TVR....!). I'm hoping he'll be licensing the technology, priced according to the intended volume of production.
Murray said:
Modifying the size of the frame or the shape and colour of the body panels can be done simply by rewriting the software, so on the same production line you can have "any body you like, on the same day", he explains.
I wonder how - s*dding clever to be able to change the body shape on the same dayGassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff