Archive for June, 2012
Dream Cars, Concept Cars & Engineering Exercises
The late, great automobile designer at General Motors, Harley Earl, was fond of producing engineering exercises in his GM Design Group. These one-offs were shown in automobile shows to gauge public interest, but also just as often to showoff the talents of Earl’s great design team. A number of these concept cars went on to become production models, though greatly modified for better adaptation to mass production. Some of these one-offs were completely roadworthy vehicles and were driven by Earl and other top GM executives.
Among the dream cars that made it to production are the 1953 Buick Skylark, a sporty, V-8 powered convertible with low-cut doors and racy looks that still are hot today. Raymond Loewy Design Studio produced a show car for Studebaker in 1952 that evolved into one of the best classic designs of all times, the Studebaker Starliner coupe. This car evolved into the Studebaker Hawk series of the late fifties and sixties, but none of these were as beautiful as the original concept car penned by Robert Bourke of Loewy Design.
The Chevrolet Corvette is another concept that made it into production and is still a sports car icon today. However, more concept cars were not put into production for a variety of reasons, than were used as a basis for a production car. One of these is the Oldsmobile F-88, a two-seat convertible that was shown in 1954, the year after the introduction of the “Vette.” This V-8 powered and loaded-with-options personal sports car would have competed directly with the Corvette, which in 1953-4 was powered by an anemic six-cylinder backed by a two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. It is reported that Chevy executives lobbied successfully to squelch production of the sporty Olds. Of the two or three concepts made the only F-88 known to be in existence was sold at a Barrett-Jackson Auction for $3.24 millions and now resides in the Gateway Colorado Automobile Museum on a special rotating display.
The Ford Thunderbird first appeared as a concept, then as a production model in 1955. The two-seater was a response the success of the Corvette from rival Chevrolet. In 1958 the T-Bird morphed into a four-seat, personal luxury coupe and convertible and created a whole new market segment. Later entries in this niche market were the Pontiac Grand Prix and Buick Riviera.
In our current automotive era the automobile shows around the world continue to be used to promote engineering and design concepts even more than they were in the classical car era. The concepts today are even more imaginative that they were in the sixties and every manufacturer has at least one on their viewing stand.
Concepts bubbling on the boil
Some of the concept cars that are sitting-in-waiting are pretty special. Like a spoilt child, there may be some of us that are getting a little impatient and asking the question: when’s this one going to arrive? New designs are getting fruitier and more flavoursome, and it’s exciting to see the flair that is going into these new creations. Take a look.
Alfa Romeo has the exciting new Alfa Romeo 4C on the boil. This looks a little like a Lotus Elise, and certainly has the curves and arches in the right places. Overhang is minimal, so you can bet it’s going to love the corners!
How about the BMW GINA? The surface of the BMW GINA features a new skin that BMW says is highly resistant to expansion. The material is also durable, and flexible. Underneath the exterior is a light aluminium framework which can adjust the cars flexi-skin. Adjustable via electronic and hydraulic controls, the body shape can be reshaped according to the owner’s wishes. Pretty cool.
Chrysler looks to be bringing in a nice new electric-powered 200C concept model. With an interior flamboyance, well-dressed exterior and the Chrysler ENVI (electronic) drivetrain, this is a special medium-to-large size sedan. Certainly, the concept Chrysler 200C may well provide a petrol-powered 200C for production. The EV (Electronic Vehicle) would be awesome if it makes it into production. Best keep our ears to the ground.
Your next Ford Explorer, at least in America, looks a premium machine that has futuristic looks and some excellent features. The concept is also a demonstration platform for Ford’s new EcoBoost family of engines. Powered with EcoBoost engine technology, the smaller engine packs power to match larger engines while achieving 20-30 percent gains in fuel-economy. Range Rover: watch your back!
Jaguar has a beautiful concept car in its line-up. The C-X16 features a next generation touch-screen communications system with supplementary buttons that provide shortcuts to top-level menu functions. Further controls take their inspiration from devices such as smartphones and tablets and provide multimodal functionality. But just check out the car’s sexy lines!
Kia GT is a striking new design on the ranks. It’s a sleek and muscular four-door sports sedan with a rear-wheel drive layout – just the perfect set-up for loads of fun and excitement. A 4690 mm length includes an extended bonnet, little front overhang, powerful rear haunches and a truncated rear end. Power packs a 3.3-litre turbocharged Lambda V6 GDI engine generating 534 Nm. Drive to the rear wheels is via an eight-speed automatic.
A van, but a special multi tasking large van, the Nissan NV2500 concept offers a brand new design plan and forward thinking – including a 3-Zone interior and flexible utility and storage solutions. The NV2500 Concept’s “wall-less” mobile office/workspace design includes a computer workstation, fold-down conference table, numerous storage compartments, cargo/tool tie-down racks, nearly six feet of interior height and an awning-style side panel that opens to create a standing outside workshop table.
Renault has its Alpine A110-50 concept car which I can’t wait till we see it on our roads. Flowing bodywork, half-domed headlamps, a unique 3D rear window, air intakes on each side that echo the ducts on the rear wheel arches and the carbon-fibre bodywork that features a new shade of blue which refreshes and reinterprets the famous original ‘Alpine Blue’ colour. The doors feature a scissor motion. Power is plenty, and comes from the 3.5-litre, 24-valve, 300 kW, V6 engine that is planted in a mid-rear position. Handling promises to be very special.
How Aspirin Can Cure A Headache
Hey, this is an auto blog- how come we’re talking about headaches? Well, there is a connection.
It’s a real headache when you get a flat battery, and a couple of aspirins can cure it- the flat battery, not the headache!
If you don’t have a sealed battery and you can unscew a battery cap, simply pop in a couple of aspirins, screw the cap back, run back into the car and try to start it again.
It’s claimed that the acetylsalicylic acid in the aspirin and the sulfuric acid in the battery create a chemical reaction that may be enough to give sufficient charge for one starting attempt.
I’ve checked it out and it does seem to have some credibilty, so if you have a flat battery, try this, and if it works let us know.
The End Of The Rego Sticker?
Hot water, soap, razor blades and wet towels, all useful in getting last year’s rego sticker off the windscreen (mind you, leaving a ‘curl’ on the corner seems to do the trick, too). This is a routine that has been followed by every motorist since 1932 when registration stickers were first introduced
But this may be a thing of the past for most Australians as three states have already done away with them, or are in the process of doing so.
Let’s look at the pros and cons.
Yes! Good Idea because:-
1. It Saves Money
NSW claims it will save over half a million dollars a year in printing costs alone. The West Australian Government thinks it saves a million a year.
2. No Longer Necessary
Police cars are now equipped with electronic camera techniques that enable quick playback on whether a targetted car is currently registered or not.
3. Saves The Hassle Of Removing Old Stickers
No argument there
No! Bad Idea because:-
1. People Will Forget To Renew
OK, they mean to renew, don’t, but don’t get ‘sticker shock’ by suddenly seeing their out of date sticker on the windscreen.
2. People Will ‘Forget’ To Renew
They don’t really mean to renew, and they hope to get away with it. Some may (which reduces the overall savings benefit), but most won’t, and they’ll get fined in the process.
3. Extra Police Time Doing Rego Checks
That probably won’t be the case as the proliferation of automatic number plate recognition cameras will make the task more streamlined with or without sticker evidence (and the extra income from fines should help, too!)
4. Increase In Unregistered Vehicles Impacts On The Innocent
If there is a significant increase in unregistered vehicles on the road it could prove expensive for innocent people. An innocent driver involved in an accident with an unregistered vehicle may have to pay for his own damage or lose a no claim bonus, mechanics doing a test drive need to be sure that the car is registered- and there’s no visible means, no third party insurance will even impact on innocent pedestrians.
Whilst it is quick and easy to check on the currency of registration of a vehicle through the state’s website, it is still nowhere near as easy as looking on a windscreen.
All the states’ Road Ministers have confirmed that they do, and will send out sufficient renewal notices, either by email, post, text or all. (The WA authorities have now implemented text reminders where possible).
Motoring organizations have generally welcomed this initiative, but one disquieting fact has emerged from one participating state.
Western Australia were first to scrap rego stickers, in 2010. But an RAC of WA poll recently undertaken discovered that 70 percent of West Australian drivers prefer to have a rego sticker on their car to remind them of an up and coming cost.
If the public don’t embrace it, then it’s a real problem. Are they right to reject it? Will they get used to it? Will other states follow suit? (Tasmania looks to be the next) What do you think? If you live in SA or WA we’d like to know how it has affected you. If not, are you going to welcome it?
Have your say by clicking below.
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