Check Out These "autocycles"

Elio Amazed · Jul 25, 2014

Rickb said:
Not a big fan of the T-rex styling but the Campagna VR13 Roadster........love it! Could be an Elio Roadster version in the future.
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As per Jay Leno's garage: "...30 to 35 mpg." And they're braggin' about it.
Also, like many have made clear, no roof to put on in bad weather.
That being said, for a big boy toy the coolness factor is off the charts.

Snick · Jul 25, 2014

AriLea said:
Hi tech solutions to non essential issues have always been a tedious fit. Rear steering, Fly by wire, tilting. These things are desirables and not essentials. Full filling all kinds of desirables has given the market reasons for the main-line automakers to sell a new model every year, and also has raised the price up to the point that we have $30k average prices. And we're being sold more luxury, more features, more candy each time. Next they want to sell us networked vehicles and autonomous driving. For sure they'll add streaming movies, first shooter VR and casino gaming as soon as they find a marketing angle for it. And profit motive is only loosely coupled to need.

They try very, very hard to entice us into paying more, which also brings higher payout, higher maintenance and lower efficiency. The average car today is huge in comparison to the average sedan of other times. It reminds me of the motto of Minimum Motoring; The minimum car to do the job.

Do you really need all that excess in a car to go to work and run errands? It's a cycle of things of course, constantly shifting up. Until, eventually there is a hole at the market bottom and economic reality sets in. Someone of the means to do so, sees an opportunity and then you have a new low end car like a Sentra(80's), Fiesta(70's),VW(60's).

Elio is doing one little step more however, opening a lower market that hasn't existed since just post WW2. But an Elio is a bit more capable than those early bubble cars. It is truly a hard fought improvement to that legacy. Just my opinion.

I really enjoy and agree with this overall assessment and opinion here, but have one minor nitpick:

drive by wire (throttle) is absolutely essential for fine tuning of engine running parameters for modern engines that have to hit strict emissions goals VERY quickly and under a very broad range of environmental and use conditions.

Plus, these days it is dirt cheap. It does NOT make sense to dumb this down. Automotive manufacturers have totally figured out drive by wire. It's impressive as heck how far cars have come in safety, reliability, emissions, performance in the last decade, I think. Most of that was due to electronic controls. Another side benefit is they are easier to diagnose for problems than vacuum based, mechanical linkage, carbeurated systems (nightmares) of olden days.

I wish the carb had died in cars 20 years earlier than it did. Now for my 1996 Ducati 900SSCR, carbs were perfectly fine and simple and sounded awesome, but not for my Elio, thank you very much.

wheaters · Jul 25, 2014

You could always build yourself something a little more retro, such as this one built by a friend of mine. He began with a Ford Ten front beam axle and made everything else himself. He makes his living fabricating stainless steel exhaust systems for specialist and vintage / classic cars.

Folks · Jul 25, 2014

Funny how little we know about the Velorex for in truth Until the Elio my favorite was the Velorex. I would hope the Elio will evoke the same spirit we see here that the Czechs have for their Velorex. No the Velorex is quite inferior to the Elio design but I see the same spirit at work here in America . Minimal yet adequate and lots of pride and individuality. Pre WWII not bad to have survived in the hearts of a war torn Country like Czechoslovokia speaks volumes to me.

PS I think there 6 Velorexes that made the trek from St Louis to La on the old Route 66 in 2006.

Folks · Jul 25, 2014

Someone has done a conceptual rendering of an upgrade of the Velorex is pretty cool looking to.

LillyMayPatterson #1685 & #5648 · Apr 26, 2016

Strange I punched in 52216 and this popped up. Reservation up to 52,216 this morning. I miss Z.

Buckeyejake · Apr 26, 2016

Z's still with us. We just don't get to communicate with her on this website.

i communicate with Z through prayer. it works for me. She will alway be a part of my Elio experience. I appreciate this nice lady looking over me as I continue down the Elio path. Somewhere on my Elio will be my reservation number and Z . This simple marking will commemorate my journey and friend.

God bless you Z.

Kuda · Apr 26, 2016

Buckeyejake said:
Z's still with us. We just don't get to communicate with her on this website.

i communicate with Z through prayer. it works for me. She will alway be a part of my Elio experience. I appreciate this nice lady looking over me as I continue down the Elio path. Somewhere on my Elio will be my reservation number and Z . This simple marking will commemorate my journey and friend.

God bless you Z.

AriLea · Apr 26, 2016

wheaters said:
You could always build yourself something a little more retro, such as this one built by a friend of mine. He began with a Ford Ten front beam axle and made everything else himself. He makes his living fabricating stainless steel exhaust systems for specialist and vintage / classic cars.

That is COOL! .. Ok then, in the gleaming all aluminum cabinscooters category.. here ya go..
Click this LINK for the article listing this 1st car below.... And, as a counter point to aluminum 'gleam', the last one Link (Elio is also noted in the article) in carbon-fiber, a well known people augmented power version.
PS. GBUZ!

Check Out These "autocycles"

Elio Amazed

Elio Addict

Snick

Elio Addict

wheaters

Elio Addict

Folks

Elio Addict

Folks

Elio Addict

LillyMayPatterson #1685 & #5648

Elio Addict

Buckeyejake

Elio Addict

Kuda

Elio Addict

AriLea

Elio Addict

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