Elio P5 At Detroit Auto Show

[bunchathrees]

[QUOTE="Oh, well, what can ya do?[/QUOTE]

A custom rear cowling? Build it with the hitch many people seem to want and you might have yourself a business.

 

[floydv]

I agree with you, I'm not crazy about it either. But since Elio is determined to use this style rear panel they might as well do it right. By lowering the position of the license plate it creates a space to put the "ELIO" name. It could be a simple chrome plate or a brake light as in the picture. If you notice when driving around virtually every car or truck has the brand name on the rear, and this is for good reason. It's free advertising. Just think how many people will be setting behind an Elio at a light and wondering what it is if there is no name.

As to it looking "hinky". Yea, it does. They had a really nice design (see below) but, for some reason I don't know, decided to change it to "the black box". I've never liked the look and wish they would go back to the earlier one. Oh, well, what can ya do?

Sorry, when I said "it" still looks hinky, I was referring to the rear hatch and the way it doesn't line up correctly with the roof seam. Still doesn't look flush to me.

 

[Coss]

[QUOTE="Oh, well, what can ya do?

A custom rear cowling? Build it with the hitch many people seem to want and you might have yourself a business.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, attach it to the cowl and put a warning sticker on it saying "Max tongue weight 20lbs, Max towing weight 50lbs."
Now if it was attached to the frame .......

 

[nickskeys]

In the spirit of the squeaky wheel.... this is what the rear panel should look like....

I'm glad that rear panel is plastic. I can just imagine all of the salt hitting it.

 

[nickskeys]

Does that red ELIO on the rear panel light up, as in an auxiliary running light?

 

[Maurtis]

Does that red ELIO on the rear panel light up, as in an auxiliary running light?

It is not actually there on the models we have seen, I think that was just Trusting trying to dress it up. The black rear plastic definitely needs something. For me that is the only bad angle for viewing the Elio. It looks so incomplete.

 

[nickskeys]

Well even an Elio LOGO there that would glow (or make it reflectorized)would be really COOL!

 

[Jelio]

People have vented a lot of hate for the Elgin speedo, but to me the black plastic rear end looks horrid! Even Honda dropped those ugly black plastic parts on their Element years ago. They are just ugly! If any body panel needs attention its that awful ugly rear panel. If there is an aftermarket rear with maybe some chrome I'd be on it immediately! We can get the open fenders with out the black plastic, but we are stuck with that ugly ass rear end. When you are passing someone or sitting at the stop light people will be looking at the car from behind, mostly...the rear should sparkle not give someone the ugs!

 

[booboo]

People have vented a lot of hate for the Elgin speedo, but to me the black plastic rear end looks horrid! Even Honda dropped those ugly black plastic parts on their Element years ago. They are just ugly! If any body panel needs attention its that awful ugly rear panel. If there is an aftermarket rear with maybe some chrome I'd be on it immediately! We can get the open fenders with out the black plastic, but we are stuck with that ugly ass rear end. When you are passing someone or sitting at the stop light people will be looking at the car from behind, mostly...the rear should sparkle not give someone the ugs!

I thought a lot about the black fender flaps, and rear flap too. Function, to take the punishment from road debris.
It will depend on the color of the car, how black will interact for looks.
I think it will be a quick fix, if you do not like black, with about 3 or 4 cans of spray paint.
I plan on attaching some cool chrome emblems, etc.to the black.

 

[Coss]

I thought a lot about the black fender flaps, and rear flap too. Function, to take the punishment from road debris.
It will depend on the color of the car, how black will interact for looks.
I think it will be a quick fix, if you do not like black, with about 3 or 4 cans of spray paint.
I plan on attaching some cool chrome emblems, etc.to the black.

I'd like to see a picture of what it looks like without the skirt on.
I think it was Sethodine that did a picture of the Elio with the fenders modified not to include the black; and to be perfectly honest, I thought it was awesome! But ........ that was just a Photoshop "guess" at it; besides the wheel, what else does the black skirt hide?
We've seen the pictures of the body panels, and they had little pockets in them which are probably hidden by the skirt.
So is it just a matter of taking them off? Or would you have to take them off, modify them, and put them back on?

I plan on going with Licorice (Black) so they won't stand out as much; I imagine you will be able to find spray cans of body color paint match, and do that option; or any other number of mods you can do to it. (I was thinking about cutting out the lower areas and have like a louvered look too).