On Horse Power

[BilgeRat]

The minivan was actually a new shell and interior put on top of an old platform. Not quite a clean sheet of paper either.

Ah, verily, verily I say unto thee, there is truly nothing new under the sun (gear). :-)

 

[HHH]

The minivan was actually a new shell and interior put on top of an old platform. Not quite a clean sheet of paper either.

Good point, but it was a risky proposition to attempt to create an entirely new market. On reflection, your statement holds true for the 1964 1/2 Mustang, but that was done without all the risk.

Here's to the Elio, using dirty paper technology in revised form to create a new mass marketplace. May it be as successful and proliferate like the Mustang and the VW bug did!

 

[Lil4X]

Interesting comparison to the minivan! As the owner of a couple (wife loves 'em), they package space efficiently while using conventional passenger-car technology from the dashboard forward. Everything behind is just a trailer, along for the ride. Yeah, they're not too attractive, but if you have to haul a couple months worth of groceries, a few cases of toilet paper, and a Christmas tree all at once, especially in bad weather, a minivan is your low-cost solution.

They're a little taller than a passenger car, a bit shorter than a pickup or an SUV (I'm an SUV guy myself), but minivans are a good bit better on the gas bill and they're a bit easier to park. You have a pretty decent view down the road, and they can be fairly comfortable even with that short suspension travel. They will never be a gas dragster or a canyon-carver, so performance aspirations are out. SUV's are pretty much the same, except they consume a lot of fuel to provide a bit more machismo. While they can be configured for off-roading, most are popular in suburbia as a compromise between a minivan and a pickup. In other words, they are just about everything the Elio isn't. Why do I want an Elio? It's the other end of the spectrum - and I'm not the mommy-van type. Besides, it might just be fun.

 

[CheeseheadEarl]

Ummmm...

 

[zelio]

Ummmm...

I would not want to drive over some of the speed bumps in the Y parking lot in that red one. LOL I can guarantee it would not clear them at all. :-) Z

 

[BlioKart]

Renault Espace F1
[Broken External Image]
Ford Supervan

Bisimoto 1029HP Honda Odyssey

 

[wheaters]

I've never understood why people do burn outs. I learned to drive as smoothly as possible and to have mechanical and environmental sympathy. I would imagine that minivan driver used as much rubber in half a minute as I do in half a year.

 

[Smitty901]

I've never understood why people do burn outs. I learned to drive as smoothly as possible and to have mechanical and environmental sympathy. I would imagine that minivan driver used as much rubber in half a minute as I do in half a year.

Because some times it is fun to do something really stupid as long as no one gets hurt and others enjoy the show.

 

[JEBar]

Bisimoto 1029HP Honda Odyssey

is there something wrong with the rear wheel of the Bisimoto

Jim

 

[Ocean9000]

is there something wrong with the rear wheel of the Bisimoto

Jim

Only if it were a vehicle that was actually meant to be driven - a fairly large amount of positive camber has been introduced at the rear wheels to either enhance the handling or to get too wide tires to clear the body. My bet would be on the latter. (cough, cough, trailer queen, cough)