What's Wrong With This Picture?: Sustainable Laughter Edition
Ridiculous studies like the Stauro by Taylor Weldon are surprisingly common at the periphery of automotive plausibility. There’s something about cars that always has someone taking a long, dusty trek in the desert of the unreal. But an orange oil-fueled steam engine in a three-wheel buggy takes the “sustainable concept vehicle” genre to dizzying new heights of suspended disbelief. Although apparently not for Popular Science‘s Mike Spinelli (remember him from when Jalopnik used to be readable?). Spinelli parrots Weldon’s claim that “the three-wheeled Stauro is designed to seat two passengers in comfort and safety. As for the car’s fictional production; all manufacturing facilities and materials sourced would be within 500 miles of the company headquarters, for a super-low carbon footprint.” And then tops the whole surreal scene with a dollop of bizzare commentary by concluding that this “sounds like a plan for the new GM.” Subtle humor or pure insanity? We report, you deride.
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A three-wheeled car with two wheels in front has no particular stability problems. And I can't see what other parts of the concept have inherent flaws in respect to safety. It looks like a good clean concept to me. With stress on concept: these things are not supposed to be a model for a 2011 car. They are supposed to be an idea of what a 2017 niche car might look like, all kinds of crazy elements included. That is what a concept car is all about. To me, it tries to answer the question: would it be possible for something with the purity and driveability of a KTM X-Bow to offer comfort and safety as well? It's not a stupid question. But of course, if your stock answer to anything about the car's future begins with a minimum standard weight of two tons, you'll knock the question, and never find an answer. So, I really have to agree with long126mike, in particular with his last paragraph.
Slightly behind the Volt, I'd say :-)
But wait, there's more...much much more..;. http://zagria.blogspot.com/2008/03/elizabeth-carmichael-1937.html