Mr Whippy
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 posted on 10/7/08 at 11:20 AM |
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Poll - Is this nice or not
I'm interested in how here people feel about appearance of this car, I ‘work’ in a mainly Italian company who seem to have the view that a nice
cars don't look like this. Perhaps it's just them?
[img][/img]
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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vinny1275
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 11:40 AM |
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It looks like form following function, and it looks like it's designed to be as aerodynamic as possible. Is that a solar panel on the roof as
well?
I quite like it....
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speedyxjs
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 11:41 AM |
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That looks awful (imo)
Looks like a bug with wheels
How long can i resist the temptation to drop a V8 in?
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smart51
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 11:52 AM |
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It's cetrainly individual. Definatly and aero design, so I'd like to see more taper at the rear in plan view. Its a bit like a space
ship too, which is kind of fun. Strangely, the doors look a much nicer shape on the inside than the outside. Presumably they are the same shape from
both sides.
I respect it more than I like it, but I think it could grow on me. Its the front wheel pods that spoil it. Does it have a name? Do you have links
to more pictures?
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 11:56 AM |
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Yes the roof has solar cells on it
Possibly it is a bit ahead of its time, style wise
this is the site - http://www.aptera.com
Like the Carver it will be in limited production at the end of the year.
oh did I mention it does 300 miles per gallon...
[Edited on 10/7/08 by Mr Whippy]
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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MikeR
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 12:00 PM |
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Needs 4 wheels really - then i think it would be quite cool.
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smart51
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 12:16 PM |
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Ooo no! the pictures from the side spoil it. The nose is too pointy and the tail too swoopy. Weired.
230 MPG at a steady 55 MPH for the diesel is pretty impressive. The exposed drive belt to the rear wheel would just get full of crud here though.
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 12:32 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by smart51
Ooo no! the pictures from the side spoil it. The nose is too pointy and the tail too swoopy. Weired.
230 MPG at a steady 55 MPH for the diesel is pretty impressive. The exposed drive belt to the rear wheel would just get full of crud here though.
It’s actually petrol! Apparently they could not get a diesel clean enough to be legal in California. The prototype did 230 mpg, it predicted the
production car will do 300 mpg. The belt is usually hidden behind the flaring.
Yes it’s just weird but basically they’ve said we’re just going all out on the aerodynamics and that’s it, sod compromising.
[Edited on 10/7/08 by Mr Whippy]
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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02GF74
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 12:35 PM |
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I don't like it but don't know why. It is too radical looking to be a car..... but then looking at cars from the 1920s and modern ones,
the shock would be just as great.
Ask me again in 40 years time.
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 01:06 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
I don't like it but don't know why. It is too radical looking to be a car..... but then looking at cars from the 1920s and modern ones,
the shock would be just as great.
Ask me again in 40 years time.
good answer 
Remember the Sierra...so 'Radical' they had to introduce it as the Probe -
claimed at the time a futuristic test show car but was infact simply to get the public use to the idea before letting folk see the production model.
How dated does the show car look now...
I see the voting is leaning towards the ‘it’s not too ugly’ side 
[Edited on 10/7/08 by Mr Whippy]
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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smart51
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 01:58 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
Remember the Sierra...so 'Radical' they had to introduce it as the Probe -
[Edited on 10/7/08 by Mr Whippy]
That was the Ford Probe 3 concept car. It was a test vehicle to show how aerodynamic they could make a car. 0.25cd IIRC. The production Sierra
looked much the same, but had an ordinary cd of 0.34. It meant that the 1.3 engine was nolonger enough. They dropped it quite soon.
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smart51
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 02:21 PM |
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A bit more digging has found that it has a coefficient of drag of 0.11 which is exceptionally good, although it is twice as high as they aimed for.
The petrol version, running on petrol alone, did 104 [imperial] MPG at a steady 55MPG. The computer model of my latest build predicts it to do 99 MPG
at the same speed, which equates to 88 MPG in the European combined test. It means the aptera would do about 92 MPG in the combined test, on petrol
only, just shy of the "holy grail" of 3.00 litres per 100 km. Pretty good then.
Their claim of 300 MPG with the hybrid system activated relys on it being charged from the mains every 120 miles; a bit of a dubious claim.
It weighs 386kg, including the hybrid motor and batteries, giving it a 0-60 time of 10 seconds. You've got to give them full marks for effort.
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 03:26 PM |
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yes you're quite right about the mpg claims but they do explain the way the hybrid system works and that initially it starts off at 400mpg going
down to I think 120mpg once the batteries have been fully exhausted, its rather different to a single engine. The difference in drag was probably just
things like door seams etc, I can't see them really improving on what they've got. Personally I love the styling, it’s so uncompromising
on its purpose, I have no interest in just another same old car. Hopefully I will be able to get my hands on one quite soon.
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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iank
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 03:30 PM |
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I think it looks pretty good, at least compared with most trikes and a lot of kit cars.
It would be interesting to see a front, or front /side, photo from ground level.
It's good to be interesting and different, but I don't think it will ever be a mainstream styling.
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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russbost
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 05:07 PM |
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I like it! Tho' it's a bit unfortunate that from behind, with the doors open it looks like Micky Mouses head!
At last - someone has worked out you can put a solar panel on the roof of a car - took them long enough to work that one out!!!
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clairetoo
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 07:32 PM |
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I think it looks amazing - but how about a bike engined one ? Never mind 200mpg , go for 200mph 
Its cuz I is blond , innit
Claire xx
Will weld for food......
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A1
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| posted on 11/7/08 at 12:02 AM |
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i must say, im not a fan... its too bug like.
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kipper
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| posted on 13/7/08 at 06:42 PM |
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I like it, it remindes me of a three wheeler I had in my teens. The Frisky,two wheels at the front with a viliers 197 engine that had a reverse
system, you stopped the engine pushed the key in and the engine started running backwards, giving you 4 speeds in reverse.
ah the good old days
I bet Mr whippy can't find a pic of a Frisky
oh and as I remember it was very frugal on petrol
Denis,
[Edited on 13/7/08 by kipper.
[Edited on 13/7/08 by kipper]
Where did that go?
<<<<
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jacko
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| posted on 14/7/08 at 05:53 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by kipper
I like it, it remindes me of a three wheeler I had in my teens. The Frisky,two wheels at the front with a viliers 197 engine that had a reverse
system, you stopped the engine pushed the key in and the engine started running backwards, giving you 4 speeds in reverse.
ah the good old days
I bet Mr whippy can't find a pic of a Frisky
oh and as I remember it was very frugal on petrol
Denis,
[Edited on 13/7/08 by kipper.
[Edited on 13/7/08 by kipper]
Denis how old are you ?
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MustangSix
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| posted on 14/7/08 at 06:39 PM |
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Not for me....I think it looks like a sperm cell on wheels....
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