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Interesting idea from Gordon Murray
iank - 23/7/10 at 10:01 AM

http://www.gordonmurraydesign.com/istream.php

Moving back to a separate chassis design methodology for the car industry could really increase the number of interesting car designs on the road, both from the big manufacturers and by recreating a coachbuilding industry.

smart51 - 23/7/10 at 10:12 AM

Not bad for the kit car industry too, which you could call coach building on a second hand chassis in some cases.

tegwin - 23/7/10 at 10:13 AM

Manufacturers already share platforms though....

Seat Leon = Audi S3

Polo GTI = Seat Ibiza

I am sure other comapnies do the same..

coozer - 23/7/10 at 10:19 AM

Will never happen IMO, manufacturers have enviromental constraits to consider along with all manner of other consideraions.

IMO, seperate chassis body is my idea of how cars should be buitl, but, there you go, I'm nobody

Neville Jones - 23/7/10 at 10:45 AM

Cost too much to implement, and continue. Monocoque is cheaper all round.

If a separate chassis could be shown to be cheaper, then the mfrs would be doing it.

Cheers,
Nev.

iank - 23/7/10 at 10:51 AM

quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Manufacturers already share platforms though....

Seat Leon = Audi S3

Polo GTI = Seat Ibiza

I am sure other comapnies do the same..


The platform doesn't get beyond the CAD system and shared components currently for most of them. This proposes that a chassis is produced and then interior and panels are bolted/welded in at the last minute.

quote:
Originally posted by coozer
Will never happen IMO, manufacturers have enviromental constraits to consider along with all manner of other consideraions.


He goes into some possible environmental advantages in one of the sub-sections.


quote:
Originally posted by Neville Jones

If a separate chassis could be shown to be cheaper, then the mfrs would be doing it.

Cheers,
Nev.


Maybe, but his 'plan' is being sold on the premise that with appropriate manufacturing reconfiguration it will end up being cheaper in the future when things like CO2 emissions from shipping cars around the world start turning up as real costs. He's a bright bloke and I suspect he's doing this because he knows what's coming down the legislative pipes.

r1_pete - 23/7/10 at 10:52 AM

quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Manufacturers already share platforms though....

Seat Leon = Audi S3

Polo GTI = Seat Ibiza

I am sure other comapnies do the same..


They do, the Smart 4 Four, cant remember what its chassis is though...

The Chrysler Crossfire is on a Merc chassis

Liam - 23/7/10 at 10:58 AM

Well done Gordon - you've just invented platform sharing (a little late, though ). And as an added bonus, removed the production efficiency and structural advantages of the monocoque. Great

tegwin - 23/7/10 at 11:04 AM

until you put an 'i' infront of it its not a new idea........... grrrrrrrrrrrrr

cadebytiger - 23/7/10 at 12:29 PM

The iCoque. hehe

morcus - 23/7/10 at 01:17 PM

Smart forfour was based on the mitsibushi Colt. Alot of cars use the same floor pans which is surely what he's sugestting? only that they're built at different times and brough together as complete peices.

I thought the big advantage of the monocoque was safety, surely if its a seperate body and chassis your putting in a weakspot?

I dislike this whole i thing. In the not to distant future we'll look back at this time and laugh about it.

Alan B - 23/7/10 at 02:18 PM

Erm....isn't this how cars were made in 20's and 30's? Specialist chassis builders supplying rolling chassis to coachbuilders for them to finish?

Liam - 23/7/10 at 02:42 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Alan B
Erm....isn't this how cars were made in 20's and 30's? Specialist chassis builders supplying rolling chassis to coachbuilders for them to finish?


Doesn't matter how old the idea is - if you re-brand it with a name that starts 'i', it's state-of-the-art.