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Remeber the Messerschmitt?

Last post Thu, Mar 4 2010 21:10 by Ant. 8 replies.
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  • Tue, Mar 2 2010 9:16

    Remeber the Messerschmitt?

     

    Volkswagen's $600 car gets 258 mpg -- It looks like Ford, Chrysler and GM missed the boat again!

    cid:1.3047887721@web35605.mail.mud.yahoo.com

    This $600 car is no toy and is ready to be released in China next year.
    The single seater aero car totes VW (Volkswagen) branding.
    Volkswagen did a lot of very highly protected testing of this car in Germany, but it was not announced until now where the car would make its first appearance.
     The car was introduced at the VW stockholders meeting as the most economical car in the world is presented. The initial objective of the prototype was to prove that 1 liter of fuel could deliver 100 kilos of travel.

    cid:2.3047887721@web35605.mail.mud.yahoo.com
    Spartan interior doesn't sacrifice safety.
    The aero design proved essential to getting the desired result. The body is 3.47 meters long and just 1.25 meters wide, and a little over a meter high. The prototype was made completely of carbon fiber and is not painted to save weight.  The power plant is a one cylinder diesel positioned ahead of the rear axle and combined with an automatic shift controlled by a knob in the interior.
    Safety was not compromised as the impact and roll-over protection is comparable to the GT racing cars.

    cid:3.3047887721@web35605.mail.mud.yahoo.com

    The Most Economic Car in the World will be on sale next year:
    Better than Electric Car – 258 milees/gallon: IPO 2010 in Shanghai
    This is a single seated car.   From conception to production: 3 years and the company is headquartered in Hamburg , Germany ..
    Will be selling for 4000 yuan, equivalent to US$ 600..
    Gas tank capacity = 1.7 gallons 
    Speed = 62 – 74.6 Miles/hour
    Fuel efficiency = 258 miles/gallon
    Travel distance with a full tank = 404 miles

    cid:4.3047887721@web35605.mail.mud.yahoo.com

    Early 1990 1.6 Eunos classic red. modestly improved with Induction kit.
    stainless manifold & VERY LOUD stainless twin pipe system.
    Black Racing rims (Watanabe lookalike)
    LOUD Klaxon as anti sheep device in Wales
    http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/pappadamjoe/
  • Tue, Mar 2 2010 12:19 In reply to

    Re: Remeber the Messerschmitt?

    joecottrell:

    ... $600 car....

     ...prototype was made completely of carbon fiber...

     

    I can't see the pics. Sounds like an ace idea though.

    What is the production car made from? Hemp fibres? Glass?

    Everything in the above post can be found via Google. This internet persona is entirely fabricated and exists solely to act as a Google filter. If anything within this post is offensive to your beliefs feel free to enjoy your sense of outrage in private.

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  • Tue, Mar 2 2010 12:28 In reply to
    • AT
    • Top 10 Contributor
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      Thu, Jul 24 2008
    • Posts 4,786
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    Re: Remeber the Messerschmitt?

     The car actually shown would actually cost $47000 to make. I dare say the Chinese version would be devoid of any safety features, and even a modicum of comfort. And then you are left with a 1-seater car trying to sell in the most populous country on earth, where the bicycle and scooter has  become well established. I'd expect the headline price to rise substantially to make it even vaguely acceptable to a Western audience. The headline range of 400+ miles on a tank is frankly irrlevant; I can't imagine travelling for 8-10 hours in this hellish thing.

     

    The bubble cars served their purpose in an impoverished post-War Europe, but were eclipsed by better offerings from Fiat and Austin. In China, and India, there is probably a market for cars like the Tata Nano (though I remember for years Citroen and others working on budget efforts for the African market, only to find out that they still preferred clapped out second hand Mercedes and Opels).. In parts of China, there are still Maestros and Itals churned out for really poor peasants, which are tough and easy to work on (the Montego has been turned into a passable copy of a Subaru Estate, complete with a Toyota engine). Fuel economy per se is not a major purchasing factor in these markets; petrol is cheap. Space to get the extended family and goats in is important though. Plus, will the car handle the daily 200 mile run to the market on unmetalled roads?

     

    In the west, something like this will go the way of the Sinclair C5; hoots of laughter where ever it goes, plus the constant feeling that an artic is going to drive over you without noticing.

  • Tue, Mar 2 2010 12:29 In reply to

    Re: Remeber the Messerschmitt?

    damn.

    sorry, i'll see if i can find a way to do the pics after lunch.

    i mentioned messerschmitt because of the wheel/engine configuration & its probably glass fibre.

    Early 1990 1.6 Eunos classic red. modestly improved with Induction kit.
    stainless manifold & VERY LOUD stainless twin pipe system.
    Black Racing rims (Watanabe lookalike)
    LOUD Klaxon as anti sheep device in Wales
    http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/pappadamjoe/
  • Tue, Mar 2 2010 12:31 In reply to

    Re: Remeber the Messerschmitt?

    AT:

     The car actually shown would actually cost $47000 to make.

    Ah. that means you can see the pics but not everyone? now i'm confused.

     

    Early 1990 1.6 Eunos classic red. modestly improved with Induction kit.
    stainless manifold & VERY LOUD stainless twin pipe system.
    Black Racing rims (Watanabe lookalike)
    LOUD Klaxon as anti sheep device in Wales
    http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/pappadamjoe/
  • Tue, Mar 2 2010 14:28 In reply to

    Re: Remeber the Messerschmitt?

    Captain Muppet:

    I can't see the pics. Sounds like an ace idea though.

    What is the production car made from? Hemp fibres? Glass?

    http://www.examiner.com/x-8310-Trendy-Living-Examiner~y2009m7d6-Volkswagens-600-car-gets-258-mpg

    Early 1990 1.6 Eunos classic red. modestly improved with Induction kit.
    stainless manifold & VERY LOUD stainless twin pipe system.
    Black Racing rims (Watanabe lookalike)
    LOUD Klaxon as anti sheep device in Wales
    http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/pappadamjoe/
  • Tue, Mar 2 2010 15:08 In reply to
    • martin
    • Top 10 Contributor
    • Forum member since...
      Tue, Apr 1 2008
    • suffolk
    • Posts 4,099
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      Member
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    Re: Remeber the Messerschmitt?

    martin
    Club Management Team - Communications - Area Coordinator Liaison
    havemorefun.co.uk | merlotmotorsport.co.uk | facebook.com/mx5oc | twitter.com/mx5oc
  • Tue, Mar 2 2010 17:23 In reply to

    Re: Remeber the Messerschmitt?

    joecottrell:

    Captain Muppet:

    I can't see the pics. Sounds like an ace idea though.

    What is the production car made from? Hemp fibres? Glass?

    http://www.examiner.com/x-8310-Trendy-Living-Examiner~y2009m7d6-Volkswagens-600-car-gets-258-mpg

     

    Oh. I've made better soapboxes than that. Shame.

    Ta for the pic though.

    Everything in the above post can be found via Google. This internet persona is entirely fabricated and exists solely to act as a Google filter. If anything within this post is offensive to your beliefs feel free to enjoy your sense of outrage in private.

    This message was brought to you by the Campaign for Real Trolls. Other Google-filtering Troll services are avaliable. Please Troll responsibly.
  • Thu, Mar 4 2010 21:10 In reply to
    • Ant
    • Top 500 Contributor
    • Forum member since...
      Sun, Sep 27 2009
    • Newcastle
    • Posts 128

    Re: Remeber the Messerschmitt?

    Interesting case of a real car being given ficticious motives.

    As has been mentioned, the real VW 1L hit the press in about 2002, and is now in the hands of ex VW-boss Bernd Pischetsrieder, who I believe got the car as a retirement present. It's him driving it in the images of the car in motion. VW have subsequently revealed a newer version of the concept which is much more in keeping with their current designs:

    Looks pretty awesome IMO. Uses a twin-cylinder 800cc turbodiesel that's effectively half of the engine you find in Golf Bluemotions at the moment. VW have also released something known as the Up! Lite which is a bit like the L1 but more production-viable. Uses the same powerplant, but seats four people and to my knowledge uses slightly less expensive materials.

    Now, if VW would only build the damn thing, I'd be a happy chappy...

    1991 MX-5 1.6
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