... which special project would you fund? Mine: 4wd 4ws plug in hybrid designed by pininfarina and lancia delta integrale inspired monster. Yours?
Personal Zonda 760. Otherwise, if we're staying on the subject of a car designed to my own specs: -Lightweight (<1150kg) -spacious inside so that I can fit (~6'10'') -a fair amount of luggage space. Doesn't have to be massive, but Murcielago sized (when you remove the bit of carton) is good enough -N/A V12 (the one from an F50 will do...lol) -Inconel/titanium exhaust system to let it scream -manual gearbox -Dimensions in between F50-Enzo (will have to, considering my size and some luggage space) -decent stereo (car is going to be used, so traffic jams are inevitable. Want to enjoy myself whilst standing still) -Rwd -defunct of almost all electronic interfering software -mechanical diff -roof intake because I'm daft. I like what Pininfarina did with the styling of the P4/5, so they should be consulted. I have no imagination how my perfect car would look like. I would've never imagined a Zonda, CGT or indeed a P4/5. But that's what I like styling wise.
General consensus: pininfarina design. They should really turn more of this appreciation into profit. Maybe a larger scale special edition exercise now that fiat is increasingly moving design in house? If they're in financial troubles I wouldn't mind seeing them being bought out by a large fashion house. It would suit them.
I would probably go to McLaren to build me a modern F1-LM~ish car. . . Center seat +2. Close to 1,000 kg. Active aero, i.e. retractable/stallable spoiler, stallable diffuser (458 speciale), powered fan downforce, and/or something similar to the active wings on the Huayra. MP4-12C type adaptive hydraulic suspension. Possibly a nose lift system if not too heavy. Dual clutch seven-speed + overdrive gear. Single-clutch if a DCT was too heavy. Big gas tank for decent range. Variable vane and/or twin turbocharged 5+ liter V8, big horsepower adjustable on the fly (800 - 1k horsepower). No batteries or KERS.
A car with 348tb-like external aesthetics, naturally aspirated high-revving V8 engine, manual transmission, manual steering, ABS as the only driver aid, and a central driving position like that of a McLaren F1. That driving position would probably make it a single-seater as a 348 isn't long enough for two seats in the rear. All the best, Andrew.
I can think of two ways to go. One is muscle with comfort. Big block aluminum engine behind the front axle. Six speed manual. Independent suspension, comfortable for four, kinda like an A5 coupe styling. That is modern muscle to me. Like a modern Galaxie or Impala. Or a mid engine V12 hooked to a manual trans. Aluminum and carbon, curvy, but with scoops and vents. Something like the '60's Ferrari's, GT40, and vettes. Fast, but a focus on top speed and handling and not launches. Pagani quality build would be awesome. Drivers aids- ABS, traction control. Able to turn them off completely, but it rains here a lot and they are nice in the rain.
As an underpinning for mine I'd use jaguar's original cx75 concept with 4 electric positive/negative torque motors a la sls electric drive plus a turbine engine that could be fuelled by any flammable liquid with the addition of rear wheel steering from the 918. Btw has jay Leno's turbine car being featured in here? Turbines are an interesting tech for cars and should be developed more in virtue of plug in hybrids. IIRC at the moment their issues are mainly weight, consumes and costs, which can no doubt be improved making for proper omnivore beasts. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I'm a big fan of the Blastolene stuff, so I'd probably commission a Blastolene variant of the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car
I think the f1's configuration with the central driver and two behind each side is quite weird to look at and to get in to. I'd find more suitable a 4 places diamond configuration with the driver far in front with his own access and three small seats at the back with the central one maybe slightly offset towards the back. That way you could balance the weights perfectly with any number of occupants and if in two people, which is the most common option in coupes, you'd have a motorcycle/jet fighter arrangement with the rear passenger optimizing the space left by the two other missing occupants. Far less geeky than the f1.
And talking about fighter jet configurations, someone's gone too far: Lamborghini Egoista - new pictures | Autocar
The Mercedes-Benz SL GTR Concept; A Designers Fantasy Very much like that design there...Throw in the Merc M158 V12 in there without silly turbos, up compression, let it scream to 9K RPM. Would prefer a different wing though, Zonda cinque style...
Vintage Ferrari inspired style, inside and out. Not "retro" but true vintage style... no visible plastic... more like a Bugatti Type 35. Powered by an electric motor similar to the Tesla. Active suspension which could flatten curves just as well as glide over California's decayed roads. Modular ICE brain/system that could be swapped out when new tech comes along, without destroying the looks of the interior.
It amazes me that most of the people here would build a car from the past. No electronics, manual transmissions, rwd, n/a engines... I guess new tech hasn't really caught your imagination or that electronics has considerably less appeal than pure mechanical systems and the driver involvement they bring. A bit like vinyl vs cd maybe? I just think electronics can be a definitive improvement if implemented correctly to add to the experience.
If I could have the system Ferrari has, then yes, but I want to be able to turn it off. I like raw and visceral. With AC But even that is not mandatory. I want a toy, an experience, not a computer that I point the direction I want to go.
For me it's that most new age stuff has no appeal to me. I'm a techno junky, I built my own PC's, overclock them, play around with software, game consoles etc etc. With cars I really want to feel what is going on, and the more electronics in there, the less I feel, the less I like. Compare it to video games: If it's all to easy, it gets boring quick. If you're playing a racing game, and you're constantly winning...perhaps after a while you turn of the ABS and TC. When you start constantly winning with those things off, you turn off the stability control. And so forth.
Perhaps. For me it has to be slightly shorter and less overhang on the front (do want to be able to use the car). Also, hat hideous anabolic front bonnet can be made slightly less agro and some overstyled details can be left.
Two things I have in mind: 1. Wolf Countach Body (S1) with Gallardo 570 drivetrain. http://www.countach.ch/History/LP400/WolfCountach-11.jpg 2. LM002 with LP640 or LP670SV engine. Would be fun to have a real 4x4 with 640-670hp