New Small Car Shapes

[blueflame]

Why is the roofline always much higher than larger cars, and designed with the profile of a hedgehog?

Aw yes I forgot. Thats what consumers want.

Yeah right

[NeilBlanchard]

Hiya,

The reason is to make more room inside. Taller, more upright seating lets taller people sit comfortably in a smaller car, than would otherwise be possible.

[blueflame]

So larger cars with the much lower rooflines and lower headroom are only suitable for shorter people?

I dont get it. My mates large car has less individual seating space than my lil Citroen AX, which designed in 1985, has a low roofline.

[NeilBlanchard]

Yes, in some cases -- there are "large" cars that I cannot fit (well) in, but my xA is less than 13' long, and I can sit comfortable in the front and in the rear (with the front seats in the same position) -- I'm 6'-4".

[blueflame]

I can see your point Neil. At 5' 10" its something I havnt had to consider.

One thing I really dislike about low cars is at nighttime, the oncoming headlights shine right in your eyes.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

Taller, more upright seating lets taller people sit comfortably in a smaller car, than would otherwise be possible.

This is not the case, at least for me, as the bolt-upright seating position it forces on you is damned uncomfortable. The same is true of the larger cars & SUVs I've ridden in, too. I'm not exactly short - 6 ft - but I was a lot more comfortable in my Austin-Healey than in most modern cars.

[blueflame]

Just casting about today I noticed most bubble car drivers appear to have about a foot of headroom above their heads.

[Big Dave]

One thing auto designers have found is that (except for sports cars) people simply prefer an upright seating position. It is comfortable, offers good visibility, and offers easy egress/digress.

Not everyone is an Olympic gymnast. Few people like doing a deep squat to get in or out of their car/truck.

Let's face it: The optimum low-drag shape for a car is a street luge. Think you could sell more than maybe a hundred?

Longer-term for very high MPG the "hedgehog" has to combine with the motorcycle and go to a tandem arrangement. Just slicing a Prius lengthwise won't do it as the fillet Prius would tend to flop over in a crosswind. A tandem will need a capability to lean into crosswinds.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

Originally Posted by blueflame

Just casting about today I noticed most bubble car drivers appear to have about a foot of headroom above their heads.

My head is about 2-3 below the roof liner on my xA -- if I wear a cap, it rubs on the liner. I have sat in cars where the only way I can fit in the driver's seat is to lean the seat back backwards. I would not want to drive them -- I want to be able to lean all the way forward w/o hitting my head.

And I'm short compared to my brother and father -- my brother is ~3" taller than I am. The roof height (on the outside) of the xA is ~5' above the ground, and with the tall, upright seating means I can even pull the seat forward (a bit) and still be fine driving. Also remember that some folks have longer legs, and others have longer backs, so the needs of two people of the same overall height can be quite different.

[JMags]

I can't stand the upright positioning and high rooflines in newer cars. I'm 6'2" and never have a problem unless its a compact car. I find upright seating greatly uncomfortable. If I sit in a 03-07 accord I have 6-8 inches of wasted space above my head.