Whew! The people with the money to buy new spend hugely for the right image, and not at all for the wrong one, as with clothes and other bling. It isn't easy to make wheel pods work that well on any level. The weight is a big step in the right direction, but if 18-wheelers and electrified velomobiles can easily exceed 50% payload, why can't we?
Dang, those front wheel fairings are unstable in a crosswind, with so much area ahead of the wheel. I wonder if the new horizontal surface at the rear is to add energy to the boundary layers between the other shapes. I don't think it is essential aesthetically.
If anyone is planning something similarly slick, it can also be done using flexible composite A-arms instead of compact trailing arms within the wheel, with some savings in weight and cost, and more wheel travel.
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There was a car many years back which had similar fairings. They had this car going at highway speeds with no power other than the wind it's self. It was the darndest thing, like an ice sailer on the road.
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From the pictures it appears to have a huge turning radius. I also wonder about crosswinds with this lightweight design. Looks like the bat mobile from the top view.
Yeah, no room for the front wheels to turn. WTF? The new one looks nice but I liked the original, utilitarian look too. It reminded me of the Voisin C27 Aerosport (although I'm sure there is a more direct aesthetic inspiration)
Speaking of the crease in the VLC's side, of course.
Perhaps the inspiration is the same as the Ghia-Ford Saetta.
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