Notable eco-cars (old & new) spotted in the wild: post your pics!

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

It`s a Chinese-made 3-wheeled trucklet which has been available in Brazil since 2004, rebadged as Gurgel TA-01 but it's not really related to the defunct Gurgel Motor Co., initially targetted to farmers and advertised as an "agricultural tricycle", but since 2005 they can be registered to be legally driven on-road.

It's rated at a 2645lbs payload and fitted with a single-cylinder 20hp 70cu.in. Diesel engine with an odd cooling setup: it's water-cooled, but doesn't have a radiator. The water is placed in a tank and goes evaporating thru the vehicle's operation. This engine picture was taken from another tricycle, but the engine is the very same one.

The transmission is a 4-speed manual transaxle, connected to the engine thru rubber belts.

[freebeard]

It's rated at a 2645lbs payload and fitted with a single-cylinder 20hp 70cu.in. Diesel engine with an odd cooling setup: it's water-cooled, but doesn't have a radiator. The water is placed in a tank and goes evaporating thru the vehicle's operation.

Sort of like a Stanley Steamer? Does it leave a cloud of steam as it goes down the road?

[doviatt]

Last weekend I spotted and talked to the owner of a silver Puma convertible.
A British gentleman with a Brazilian car in Utah.
I'm really sorry I didn't take a photo which technically means it didn't happen. I'm just not a photo taking/thinking guy. I could run across an actual unicorn - posing, winking, and waiting...and I would just stand there....asking, "Why is he just posing like that?"

[niky]

Looks like a Piaggio APE... if I've got my cu.in. right, that motor is slightly larger? A bit over a liter?

[California98Civic]

In a nearby mall here in Orange County, CA, is a "Tesla Store." I dropped in and took these pics geared toward our interest in specific aero and other features, rather than the interests of the general public.

Tire spats (three quarter view):


By the way, the leading edge of this chin spoiler is just a hair under 7" off the ground.

Tire spat (front view):


And then there are a couple other pics you might like.

Exposed frame/chasis:

Rear mounted engine with surprisingly old school drive axles:

Steering instrument view:

Middle console:

[War_Wagon]

I always liked these things. Sadly this one one an automatic, and I don't think I could handle that color. '93 Geo Storm with 130k KMs (81k miles). Wasn't there an Asuna version of these as well?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Sort of like a Stanley Steamer? Does it leave a cloud of steam as it goes down the road?

There is no cloud of steam actually. I've seen that trike almost every day. Its engine is about 3 times the size of the one used in the Piaggio Ape quoted by Niky.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

What about these ones?

Daewoo Prince: based in an old Opel platform, slightly narrower than an American full-size, and only available with Opel 4-cyl engines from 1.8L to 2.0L with option for either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission. On a sidenote, in spite of its GM underpinnings, it resembles a lot the design of some Crown Vics from the 90s.



There was also this other version, known in some markets as Ace and in others as Super Salon, and AFAIK only available with the 2.0L.

[Fat Charlie]

No pic, but I was 3 cars behind a Mirage last night. Hadn't seen a live one before.

[MetroMPG]

Funny you should mention that! I captured my first Mirage in the wild just last week, sporting a set of winter wheels/tires:



I've actually seen 3 in the wild now, but the other two were going the other way on the highway, so this was my first pic opportunity.

They're selling more of these in the U.S. than the company predicted (~1k/mo). Canadian numbers are pretty modest though (~150-200/mo, about the same as the Spark), so I'm surprised I've spotted 3 already.