"The Volt" May BE SCRAPPED!- NEVER BUILT!!

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by cfg83

jamesqf -



In some ways I think you could argue that the CRX is "all butt".

I guess I'm using trunk and hatchback interchangeably. In both cases, the "interior volume behind the passengers for the purpose of cargo" applies. My POV is practicality, so I am less worried about the semantics. Before the CRX, a 2-seat sports car was not "practical". The CRX broke that rule by essentially cutting the car off at a point where other designers would have extended the car. A normal solution would have eschewed a 2 seat car in favor of a 2+2, creating a bigger car and lower MPG. Here is what the CRX might have looked like if it was more conventional :

Wow, now that profile looks familiar to me!
OK, it's NOT EXACT, but it's not all that different either (imho). And I feel the addition of a CB Antenna is a plus!


My 09 Cobalt XFE

I think we are seeing a period of time in which cars are looking more and more alike with each passing year. I noticed that even the police on the cop-chase tv shows often have no idea nowadays as too what kind of car they are chasing. For example: In the previous days my police scanner would pick up on car chases and the cop often would know exactly the car's model and year of production of a speeding car and radio it into dispatch before getting the tag #. But nowadays it's like "...in pursuit of a small blue car"

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by cfg83

I consider the Escort/Lynx to be the first "successful" American economy car designs (if only imported as is from Ford of Europe?!?!). As comparison, I remember going into the Chevy showroom and being disappointed by the Citation. I still have a Lynx ad lying around somewhere that I've been meaning to post.

CarloSW2

Fiesta was Ford's imported subcompact before Escort/Lynx, and Escort/Lynx were built here.

The Ford Escort is a compact car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. The North American Escort adopted both the badge and the general design of a redesigned European model, and the name has been applied to several different designs in North America since its introduction as Ford's first successful world car.

The Escort was Ford's first front-wheel-drive car built in North America, replacing the dated Ford Pinto subcompact car (1971-80) with a modern front-wheel drive design popularized by the Volkswagen Rabbit. It also effectively replaced the smaller Ford Fiesta which was imported from Europe from 1978-80. Though mechanically sophisticated the Fiesta was too small, even for a Pinto replacement.

The Escort was one of Ford's most successful models in the 1980s, earning a much better reputation than the Pinto, which faced widely-publicized safety issues. In fact, the Escort was the single best-selling car in its second year in the United States and during most of that decade.

[cfg83]

Frank -

You're right. For some reason, my "awareness" of the Escort/Lynx was greater than the Fiesta. Looking at the Fiesta, I can tell I would not have liked the boxy shape (too Yugo-ish for me).

But the Fiesta's coming back, and looking better than ever!

CarloSW2

[Frank Lee]

I used to think Fiestas looked cool, but I never so much as rode in one.

[Jammer]

Interesting to me what they define as "compact" vrs "sub-compact". I swear it seemed as if I had less room inside of my old Escort than I do the "sub-compact" I have now. I guess time can blur our minds..

[gone-ot]

...we had an '81 Escort wagon with 4-speed manual, and experienced LOTS of "fun" when one of the Ford/Weber carburetor jets "backed out" while driving at 65 mph between Phoenix and Yuma.

...the catalytic convertor was literally "...glowing..." red-orange when we pulled into a reststop to investigate what was "...smelling HOT?"

...took almost a full tank of gas to travel the 180 miles between Phoenix and Yuma that day!

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

Originally Posted by tjts1

N[ei]l
All of your examples are either heavy pigs or in the case of the Aptera, technically a motorcycle that seats 2 and doesn't have to meet any crash testing standards. Its not a flaw of GMs design here. It simply doesn't make sense to cram into one vehicle:
ICE
Generator
electric motor or motors
40 miles worth of batteries.
The displacement and weight of the ICE is irrelevant by comparison to the inefficiencies built into the series hybrid. No matter what engine you put into it, it will still be a 4000 lb car compact car. I would rather ditch the ICE all together and have a pure electric that goes 100 miles.

Once batteries (or ultracapacitors) get better, then "pure" EV is certainly the way to go. But, my point is, when you need greater range, a serial hybrid is the most efficient and simplest way to do a hybrid.

My examples range from light weight (the Aptera 2h weighs 1,500-1,700 pounds) to medium weight (the Mini) to somewhat heavier (the S-Max probably weighs less than 4,000 pounds) -- and they ALL beat the Volt for efficiency, and even the S-Max (seating SEVEN people!) beats the Prius for efficiency.

Serial hybrid (when correctly done!) beats a parallel hybrid every time. Because -- guess what? A Prius has a 1.8L ICE, a generator, an electric motor, a transmission, and a battery. Take away the transmission and shrink the ICE (by a LOT) and increase the battery -- and you have a serial hybrid.

Serial hybrids have very few moving parts, especially if you use a microturbine (like the S-Max). Then the efficiency of the fuel use is almost 30% -- at least 2X as high as any ICE driving the wheels through a transmission. Think of it as an EV with a built-in generator (which lets you use a smaller battery, so the weight is almost the same) as the EV.

[Christ]

Carlos -

The CRX had an option for a backseat everywhere except the US. It was supposed to be a sporty two door family car everywhere but here.

If you look on eBay, you can find JDM and EDM back seat kits, which are complete with all bracketry, etc... removed from those cars in those countries which had them and were wrecked/junked. They usually run about $300 + shipping, and in most cases, are already imported with thousands of dollars of other parts.

However, the back seat in the CRX was less practical than if there were a back seat in Corvettes. I mean, seriously... who fits back there? (I do, actually. And somewhat comfortably, as a matter of fact.)

[cfg83]

Christ -

I know. I looked into getting one from an Australian wrecking yard in the 1990's. Not for the practicality, just for the style. As long as your kids stop growing at 5 years old, it's golden. My Dad's Karmann Ghia was similar. It had rear "bench" seats that were ridiculous for any kind of long journey. No rear seatbelts either. But, thanks to the VW rear engine, it had room for a handy storage area *behind* the rear "seatlets".

My 2nd gen was bigger than the 1st gen CRX, but even with my super-size USA bias, I wouldn't call the CRX a family car.

CarloSW2

[theunchosen]

The Merc rag-top CLK... 455? I'm not sure on teh number but it was like a 78 had a bench for a back seat. My friend in high school had one. I tried to ride back there once....just once. the distance from the back of the interior cabin to the back of the driver and passenger seat was shorter than my thigh. Had to sit sideways. The seat belt went across the entire backseat, which is consequently useless if you have to sit sideways and you're just one person. Also worth mentioning... if you somehow manage to get your foot below the bench where your feet are supposed to go the seats will pinch off circulation causing your feet to swell just slightly making it impossible to get your legs back out with the seats still in the car.