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And don't forget the old Amphicar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphicar

It's really not a new idea, and it never REALLY takes the world by storm, but it's always kind of neat to see another generation trying it.

I still wish the old "LandShark" had gotten beyond dreams and prototyping: http://www.3wheelers.com/lshark.html
(Or using the old Wayback Machine: http://web.archive.org/web/20060615180435/http://www.landshark.co.uk/)

For a slightly more complete list of amphibious vehicles (including the Aquada): http://www.amphicars.com/acother.htm

I can't help but think that the folks over at Ural motorcycles/IMZ America have a better sense of the market right now. They've just introduced a new "Model T" at the low end of their range, bringing the basic Ural 2-wheel drive sidecar motorcycle to the US for under $10k. Irbit Motorworks (IMZ) is Russian, the design is sourced from midcentury BMW, and the last decade+ of updates (e.g. new cylinders/heads with modern compression, better mpg/reliability, etc) have been pushed by enthusiasts in the US and EU. It intersect with the Tesla in the "sheer fun to drive" category, and my guess is that with an economy just holding on, there's gonna be a lot more of these on the road.

In another post I muttered about T-Mo staying on as the value carrier in the US: "T-Mo isn't making money hand over fist, but they're doing _ok_, and that's good. In these times, in this economy, I want to give my money to an org that's doing _ok_: neither going out of business, nor robbing me. You hear that, T-Mo? "Ok" and "staying in business without f__king your customers" is the new black. So keep on keeping on."

Same goes for Ural/IMZ versus Tesla. I have a sneaking suspicion that the Tesla business model is too "lean on the rich to get thru hard times" which all too often degenerates to "ran outta high-end customers, so try to screw the next class for as much as we need to stay afloat..." You wanna impress me Tesla? Go buy the tooling for the Corbin Merlin or Sparrow and start turning out fun electric 1-seaters for $15k -- price-competitive with the Fiat 500, Smartcar, and Scion iQ.

Yeah. I prefer the look of the Lean Machine.

Or is it?
http://www.myersmotors.com/

These were being developed/sold in the late 90s, but Corbin Motors went bankrupt well before the prices on gas shot up. Ironically, there is a huge market for their tri wheel enclosed scooter today, they just came in ahead of the game.

http://www.3wheelers.com/corbin.html

http://www.3wheelers.com/gmlean.html Go get one of those :)

They don't make them any more. You could try a scrap yard. Get an extra wheel while you are there.

http://www.3wheelers.com/robin.html

Yes, three-wheeeled cars are the future http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,36 04,1202187,00.html http://www.3wheelers.com/enter.html AGRW

A leaning tricycle isn't a "novel tilting chassis".

Behold, the GM Lean Machine: http://www.3wheelers.com/gmlean.html and http://www.maxmatic.com/ttw_leanmachine.htm. And I'm sure there are other examples of this type of thing. The Clever vehicle uses an automatic electronically controlled hydraulic system to accomplish the tilting, which seems unnecesarily complex. The Lean Machine used foot pedals.

EPCOT had a Lean Machine on display for years in the 1980's. I've always wanted one. The Carver mentioned elsewhere in this thread looks cool. High performance - leans into turns like a motorcycle, but it's enclosed so you don't get wet in the rain. And you could put air conditioning in it, which is not an optional item in Florida.

The GM Lean Machine from the early 80's.
The Mercedes F300 LifeJet.
The Vandenbrink Carver.

Trust the British to think it's a new concept.

Sinclair nothing, that's a Lean Machine (GM)
http://www.3wheelers.com/gmlean.html

I think you are thinking of Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion Car. There are some videos of it here at the American Master's site, but not of it parking. Though there is one of it pulling a tight U-turn around a police officer. I do think this is the same car I saw a video of where the car came in at an angle and then turned it's rear wheel and eased it's back in to parallel park. There is a bit more info on wikipedia too. (also here and here)

We have tested a car with three tires instead of four. Does it work? Well, yes, when it's not crashing.

Hey, leave my car alone!

Well, how about the Bricklin, for one? I mean, sheesh, that little beauty could travel in time!

There's just no way I would drive a 20+ year old car. I like to actually arrive at my destination. The second sentance in your post seems to refer to the De Lorean which is a different car (though similar looking).

Now, if I could get a Peel 50, that would be cool.

The Age of Steam didn't really get going until Watt. Newcomen steam engines had been around for almost a century before Watt, but the approach was terrible. In a Newcomen engine, the cylinder was heated and cooled on every cycle. This is horrendously inefficient, but nobody knew that then. It took a huge engine to produce very modest power outputs. (Typical specs: 60-inch cylinder, 15HP) Watt built a Newcomen engine and started making measurements of the properties of steam and the heat capacity of the materials in the engine. Once he had some numbers to work with, he realized that a much simpler cycle would work much better.

Then the problem was making an engine that didn't lose all the pressure through leaks. It took until 1782 before Boulton and Watt built something that could rotate a shaft. By 1788, they finally had a good engine.

They also had a patent extension from 1775 to 1800, given them directly by Parlament. Boulton and Watt used this to become a big company. That's how the Industrial Revolution started.

Visit the Kensington Science Museum in London, and you'll see many of the earliest steam engines.

we've already had the future of personal transport over here for years... the Sinclair C5

they went down as well as Windows ME at a Linux Conference.

we've also done brightly coloured three-wheelers too... that design classic the Reliant Robin

However just when you think all european design sucks, take a look at the sexy Carver from the netherlands.

This is the way manufacturers will get people to buy smaller more efficient vehicles, in my opinion, by making them desirable and functional. Beautiful design wins customers, look at the success of the iPod.

we've already had the future of personal transport over here for years... the Sinclair C5

they went down as well as Windows ME at a Linux Conference.

we've also done brightly coloured three-wheelers too... that design classic the Reliant Robin

However just when you think all european design sucks, take a look at the sexy Carver from the netherlands.

This is the way manufacturers will get people to buy smaller more efficient vehicles, in my opinion, by making them desirable and functional. Beautiful design wins customers, look at the success of the iPod.

Reviews: 3-Wheelers and The independant.

No! You have it all wrong!

C# is the Reliant Robbin of programming languages.

What kind of car do you think you can buy on an astronomer's salary?

Well that's why I'm surprised they don't compare it to Reliant Robin or even a bicycle with basket attached.

Honestly, when I was doing my degree that was all the astronomers I knew drove/pushed. Though that picture of the Robin going uphill must be doctored, they could never go up a hill with that sort of incline.

Now, step back a few years, and check out the Morgan three wheeler. This was a fast sportscar with handling to match.

Now run forward to the present day, and check out the tricycle recumbents from Greenspeed. I was on hols in Colorado (Boulder) and saw one of these puppies, and they are really neat!
There's a bunch of stuff here about stability of 3-wheelers.

The Escort is a bad example of an equivalent car. This is a better comparison.

Except Vespas are pretty cool, and have stood the test of time, whereas a Microsoft server is just a liability. Maybe the anology would stretch to a Reliant Robin? It's in insult to most forms of engineering to be compared to Microsoft, so don't use this put-down too liberally.

Does anyone else think this Sparrow looks like the old Messerschmit Bubble car?

Pictures here and here

Does anyone else think this Sparrow looks like the old Messerschmit Bubble car?

Pictures here and here