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The Ultimate S.U.V.
Max the Merciless writes: "Take one part KITT, one part 007, one part Unimog, throw in a whole lot of high technology and you get the MaxiMog, perhaps the ultimate SUV! The MaxiMog is a go anywhere, do anything 'expedition system'. The vehicle (and trailer) runs a total of 7 separate computers, a high speed network and a google of different communications devices. I enquired as to the operating systems, and apparently "real time and safety related systems control run under QNX, scheduling and communications management under Linux, and there are a few apps that run under OS9/OSX and WinNT (hate the NT stuff, but some of the communications software is yet to be ported to anything else)". However, my favourite feature is the "High Intensity Air horn system - two air horns producing 137dba at 15 feet in front of vehicle. Note -- Due to high sound pressure levels only for use off road when no personnel are nearby!"
I think they should add an 802.11b antenna to it. That why I dont have to point my omni out the window in order to get on Mobilestar or Houston Wireless Freenets.
Where's the turret?
Casual Games/Downloads
The vehicle of course will never see anything rougher then the family's paved mini-mansion driveway where it will of course be painted to contrast nicely with the house and gardens and show up the pricy but effete Mercades-Benz SUV the Joneses across the street dared buy.
I don't read ACs: If a post isn't worth so much as a nom de plume to its author then I wont bother either.
Fault tolerance for the computers doesn't matter for the following reason:
If you look closely at the tires, you'll notice Firestone lettering. I think that computer-safety is of minimal concern.
Keeping
Hmm, I don't know... I think if I sneezed at this thing sideways the breeze would tip it over. It seems far to high for its width.
Its FAQ says that:
The MaxiMog(TM) is a Truck not an SUV and requires a driver's license for a heavy (over 12,500lbs) vehicle with air brakes.
So I doubt that we would see these being driven by soccer moms. Although it would be cool for a road trip.
Finally bringing the Beowulf cluster to the redneck/jock clique.
Job? I don't have time to get a job! Who will sit around and bitch about being broke and unemployed then?
Something tells me that we'll be seeing Dirk Pitt tooling around in one of these in a future NUMA action-adventure novel.
Editor Emeritus and Senior Writer, TeleRead.org
Funny, the FAQ says it uses heavy-duty Michelins.
Editor Emeritus and Senior Writer, TeleRead.org
The point of this is not like the Soccer Mom SUV's sold in America. This is a real expiditionary vehicle that is designed for real work uses. This particular SUV was designed to transport useful scientific equipment to where it needs to go, which are usually places that cars and regular SUVs can't go.
I agree, most people don't need SUVs. Hell, most SUVs hardly ever have a drop of dirt on them. But this is slightly different.
It is human nature to take shortcuts in thinking.
You can do either.
They are alternative spellings of the same word, as this site says.
Dictionary.com lists 'enquire' as a 'Variant of inquire'.
Also, the Concise Oxford English Dictionary lists enquire and inquire as having the same meaning.
Hold on while I masturbate furiously in anticipation ... :-(
This is actually a redesign of a very old "S.U.V." called the UniMog
Unimog info
http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=enq uire
enquire
v.
Variant of inquire.
[Middle English enquiren, from Old French enquerre, from Vulgar Latin *inquaerere]
Sorry grammar nazi. Keep readin' those textbooks. You'll get it one of these days.
"If he thinks he can hide and run from the United States and our allies, he's sorely mistaken." Bush on bin Laden
I own a late sixties muscle car that gets less than that. But the difference is, it gets out of the garage on rare occasions, delivers over 500 horses, gobs of torque and looks a whole lot better than this horror of a truck :)
Am I the only one who saw this thing and imagined it standing on its rear wheels shouting "transformer" ?
So for those of you who want to build your own one of these beasts...
A couple months ago some friends of mine and I bought an old super heavy duty school bus to deck out with gear. GPS, wireless lan, satelite transponders, audio gear, radar (marine radar), HUD, etc... basically anything ridiculously gratuitous that you see on the MAXIMOG vehicle. Our vehicle has 450 horses and weighs about 3.5 tons gutted. We got it from a podunk town that was using it as a fire and rescue support vehicle to haul rescue workers and equipment such as the jaws of life, chemical fire extenguishers, etc. It is a beastly machine.
Anyway for our vehicle systems, the design documents are to be public domain (with author copyrights of course) and support software will be GPL'd or BSD licensed. There are the beginnings of a project on sourceforge and photos. Basically the whole project is focused on building a totally insane techno machine from a bunch of junk on the cheap.
Check it out!
Oh yeah, it's already named Richard, III.
No, this machine isn't excessive. The add-ons are excessive. Jet boat and unmanned aircraft?
I guess the 'James Bond' types will be easy to spot in the near future. He's the guy driving the huge ambulance with a jet boat on the back and spy plane on the roof.
It will be an obvious choice who to kill for the bad guys.
Get your Unix fortune now!
Fault tolerance means that errors are recoverable from and don't cause the system to go down totally. Fault tolerance is a good thing. Fault tolerant computers sell for a lot of money.
And as far as the computer systems on this machine, there is probably a lot of fault tolerance over all, most of the computers are not going to be mission critical in the sense that they need to be there for the car to work. Most cars these days already have multiple interconnected computers running the engine and breaking system, but this adds separate machines for things like communication, GPS, etc. And if those machines go down, well, who cares? Just reboot em while on the road (well, you might want to pull over if you don't have a passenger, but you get the idea). It simply doesn't matter if their up constantly. And it is possible to make computers that don't crash ever, and they seem to be going that rout (using QNX for more critical systems, along with the separate computers and networks that undoubtedly run the engine)
autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
Of the Future SUV site? It hosts such massive concept vehicles as the Kenworth Pilgrimage, the Grand Dominator, the Eliminator (a new version of last year's Fornicator), and the ever-popular Peterbuilt Crusader All-Sport Denali Outback Eddie Bauer 5.9 Limited.
Well, considering that only like .00002% of even urban america even has WiFi access out in the open I'd say it would be kind of pointless. And if you had the money/need to buy a machine like this you'd probably be able to get the antenna added custom.
autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
The specs state this thing has a fairly standard 5.7 L Chevy under the hood. That's not much power for moving such a large amount of weight. Dual alternators and other accessories further drag this thing down. Plus, I speak from experience when I state that a 5.7 L chevy, old or new isn't the best for moving something heavy when you want to keep up with the 75MPH speed limit on a moderate hill.
This thing is good for off-road trips. Excess power under the hood in that situation wastes fuel, which is obviously a bad thing. With a highway monster, a good 454 suits me just fine.. and if I don't mind stopping to pick up $50 of gasoline every 2-300 miles or so, I can climb hills at about 75+ MPH.
One future, two choices. Oppose them or let them destroy us.
OS's by law have to be embedded type OS's. It's ilegal to run the controls such as safety and what makes it work with anything else such as windows, macOS,linux (embedded forms would be ok). They have to be embedded to help prevent against a crash. Any bug while driving could result in injury/death. Also since the cars computer controller is never used by things like entertainment systems and such it doesn't have to support much other than a lot of IO and managing things such as fuel maps for the engine. The auto industry does most of their prototyping with Dspace. Production cars use a finalized version of this. Typicaly you have little control over this programing for safety reasons, you can read the codes (as in error code) but not much more. This is not something people shouldn't mess with. I would be surprised if QNX is the real OS controling critical things. 1) because Benz makes the unimog so its' controls would have been made by them. 2) QNX is pretty advanced, for your car you want it as simple as possable to avoid bugs. 3) its pretty big and needs a decent CPU, cars use very lame CPU's in them, and many of them. Anything thats more than a few thousand lines of code would probly be to much.
BB
If you had this thing, why the hell would you care what the weather was like?
autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
"I'm an environmental oxymoron - I buy organic and drive an SUV"
.02
cLive ;-)
-- Trinity in high heels carrying a whip: The donimatrix - there is no spoonerism
If you'll read the site you'll see you'll need a special drivers license just to drive the thing (well, maybe the cops won't know that :P) so I doubt it'll be used by soccer moms.
I have a feeling this is mostly going to be used by people who actually need one.
autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
i want to agree, but i'm not sure if i can. china tends to have more people working close to where they live, i believe. i commute an hour to work at 60 MPH. this would take a day or two on bike.
america is just obsessed with going great distances to do pedantic things, like go shopping. this is somwhere between cause an effect as to the death of the corner drugstore. there's a tremendous essay here, there really is.
fFor now we'll just say: people will buy this thing, not because they need a monser truck to get to work, but because they want a cool toy. i predict these will sell very well in rural areas where people have lots of room to roll around the "backyard", and in the academic and celebrity circles of people who use machine-guns to go hunting - because they can.
this thing represents at once everything that makes america great, and everything that makes america a fFoul shithole.
You know they should put one of these in a movie. Then they could go to some island and get eaten by Dinosaurs.
Seems like a lot of really cool ideas from movies are being taken on as projects and being made into reality. This is making for some really fun new toys that we've always wished we could have. C'mon Hollywood, keep 'em coming!
All these computers, and no MP3 player!
Creature Comforts
* 5.1. Self leveling leather upholstered air suspension seats with five way adjustments, lumbar air bags, heat, and on/off road modes)
* 5.2. Inertia reel seatbelts with off-road lock
* 5.3. Refrigerator/food warmer/coffee maker
* 5.4. Heated and cooled drink holders.
* 12 disc CD changer (connected to entertainment AM/FM/CD player)
* 5.6. Retractable (air powered) entry steps (one on each side), provide access step for front and rear doors.
from this page
Fellowship 9/11
>For some people, mothers included, they are the only vehicle that makes sense.
^^^
Mod parent up to "funny" plz
Why is it people are making comments about this thing making VERY clear that they did not read the site's FAQ or even visited the site?
The vehicle is not for sale, another one could be build if you have enough money. But i bet that there won't be alot of these things sold.. if people just look at the site they would have found out that this truck, bike, UAV, powerboat etc, was entirely build for EXPEDITIONS ! It isn't meant to be used as a recreational vehicle.
Three guys have to drive pokey little shitboxes to compensate.
Yeah, the BMW 530d is a real pokey shitbox (50mpg extra-urban, 180bhp). European manufacturers are already close to and above (Audi A2 - 70-something mpg) those mileage figures.
I'd guess the Audi A2 (but probably not a BMW 5-series) cost less than the SUV.
"don't fall into the fallacy of believing that Perl can solve social problems. Maybe Perl 6 can, but that's a ways off"
What is 25 tons, has tank tracks, armor plating and a vicious streak a mile wide? the ultimate SUV of course!
i have a friend of a friend who "claims" to have seen one in an off-road situation.
You must be joking right?
The average SUV driver would be so scared of scratching the metallic paint on there all terain vercle, they will never dare take it off road!
Anyone quoted by a reporter knows how little they understand
Don't believe what you read is the truth.
Well, the website survived just fine, but the 'MogCam' is down. Guess 'slashdotted' wasn't one of the 'extreme conditions' the vehicle was designed for :)
So, other than hunting & killing aliens on mars, or surviving a post-apoctalyptic wasteland version of Earth, what can I use this thing for, exactly?
Care about electronic freedom? Consider donating to the EFF!
Funny, it uses the LS-1 360HP engine, the same as the GM Corvette. So there should be tons of stuff to "overclock" to more HP's :)
I saw this website months and months ago. Is Slashdot really 'news for nerds' or is it just 'links from people who didnt see this stuff ages ago'?
The vehicle itself seems to just be a promotional vehicle for www.unicat.net, a company that seem to make custom Unimogs. The various modules for the Maximog - plane, boat, time-machine, are as much vapourware as a 100:1 lossless compression program.
My MaxiMod was hacked and defaced by some Hummer activists!
To ride in style, you need a stretch limo SUV.
Wonder if it is an autobot or decepticon.
Whatever it is its ugly as sin.
--"Karma is justice without the satisfaction"
The prices aren't higher in Europe; the taxes are much, much higher. The base price of the fuel is roughly equivalent.
Not to mention that it SCREAMS top-heavy: A versatile off-road vehicle (which about 0.001% of the population actually needs) needs to withstand high angles of approach both from the back and left to right, and I suspect this vehicle would be on its side quite quickly.
I know...I expected that trailer to be an external gas tank.
the air horn for my car.
And I want it to play both "Dixi" and "La Cucaracha"
III.IIVIVIXIIVIVIIIVVIIIIXVIIIXIIIIIIIIVIIIIVVIII
It's the same cabin height as the original chassis. It's not top heavy, according to the designers, because heavy things like fuel tanks, generators, batteries, etc. etc. have been mounted down low. It's also got an adjustable suspension so I would assume that high angles of attack could be compensated for.
You'll also find, when you read the FAQ, that this isn't an SUV for climbing hills and trails - it's for "exploring". It's supposed to be capable of some challenging offroad but it wasn't built for the "let's see what it can do" mentality. I also doubt it's meant to be driven very fast on the highway. It requires a trucker's license for vehicles equipped with "air brakes" so I don't think they were shooting for "sports car" handling. Hell, the tires weight as much as 400lbs depending on what set it's got loaded. This thing is a beast.
It's big, probably slow as heck, and not something I'd want to encounter in rush hour. Hell, if he hit the horn would I lose my hearing AND my window glass?!
Build it, Drive it, Improve it! Hybridz.org
I have a friend who has an older UNi-Mog. I gotta tell ya, that thing is damn fun to go for rides in. I haven't done any off roading with him, but my first ride in the thing was in a mild hurricane. That was weird...
Needless to say I've done a fair amount of looking into these things, and have found a few things out there that may be of intrest to someone who may want to know more about these things. Sweet machines, they are.
I'm not a prophet or a stone-age man,
I'm just a mortal with potential of a super man.
This wasn't meant to be bought by Joe Consumer. It's custom built from scratch on top of a Mercedes chassis. It costs "more than a Hummer less than a Boeing". I cannot imagine a celebrity taking the time to go get a trucker's license to drive one either.
It weighs like 20Klbs and can't be terribly "fast". What would the possible attraction be, even for folks like Arnold. This is a true expeditionary vehicle, I cannot imagine owning it myself as the maintenance alone would kill me. Water warmed fuel tanks?! Ouch this thing is built like a tank!
Build it, Drive it, Improve it! Hybridz.org
Note, those are Imperial gallons, not US gallons.
I would guess there's a _lot_ of mass in the bottom 1/3 of the height though, so the center of gravity is probably low enough to avoid tipping during "normal" off-road driving (ie. no driving laterally along steep slopes). It needs the height for capacity, but can't be too wide to be street legal (or to negotiate narrow 1-lane roads in developing areas).
Note that this thing can supposedly "climb a 45 degree slope" - just don't turn sideways while doing it or your expedition will come to a rapid, messy end.
Freedom: "I won't!"
I used to have a Mercedes Jeep. Origionally designed as Mercedes bid for supplying UN vehicles. It looked about like this thing, except it has a convertable soft top. The body is made by Mercedes truck division and the drivetrain by the car division. It had nifty featrues like a special lever to lock the universal joints in the drivetrain so sou can rock a stuck vehicle without damaging the universals.
I owned the Jeep for two years in the Mid-East. I spent many a day two-tracking though the desert. I slammed it into rocks. I drove it through sandpits. I even jumped it quite a distance. The skidplate underthe motor was like 1/4 inch thick. The only proble I ever had with it was the throttle cable coming off after jumping it about 15 feet. I'd love to own one again.
"God fights on the side with the best artillery." - Napoleon, Marshal of France - speaking truth to power
Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
What the hell is it about driving and cellphones that everyone is freaking out about? I agree that most people can't drive and use a cellphone, but I also believe that most people can't pick their nose and drive, either. I get this continual bitching that I talk on my cell (with headset) while driving. Does this also mean I should stop smoking while driving? Eating? Drinking coffee? Changing radio stations? Changing CDs? God forbid if I sneeze!
Can we agree that it is not the actual activity but generally the person who is to blame?
Vote monkeys into Congress. They are cheaper and more trustworthy.
The vehicle is not for sale... if people just look at the site they would have found out that this... was entirely build for EXPEDITIONS! It isn't meant to be used as a recreational vehicle.
SUV's in general (Jeep, Range Rover) were originally meant for expeditions and military use - not recreational or personal use. But they are now a menace to drivers everywhere. So... uh, what was your point again?
By publicizing yet another outsized vehicle, they are doing their part (even if it's only a small one) to accelerate the disturbing trend of using these wasteful and dangerous "cars" as family vehicles. Even if this vehicle isn't for sale, there's little doubt that it will stimilate a few Unimog sales at least. Publicity works.
There's more like you at Changing the Climate.
If you fall off a building, go real limp, because maybe you'll look like a dummy and people will be like hey, free dummy
and we couldn't find him for an hour!
The Miabatsui Monstrosity... "Mine's Bigger".
;)
=tkk
Bill Gates - Creationist?!?
To only be purchased by someone with an extremly small penis.
WikiAfterDark.com It's a sex wiki, go now!
Did you read the specs page? It's got redundant GPS mapping with tiebreaking dead-reconing and aviation nav systems, marine radar, satellite internet, tv, phone, computer-powered everything (some running QNX), xenon headlights, worklights, joystick-adjustable search lights, front-, side-, and rear-mounted remote pan/tilt/zoom/focus-able cameras, a power-driven mast on which you can raise all kinds of communication antennas, a remote-controlled camera dome, or a chair, displays in the cabin will tell you the distance between your bumpers and the nearest solid object, it's got a coffee maker, a fridge, a bathroom in the trailer (which has a command center accessible via what appears to be a Mac with dual 17" LCD monitors), if you want to see over a hilltop or something you can launch an electric recon plane and watch realtime wireless video with a 30-mile flight range, you can set up the zero-to-sixty-in-four-seconds jet boat and go up against four-foot white water rapids with, of course, full GPS navigation and forward-looking night-vision with GPS waypoint overlay, and if you get bored with this you can take the Beamer cycle off the back and go zipping through the countryside with high-resolution GPS and a sat-phone, packet modem, etc...
It's just freaking inspiring that someone with the resources to pull this thing off is going to get to go on adventures with it all over the world, which is obviously his life-long dream which, judging by the fact that he says the whole thing costs a bit less than a Boeing 777, is probably a well- deserved vacation from all the wealth-building he's been doing up until now to be able to afford not only the lifestyle of a free-roaming expeditionist, but a free-roaming expeditionist with the ultimate custom-built geek adventure vehicle of all freaking time.
It almost brings a tear to your eye...::sniff::
"Sweet creeping zombie Jesus!"
-The Professor, Futurama
...about the Unimog. This vehicle, dubbed to be one of the best All-terrain vehicles in the world (with exception to the recent Humvees maybe), was one of the first Mercedes-Benz products after WWII was over. As Germanys industry was was under control of the allieds everything they built needed prior permission. As it seems the allieds took the vehicle for what it was advertised a powerful tractor/transporter for agricultural and civilian construction uses (it was perfect for building roads as the vehicles had cruise control from day one, allowing them to go with very constant 2mph).
...) already have bought one. And it runs. It is not uncommon to see 1960s models in the streets doing their work. So why buy a new one ?
Ironically, after the Germans were allowed to establish a military force again they ordered Unimogs and rated them as "military vehicle class A" which means that it is "able to follow a heavy combat tank through heavy terrain with medium speed under all conditions". Created for civilian use it received its well-deserved military honors. Even the US army uses some of them. (Among many many others).
You can check out the vehicle history at the link below, along with some pictures. You can also take a look at the new U400 which looks way ugly in comparison to the older models. Maybe I just like them better because I have driven one of 'em for so many miles.
Unimog History
Ironically for Mercedes-Benz, the sales are going very bad in the last years, that was part of the reason for the facelifted U400 but it is not the competition that's digging MB. Everyon who could possibly use one (military, agricultural, construction,
+++ath0
OK, finally got enough of the main page to see the FAQ link -- and it downloads instantly. (See how much better text works?)
WHY WAS IT BUILT?
The MaxiMog(TM) vehicle and trailer was built because it's owner plans to drive around the world to remote and hard to get to places doing both photography and scientific exploration. Contrary to what many people believe, most of our planet is still relatively unexplored. After a year of research, he determined that a custom vehicle would have to be built to meet his requirements. The MaxiMog(TM) is the first pass at that solution and is a work in progress.
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WHY A VEHICLE, TRAILER AND MOTORBIKE?
To provide the most flexibly. The hybrid system allows the vehicle or motorbike to go off exploring while the trailer remains behind as a base camp. The MaxiMog(TM) vehicle alone can be used by itself for small expeditions that don't require sleeping, kitchen or toilet facilities.
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WHY IS IT CALLED AN EXPEDITION SYSTEM?
Because the various components including the vehicle, trailer, motorbike, underwater submersible (ROV), remote surveillance aircraft (UAV), Jet Boat, and modular electronics systems are designed to be easily interchangeable, and work together as a coordinated whole.
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WHAT WAS IT BASED ON?
The MaxiMog(TM) vehicle is based upon a highly modified Mercedes Benz Unimog U90 chassis. At this point about 30% is original. The MaxiMog(TM) trailer was designed and built from scratch.
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WHAT'S ITS DRIVING RANGE?
The vehicle has a design driving cruise range of about 1200 miles without refueling. Obviously this MPG rating is affected up or down based upon speed and terrain.
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HOW MUCH DOES IT WEIGH?
The vehicle weights approximately 16,500 pounds loaded, and the trailer weighs about 14,000 pounds.
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FROM THE PICTURES, IT LOOKS TOP HEAVY.
While the vehicle has a high profile to provide adequate internal headroom (BTW - It's the same height as the original Unimog U90 chassis on which it was based.), the center of gravity is quite low due to the placement of heavy items such as the Engine, Generator, Batteries and Fuel Tanks. Additionally, the vehicle has front and rear antisway bars and an auto leveling air suspension system to assist in dynamic stability.
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DON'T THOSE NERF BARS HURT GROUND CLEARANCE?
The Nerf Bars (side steps) are shown extended in the pictures on the site. When driving, they are pneumatically retracted.
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WHY SO MUCH CHROME!?
There is actually no chrome anywhere on the Maximog(TM). Everything you see that looks like chrome (including the 4 front bumper mounted 5 gallon water tanks) is solid 316 stainless steel alloy with a natural polished finish. Beyond corrosion resistance and appearance, the polished finish minimizes adhesion of snow, ice and mud.
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DOES THE TRAILER HAVE TO BE CONNECTED TO THE MAXIMOG(TM) VEHICLE TO GET POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS?
While the trailer can be connected to the trailer for power, communications and data, it does not need to. It has it's own water cooled quiet 25KW generator which can supply power, air conditioning or heat, or hydraulic power to operate the wheel motors at low speeds (Both 4 wheel drive and steering) for campsite positioning or power assist for off road mobility.
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CAN IT STAY IN COMMUNICATION AND CONNECT TO THE INTERNET IN VERY REMOTE AREAS?
Yes. It has multiple long range communications systems for plain or secure message traffic in addition to short range VHF and UHF transceivers for short and medium range use. The principally long range (non-emergency) communications systems are Inmarsat-B/C/Mini-M, Globalstar LEO, and a HF/ALE (High Frequency/Automatic Link Establishment) transceiver for low bandwidth communications in areas where there is no satellite visibility. Asymmetrical data-only internet connectivity for wideband downloads can be accomplished via a tracking DSS satellite dish if within the satellite footprint. When wideband video Uplink capability is required an independent satellite system is carried on board the Vehicle or trailer.
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WHAT IF IT BREAKS DOWN?
The MaxiMog(TM) carries a significant compliment of spare parts and tools to effect field repairs. It is also designed so that critical systems have backups and automatic systems can be isolated and operated manually if needed. However in the event of a serious component failure such as a broken drive-line component, the approach is to take the BMW R1150GS bike and get help, or use the global communications system to get parts and tools driven or flown in.
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HOW GOOD IS IT FOR ROCK CRAWLING AND EXTREME OFF ROADING?
Simply stated, it's an expedition vehicle, not a recreational vehicle. While it is designed for severe off road conditions whenever encountered, this is a vehicle that is intended for long duration expeditions, not "seeing what it can do" by traversing technical trails created by off road enthusiasts. However, the Maximog(TM) chassis provides 20+" of suspension travel, 25" inches of ground clearance (worst case, under the differential housings), positive locking differentials, CTIS, variable ride height, adjustable shock absorber compliance, and air shifted transfer case for low range operation. This makes it quite capable in a broad variety of off road conditions.
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BUT WON'T IT GET STUCK OFF ROAD IF TOWING THE TRAILER?
The Maximog(TM) trailer is designed for the same off-road operation conditions as the Maximog(TM) vehicle. It has a ruggedized chassis, the same 25" ground clearance, and the same air suspension and adjustable shock which are coordinated in operation with the tow vehicle. Additionally, the trailer is a fully powered 4X4 using computer controlled hydraulic wheel motors so the combined MaxiMog(TM) + Trailer functions as an 8X8 with coordinated drive, suspension ride height and compliance, and CTIS operation. The front wheels are steered so the vehicle and trailer combined has the same turn radius as the vehicle alone.
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HOW DO YOU CHANGE A TIRE AND WHAT DO THEY WEIGH?
Fortunately, this size of heavy duty Michelin tire doesn't get a lot of punctures and if it's a slow leak the Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS) can often keep up with it. When you do need to change a tire, the vehicle has a tire lowering winch built into the swing away spare tire holder that easily lowers it to the ground or raises it into the storage position. Depending upon which tire size and tread pattern (highway, off-road or combination) is fitted, the weight is between 325 and 400 pounds each.
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WHY THE BIG TELESCOPIC MAST?
The mast has a variety of uses. It can elevate an electro optics package for long range observation and rangefinding (day or night). It is also used to mount communications antennas to increase point-to-point communications range. This is especially useful for flying the UAV (Unmanned Air Vehicle) at long range, and to increase the service area of portable communications devices like walkie talkies (using the onboard VHF and UHF repeaters). A chair can also be fitted to the mast to elevate a person for direct observation. The mast has a tilt-down facility which facilitates loading heavy items on top from ground level. It has a static payload capacity of 350 pounds.
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WHAT IF IT GETS STUCK?
It has 20,000lb capacity (continuous duty) front and rear hydraulic winches with 150' stainless steel cables. The winches are dual speed units and may be controlled locally from the drivers cab, or remotely via a safety interlocked radio remote control system. The vehicle also carries a variety of hydraulically powered accessory tools including an submersible chain saw, impact wrench, bolt/cable cutter, grinder, and multi-purpose push-pull jacks.
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IS IT LEGAL TO DRIVE IN THE USA?
Yes, once certified and licensed it is fully legal to drive on any road that is rated for it's weight (all major roads and highways) and height (10'6"). It meets California emissions standards and all applicable DOT/FMVSS/EPA regulations. The MaxiMog(TM) is a Truck not an SUV and requires a driver's license for a heavy (over 12,500lbs) vehicle with air brakes.
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HOW IS THE TRAILER CONSTRUCTED?
It is a composite panel structure using a sandwich of fiberglass reinforced plastic, thermal insulating foam, and electrical shielding to provide lightning protection. These custom panels are fabricated with internal metal tubes and fittings to provide reinforcement where needed. Unicat in Germany is expert at this construction technique which yields an excellent strength to weight ratio and superior thermal insulation for extreme heat or cold.
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HOW DOES THE TRAILER FOLD AND UNFOLD?
The trailer uses a new system which combines a lifting roof with two interchangeable side mounted Swingout® modules (patent pending). These modules are electrically operated with a microprocessor based motion control and safety system doing the motion control coordination. It takes approximately 5 minutes to complete its fold/unfold cycle (limited to this speed for safety). When in its folded state the trailer is fully protected (all glass covered) and the overall size as the MaxiMog(TM) vehicle. When it unfolds, there is approximately double the internal volume. There are seven steps to the fold/unfold process.
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DOES IT HAVE A TV AND AM/FM?
Yes to both with DSS satellite TV capability.
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DOES IT FLY?
Not intentionally...
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WHO DESIGNED IT?
The vehicle was designed by Bran Ferren of Applied Minds Inc in collaboration with Thomas Ritter of Unicat. He can be reached at bran@AppliedMinds.net.
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WHO BUILT IT?
Thomas Ritter at his company Unicat based in Hambrücken Germany was selected as the best and most experienced manufacturer to build the vehicle he designed, and the staff at Applied Minds in Glendale California did the technology systems design and integration.
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WHAT DOES IT COST AND CAN I BUY ONE?
Well, let's just say that it costs more than a Hummer and Less than a Boeing 777 -- and you can't buy this one. However, you can have one built just like it, or to your precise specifications by the same company, Unicat. For more information please contact Thomas Ritter
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Just the act of owning an SUV you are being disrespectful to your fellow man though.
1. Its next to impossible to see around the average SUV, creating problems when someone is trying to maneaver around you, but you probably have never experienced this, so you wouldn't know.
2. You waist gas. Just because you have the money to pay for a lot of gas, doesn't mean we should suffer the environmental inpact of you consuming it. Agreed if you have several people in your car, the benifits of car pooling start to outweigh the problems, but you should try to rarly drive it by yourself, that is such a waist.
I suggest only a few modifications:
Oh, and if we there are no more buyers in Afgahnistan, no problem! Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, manhole-in-the-desert-stan, plenty of places that will appreciate the next level in guerrilla transportation.
-- look, cheese ahoy!
Believe it or not, those "evil" SUVs are relatively clean compared to motorcycles. Yes, that's right. If you want to emit less pollution, a LOT less, get rid of your Honda motorcycle and get into an Explorer. Admittedly, SUVs will still output more carbon dioxide, but I'd rather have more inert gas than more pollution.
Mr. Ska
The thing is, there are already laws that cover this stuff. Ever heard of reckless endangerment? That's what you get is you get in a wreck while you are trying to change a cd, eat a burger, whatever. We don't need more laws when existing laws work fine.
Jaysyn
There is a war going on for your mind.
Heh, my step-father has a custom Blazer that pulls about 5mpg. I've seen this 500Hp monster pull down trees, go though stuff you couldn't walk through, and pull a doublewide trailer out into the middle of a street (no tires) when the scumbags residing in it wouldn't take the hint of the eviction notice....
As for the gene-pool, I promise you he's a smarter man than 90% of the people you know.
Jaysyn
There is a war going on for your mind.
I don't know what part of the States you are living in, but I'm living in north-east Florida & I've never seen diesel be more expensive than gasoline.
Jaysyn
There is a war going on for your mind.
my favorite bit on this site is right on the front page, down towards the bottom: it's on display at a modern art museum! that's just wonderful. i like.
well, that and the intent of exploring this "or similar" planets...
i speak for myself and those who like what i say.
> A googolplex is 10^google.
What started this thread? A googolplex is 10^googol, not google.
Geez.
Virg
Get a minivan. I honestly believe that SUVs should require a separate license, and hefty registration fees. And automatic liability in any accident situation.
I'll take my Jeep, thanks. We have both, a Pontiac Transport and a Jeep Grand Cherokee. I drive the Jeep because I often drag around equipment that won't fit in a trunk and don't require the extreme size of the minivan with the seats out, and I also do a lot of northern Ontario driving in winter. And the odd time I have to do so with a couple other people. My wife transports 3 kids around and flips a couple seats up for groceries and stuff.
From your next post:
If you're specifically driving a vehicle that's designed to resist damage, and I'm driving one that's designed to write itself off, on impact, for safety reasons, then yes, you should have automatic liability. Oh, and all vehicles should come with cell phone jammers that are on when the car is running. :-)
So if you jump out in front of me at an intersection when I have the right of way, it's my fault just because I paid more for a vehicle that won't crumble? Blow me. Double that for the phone jammer comment. If you can't handle driving in decent weather with light traffic and talk on a cell phone, that is your problem, not mine. I happen to be able to control my vehicle when I'm distracted, and I also have the presence of mind to ignore/drop the cellphone when things happen.
Anyway (desperately trying to find the original thread), SUVs aren't just for offroad. Trucks and cars can only get you so far, and minivans definately have advantages in medium-size people movers. But SUVs are idea for people like me.
90% of Stupid Urban Vehicle owners are office workers that will never see an unpaved road. They buy these moster machines because they have been taught to fear their neighbors. In reality, the world has them to fear as the stupid things are difficult to handle and much less stable than the simple 4 door sedan that would fill all of their automotive needs.
The flicker in my eye is a reflection of burning karma.
DMCA, Hollings, Palladium. What might have sounded like paranoia is now common sense.
Its next to impossible to see around the average SUV, creating problems when someone is trying to maneaver around you, but you probably have never experienced this, so you wouldn't know.
So how do you deal with the 18-wheelers on the highways? Good lord, if you can't see, you don't manouvre. And you can almost always peek around any vehicle to see past it. Failing that, BACK OFF! Your visibility increases when you don't have your fiat's hood under my Jeep's ass-end.
During the snowy winter months, Unimogs are just about the only way for researchers and astronomers to access the Meyer-Womble Observatory atop Mount Evans, Colorado. 14,148 feet above sea level.
An image of the Halloween '99 DU Astronomy Unimog expedition is here.
Full size Ford vans can be ordered in four wheel drive format.
My parents have one, just a little higher than the normal econoline(sp?), extremely practical for a family living in/near the mountains, frequently taking the children and their friends on ski trips. A lot more storage space and leg/head room than any SUV.
And excursions are just plain scary. If you need that much room, get a van.
Where I'm originally from (UK), "enquire" and "inquire" are different. "Enquire" means to ask a question. "Inquire" is more of an investigation, thus when somebody "inquires", that might make many "enquiries". However, it seems that isn't the case in America where few people make the same distinction. In fact, from my experiences over here, it would appear that most Americans view "enquire" as an infrequently used alternative to "inquire".
From my Oxford dictionary:
enquire v. to ask. enquiry n. Although these words are often used in exactly the same way as inquire, there is a tendency to use en- as a formal word for 'ask' and in- for an investigation.
inquire v. to make an inquiry. inquirer n.; inquiry n. an investigation, especially an official one.
See note under enquire.
That we stop referring to these vehicles as SUVs. Only a small minority of the owners actually use then for off road sporting type functions or use them to haul lots of equipment that would classify them as being a utility vehicle. Face it, 80-90% of them are used for commuting, running down to the store to pick up a bag of groceries and the ever popular picking up kids at school. How about these choices:
If anyone can think of any more, I'd like to hear them....Looks like I need to change my sig again. Damn
the good ground has been paved over by suicidal maniacs
Not as bad as you'd think. Most newer AWD vehicles will transfer all power to the rear wheels once a certain speed is reached. For GM, I'm pretty sure its 30Km/h (~ 25mph). While I don't have AWD, the traction control in my '99 Alero turns off at 30kmh. Which is why I've never bothered to turn it off.
Ok, I probably should have qualified that statement. The places I have problems with SUVs visually.
1. When I get in the mid turn lane to turn left and some SUV comming in the other direction get in their turn lane way too close to me, and I can't see, and don't know if any cars are comming, but they just sit there, forever, sometimes expecting me to go first.
2. Parking, not to mention that fact that most SUV drivers don't know how to park them. Often it becomes very difficult to back out of the spot if there is are SUVs next to me, and I can't see what cars are comming around the SUV when I'm trying to back out of the spot.
I know there are a few other examples, but those 2 are the most frequent, and most 18-wheelers atleast know how to drive. I really don't have a problem with large vehicals for commerical purposes, but when people purchase large vehicles for no good reason, and don't know how to control them, and don't understand when people can't see around them. It really urks me.
You're right about 'SUV' being a marketing term. But generally, an SUV is built like a truck, while a minivan is built like a car. So even though they may be the same size, the SUV is generally a lot heavier, has a much bigger engine, and gets worse gas mileage.
My in-laws have a Mercedes ML320 SUV they bought used for towing a small boat trailer. As much as I detest SUVs, it is one of the few SUVs I've driven that have decent handling. I find most SUVs frightening to drive -- their suspensions are tuned to give absolutely no road feedback to the driver. Personally, I like to know if the car I'm driving is about to lose traction or roll over. The M class is comfortable, and handles very well for a truck. It isn't stratospheically expensive either, it's low end pricing just above the upper end of the Ford Explorer's range, for a much nicer car.
It is, I agree, a silly vehicle. I can't imagine taking it off road, and any truck you can't carry a sheet of plywood in is, in my view, and abomination. However, I don't think it is an absurdly overpriced abomination like most of its SUV brethren.
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
> it's like trying to type the word "passed" after working in UNIX for a while.
What's the passe daemon do?
Sorry, couldn't resist.
Virg
Stupid Urban Vehicle
Infuriate left and right
t_t_b
I'm on PJ's "enemies" list! Are you?
a high speed network and a google of different communications devices.
;-)
I think you mean a googol, not a google. See also Google's explanation. Please keep you're words straight.
(Oh, it's also available at MathWorld - great to have it back!)
I doubt, therefore I may be.
I'm not sure about your waist, but it's well known that the human ass, like the goldfish, has a tendency to expand to fill its environment.
And I can't remember who I stole this joke from.
"Obsessed?" How about "just huge and spread out?" In most parts of the world, you can travel through entire countries in less time than it would take to get across just one state here. I'm in one of the more densely-populated cities, yet going anywhere other than the grocery store a mile downhill from me involves a trip of at least five miles. I'm on the outskirts, but it's better than living in a more central area (which I've also done...close proximity to everything is outweighed by the crime, the bums, and other nastiness that comes with most urban areas).
20 January 2017: the End of an Error.
Just because some other morons can't control their 8 ton tractor trailer while getting a blowjob and snorting a few lines doesn't mean that I can't do it.
PBBBBTTT!
It's obviously relative. But if you're trying to drive while changing a cd and you spill your coffee on your crotch which causes you to yell and the greasy Egg McMuffin you're gobbling down splurts out and gets between your shoe and the brake pedal and you rear end me - you have clearly messed up. Nobody is 'capable' of doing this. Some people are better than others, but multi-tasking always involves some switching costs, and even a minimal delay in focusing on changing road conditions can be disastrous.
Which isn't to say you shouldn't use your cell phone. Just realize that if you have an accident while doing so, regardless of who is actually to blame, you will probably end up being blamed.
Yeah because I don't ever see anyone engaging in reckless endangerment :) Laws don't work unless they're enforced.
No, what we need are robot drivers. Then you can eat, sleep, whatever.
Wrong. You should have a more durable vehicle. Why should the rest of us be forced to accept responsibility for your poor choice of transportation?
(For the record, I don't own an SUV...don't have any need for one and don't really want one. The pickup I just bought (a 2002 S10 extended-cab, RWD instead of 4WD because it'll never go off-road) is better for hauling stuff around and gets better mileage, while my car (a 1977 Cutlass Supreme Brougham) is better for hauling people and for fooling around under the hood. An SUV could do both of those jobs, but like a Swiss Army knife and all of its tools, it doesn't do those tasks as well something more specialized.)
You made that comment at least half in jest...but that penalizes the people who somehow managed to learn how to walk and chew gum at the same time. (As for me, I keep talking-while-driving to a minimum.)
20 January 2017: the End of an Error.
Here in Las Vegas, diesel has almost always been more expensive than gasoline. Neither of them are particularly cheap compared to other states, though...while Nevada has no state income tax, the gas tax here is among the highest in the country. While I suspect that a big part of the country is paying under $1.00/gallon, I filled up last night for closer to $1.10/gallon at one of the cheapest places to get gas. (I'm not complaining too much, given that prices maxed out last year around $1.80-$1.90 for the cheap stuff.)
20 January 2017: the End of an Error.
Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
Nonsense. SUVs are (for most owners) the grownup equivalent of Brittney Spears albums; a demand created by marketing, not out of any genuine need for the product.
Tom Swiss | the infamous tms | my blog
You cannot wash away blood with blood
How much do you think a (not particularly well maintained) trailer weighs? All it took was a good head start, some kind of military grade cable to snatch it with, and gravity once the trailer got off of the cinderblocks it was on top of. You'd have to see/drive this truck to understand. He's probably dropped $15K into since he decided to fix it up, most of it into the drivetrain & engine.
Come on, this is slashdot, why the hell would I brag about a 4x4 if it wasn't true. I don't even like SUV's that much.
Jaysyn
There is a war going on for your mind.
Actually, the MaxiMog was built in part by Unicat. Look here.
...deserve all of my funny mod points for this.
Virg
I believe that last year, more trucks/SUVs were sold in the US than cars. Compare that to Australia, where it's about 20:1 cars:trucks.
Here's where I think it comes from.
Americans have always loved a kind of car that exists nowhere else in the world - the full-size, full-frame rear-wheel-drive land yacht. You know, the Ford LTD and the Chevy Caprice Classics.
And, being that I'm 6'3", I don't fit very comfortably into anything smaller, so I can understand the special appeal of these cars.
Unfortunately, instead of letting the free market decide what size Americans want their cars, Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) laws were imposed on the automakers, and the land yachts were discontinued.
Interestingly enough, as the land yachts were phased out, sales of SUVs increased. And I don't mean the silly little Japanese tinfoil SUVs like Sidekicks, CR-Vs and Toyota Rectal Assault Vehicles; I mean the real ones - Grand Cherokee, Ford Exploder, and the granddaddy of 'em all, the Suburban - so named because it's as big as a Wal*Mart parking lot.
Since trucks are exempt from CAFE laws, you can give the buying public what they want very easily: stick a station wagon body onto a pickup truck frame, sell it on image, and the Crown Victorias and Caprice Estate wagons of yesteryear really haven't gone anywhere... though they may be a little taller (less aerodynamic) and have more weight and drag from carrying around a transfer case and front differential...
If things had been left alone, the millions of barrels of oil being wasted to the poorer aerodynamics and the greater weight of an SUV would still be awaiting their turn at the refinery. Accountants wouldn't be feeling foolishly invulnerable as they turn on the four wheel drive because of three inches of snow on the ground.
CAFE is now or soon to be applied to trucks. It'll be interesting to see how the free market works its way around this next round of government interference, how it will backfire.
Don't laugh, either. If the tree-hugging energy zealots knew how much energy your Athlon "wasted", they'd be trying to ban that, too.
Fire and Meat. Yummy.
No, this isn't blaming the victim - it's pointing out the facts of life to a whining bozo who thinks his position is the most important in the world. Guess what: the Admin Assistants think theirs is, the mailroom folks, the accountants and the marketing weasels, all theirs too, etc. You couldn't make schedules / get packages / have paychecks issued / get the darn product sold if it weren't for those folks, not would they have product without coders. It's not all about you.
Those phone calls and meetings and networking things are productive. No they're not writing lines of code but they keep the place running. Yeah - that 10 minute call may have done more for the company then your 8 hours of keyboarding. Those folks making the calls - their work and their skills may be more important and more irreplacable to the company then yours (oh yeah, apparently they were.)
As to other life decisions: yeah, folks who don't make 90k+ a year don't do any of them. Keep telling yourself that when you sit at home alone night after night. This would have nothing to do with your own qualities or lack thereof...
Get to a therapist and get to a career counselor. You need an attitude adjustment as well as a good dose of work-reality.
I don't read ACs: If a post isn't worth so much as a nom de plume to its author then I wont bother either.