(fun) If you owned a car company...

[MrComputerSaint]

...What car would you make?

Let us know where you're from and what you'd make, City car? Sports car? 8 wheeled behemoth ? Electric / Hybrid / other?

Just a little fun


I'm from the UK and I'd make a Hybrid convertible to try and compete with the likes of the MX5. It'd have a small (~700cc) turbo charged engine with electric motors and might be electric power to the front, and the car might be mid engined sending the power from the engine to the rear wheels. Making it AWD.

[DanceswithUnix]

I would start off with a Strato's chassis (http://www.listerbell.com/) as a basis, but rather than the usual V6 would go for a serial hybrid electric drive-train.

Not sure where you could get an electric motor and power control from, but I think Jaguar got the recharge motor right, I would use one of these to keep the battery topped up http://www.bladonjets.com/technology/gas-turbines/

Am in the UK.

[Gerrard]

I would take a FWD drive car that was efficient at cruising at 50mph+ (either petrol or diesel) and stick a RWD KERS in it. Hopefully, that would make a quick accelerating 4WD car up to around 70mph, with something that had a high MPG once upto speed. Of course, if this was practical (batteries are mainly lifed through thier cycles, something a KERS would kill them on and other alternatives do not have a very good energy density), I would think this would exist. The Toyota's are probably the closest thing at the moment.

[DDY]

Does it have to be a car? Or does a 2-wheeled machine count?

I would make an electric motorcycle or scooter that is somewhere in the massive void between the incredibly expensive (but quick) ones like Zero make and pathetically slow like everything else. It will be small enough to fit in what passes as a front garden these days to make use of plug in charging, performance that matches or exceeds that of typical 125cc machines while being rideable with an A1 licence or a CBT with L-plates. There will also be models with modular quick change batteries, which can be exchanged at service stations or charged at home or work.

Being the first to the market, I will make this modular battery system a standard and I will licence its use to other manufactures. It will be a massive hit and I will be minted.


For a car, I do like the philosophy of a small and light roadster with a tiny but capable engine, but then I might as well just import and tune Japanese kei cars.

For example, a Honda S600 with a 140HP engine would be nice...

[TeePee]

1933 Ford Coupe body on a modern chassis with electric drivetrain.

[EndlessWaves]

For a car, I do like the philosophy of a small and light roadster with a tiny but capable engine, but then I might as well just import and tune Japanese kei cars.

For example, a Honda S600 with a 140HP engine would be nice...

Or a Daihatsu Copen Mark 2 if you want a powered top and less aggressive proportions.

Hopefully the increase in quiet, zero emission cars will see a booming market for convertible city cars in a decade or two though.


I would make a medium-sized, averagely-priced car that focused on luxury. Something the size of a Focus or Qashqai with the smoothest possible suspension, lots of big, untinted glass windows, thickly padded seats and excellent noise, vibration and harshness damping.

The engine and mechanicals would have to be unremarkable, the in-car technology basic and the luggage space modest but even with those limitations it could be a car you were proud of making, and one that would hopefully gain the company a loyal following.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Not realised there was a Honda S660!! It looks like a mini Audi TT.

Regarding a car,it would be nice if the Lotus Esprit was relaunched with newer technology and the old classic styling(instead of the recently touted one). Seen the odd one on the road,and they are not only quite striking but very distinctive.

[ricecooker888]

Ooo It's gotta be the BMW M4 or M5. Beautiful and elegant, Class with sport, and comfort for long journeys.

[Zak33]

I'd make a single chassis for 3 to 4 variants

power train would be 2 petrol (with 2 horsepowers from each) and 1 diesel with (2 horsepower options)

All would be manual, utterly excluding the auto market

a shorter 5dr
a mid sized 5dr with 2 different ride heights
a slightly longer Estate, with 2 different ride heights
a coupe

A good 4x4 option would be available on Mid Hatch and Estate and would focus upon towing/wet fields and not performance. Subaru would be approached for assistance.
Its possible the Subaru boxer diesel would be used.

there would be no convertible and no 3dr versions

legal requirements for ABS, ESP etc but after that electrics would be clear cut simple
indicators that stayed where you put them. Electric window switches etc all the same units. Electric mirrors would ALL have power fold mirrors and the folding option would work at any speed and not pop back out when moving unless drive chooses.
Aircon would be standard but there would be NO Climate control and there would be one cabin temp and no attempt at split left/right thermo stats

rear seats would work like the Honda Civic ie have folding under legs and storage under the seats would be easy

ALL handbrakes would be manual, and the majority of regular performance models would have large rear drums

The interior ventilation fans would be powerful and ducting would be designed with good throughput to all areas. Cold air from outside and warm feet would be an option

Steering columns would have height and reach as far as I could engineer them

Leather in 3 colours would be available on all models for £800inc vat. Black/Tan/Dark Blood Red

all cars would have rear wipers, front wipers with variable speed and no rain sensors.

Wheels would be max 18" but more regularly 17" and 16" and wheel arches would be designed to a size that the wheels looked in proportion in them

All alloys designs would simple strong and clear BUT all dealers would stock White Carbon and Gloss Black options to swap pre delivery.
Factory would restock those alloys on a 1/4 by 1/4 basis for no cost. Dealer pays tyre fitment

Solid red and white would NOT cost extra. There would be NO stupid lifestyle colours. Hearing Aid Beige and Putrid Bile Greeen/Yellows would be illegal in my factory. Doom Blue/90 Day blue would not be an option. A dark pearlescent blue would be.
Metallics/Pearlescents would be extra and available on all models.

Wheel arches on all cars would be designed to have plastic black trim around them.

Maximum dual exhaust pipes on any car, irrelevant of power output and all rear pipes would be the same shape. Dual pipes would be on the same side and would only be there to sound better or improve power. Not to look good.

Spare wheels would be type approved on all. They would be the same rolling diameter as the car, though narrower if needed to fit

There would be NO dual mass flywheels unless we could make them to not fail.

Servicing would not be included, but would be pre determined cost on all models : £150 for the first year, and £250 for the second year and £199 for the third inc MOT making it too cheap to not be worth it.

Every client would know this at the start.
Dealers would be expected to have 1 of each of the 4 shapes, and cover 2 petrol and 2 diesel models in that mix registered for long term drives. Other combos would be in the showroom and compound near the dealers.

There would be no extended warranty on any of the cars. 3years 60k . End. No option to buy one.

BUT the dealers would have a 1 year warranty to put on Approved Used Cars when they buy them in and approve them

[Phage]

Hydrogen - from my home hydrolyser. And then something like this.
http://www.seymourpowell.com/casestudy/env-motocycle

[EndlessWaves]

Not realised there was a Honda S660!! It looks like a mini Audi TT.

Regarding a car,it would be nice if the Lotus Esprit was relaunched with newer technology and the old classic styling(instead of the recently touted one). Seen the odd one on the road,and they are not only quite striking but very distinctive.

Which bits of technology do you feel need updating?

It's already far more fuel efficient than the brand new MX-5 and most of the electronics technology is against the lightweight spirit of the car. An Elise with adaptive cruise control or road sign recognition would be silly.

[OilSheikh]

It would be powered by missiles!

Anyone watched Macgyver driving that jeep powered by only missiles in on of the movies ?

[Ttaskmaster]

My company would specialise in Thorium-powered vehicles.

We'd lean toward a combination of making the older, much loved vehicles of yesteryear (my personal favourites including the Mkii and Mkiii Supras), as well as custom-designed builds. This combination would allow for exact replicas of vintage models, but also accomodate varying degrees of improvements on the little niggles owners always had - Such as adding shaft drives to the early chain-driven Sports Tourer bikes.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Which bits of technology do you feel need updating?

It's already far more fuel efficient than the brand new MX-5 and most of the electronics technology is against the lightweight spirit of the car. An Elise with adaptive cruise control or road sign recognition would be silly.

Engine technlogy has moved on and instead of having a larger V8 in the Lotus V8 ,an updated smaller engine should do the trick,together with updated braking and ESP systems(look at the Honda S660,it handles very well partly due to this). Maybe,also an updated interior too. Plus also ditching the circular rear lamps of the later models.

Having said that,they won't be able to use the pop-up lamps of the original,so that would be an issue. Maybe some sort of smart glass or smart film could be used to hide the light??

[jimbouk]

Definitely something small. Love my Smart Roadster, surprisingly practical in coupe form (2 boots!) and actually over 50mpg. 80bhp is plenty on public roads, don't know how soon it would be practical to stick a battery in it and go electric due to the size / space but that's what the R&D section could be doing!

I keep eyeing up Suzuki Cappuccinos and X90s on ebay and wishing I didn't have a drive full of leaky or broken cars...

[Dashers]

I get everybody's love for RWD cars, and whilst I've had a fun MX-5, I find the AWD of my TT far more practical for (a) my driving ability (b) these roads (c) all weather. But it's also big.

So a Z4/MX-5 RF style hard-top convertable (as a lover of going topless, I like the peace an quiet and crucially less pollen in some months).

I've also got an electric car, which is great, until you start thinking about range. So maybe kill two birds with one stone, AWD Hybrid. Either via generator and all electric motors, or the more traditional split axle thing. Naturally rear-wheel biased, but so much as to run the risk of going sideways into a hedge after trying to go round a roundabout as is way too easy to do in a M5.

Performance is a really tricky one. My last car felt bang-on for most driving, but it struggled when trying to do fast overtakes in short bursts. My current car on the other hand seems to do this fine, but equally, I'm at risk of losing my license in second gear so, it's quite frustrating when wanting a bit of fun.

I like the idea above for being able to get a burst of acceleration without having to lug extra weight of a highly performing engine around.