Ten cars ahead of their time - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum

**JPaul** · 10-19-2009, 01:45 PM

Gallery: 10 Cars Way Too Far Ahead of Their Time | Autopia | Wired.com
And the smart is not (yet) among them!

SmartTech · 10-19-2009, 02:05 PM

The smart is ahead of its time for the U.S. but the rest of the world is up to speed and it is widely embraced else where.

vwW12 · 10-20-2009, 07:50 AM

The Aptera predecessor sold in the UK from 1973 to 2001. The Reliant Robin. "During races several cars usually overturn" –looks like safety may not have been job #1.

BigWarpGuy · 10-20-2009, 10:19 AM

IMO; the Reliant would be more stable with two wheels in front with one wheel in back. There are some kit and plan cars with the 'reverse trike' configuartion; the RQRiley XR3, the Ecomotor EMC3, Zapworld Alias, etc.

PerryA · 10-20-2009, 10:50 AM

I agree the Reliant Robin would likely have been more stable with two front wheels, but I'd have put two together essentially in the same format as it is now. You'd have four wheels, but still the triangular form. I don't know if you'd lose the advantages of the three-point set up, but you might gain some stability.

The Can-Am Spyder motorcycle has that reverse triangle form - two widely spaced wheels in front and one in the rear. Seems extremely stable and for some reason here in Ohio I don't believe you require a three-wheel motorcycle endorsement, just the conventional motorcycle endorsement.

I used to see the Reliant's in the UK they always seemed like a bit of an oddity more than a practical solution. But then I didn't have an opportunity to drive one, so they could have been really cool and a blast in the city.

BigWarpGuy · 10-20-2009, 11:01 AM

I remeber seeing a photo of two Bond Bugs (built by the Reliant company?) that were 'back to back' so they have a total of four wheels to qualify for a car show. It had two wheels in the middle where the two Bond Bugs 'connected' and one wheel at either end.

It had the one wheel in front and two in back with the engine in front powering the back two wheels.

gbryers · 10-20-2009, 01:40 PM

Actually, the article says "way ahead of their time" - smart isn't "way ahead" of its time, it is right on time... The others are behind the times