cool. Leave it to Honda to put Audi headlights on a turd.

 

Audi? you mean

Audi? you mean

1938 Volkswagen Beetle

1986 Pontiac Trans Sport Concept Car - Department X

http://www.highperformancepontiac.com/features/hppp_0605_1986_pontiac_trans_sport/index.html

1990-1993 Chevrolet Lumina APV - looks like Pininfarina may have helped them - Chevrolet Lumina APV, Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac Trans Sport. http://www.pininfarina.com/index/storiaModelli/collaborazioni/collGM.html

2000-2005 (9th generation) Pontiac Bonneville - the front end reminds me of the 8th Generation 2006 Honda Civics

 

Continuation

2003-2008 Third generation (JDM model) Honda Odyssey Modulo Concept Car - looks like an 8th Generation Honda Civic hatch back or station wagon and 1986 Pontiac Trans Sport Concept - AKA GM-200 project - 90-93 Pontiac Trans Sport, Chevrolet Lumina APV, and Oldsmobile Silhouette Van - the tops of the head lamps grill are level with each other reminds me a little of the 2nd Gen (1992–1997) Mercury Grand Marquis with the nose cut short, almost completely smoothed out with a tapered hood or flared fenders.

2007 8th Gen Honda Civic

2010 Honda Insight Hybrid Concept

2010 Honda Insight Hybrid production mockup

 

Continuation

2008 Pininfarina B0 (B Zero)

2006 Honda FCX

2008 Pininfarina Sintesi Concept

 

The last two look kind of ugly, uncomfortable, and impractical - a definite hit with the "style over substance" crowd. It looks like the windows don't even open completely.

 

The last two look kind of ugly, uncomfortable, and impractical - a definite hit with the "style over substance" crowd.

Hardly.
Those last 2 pics are of the Pininfarina Sintesi, a state of the art fuel cell battery electric concept.
Not only is it all leading edge technology & design, the thing looks like its right out of Star Trek.

Pininfarina Sintesi Concept

_-=

 

OK, it's a state-of-the-art Pininfarina Sintesi fuel-cell all-electric concept car from the 23rd century. It still looks uncomfortable and impractical. I still bet the windows don't open all the way.

Besides, I don't want a fuel-cell vehicle. I want to get away from the model of having to drive to a special place and fill a tank with something.

 

... It still looks uncomfortable and impractical.
Besides, I don't want a fuel-cell vehicle.
I want to get away from the model of having to drive to a special place and fill a tank with something.

I agree with you on that.
That car may be many things, but practical its not.

 

Volkswagen Beetle Stuff

Volkswagen V30 Beetle Concept

almost a circle but more like the shape an oval

 

The Japanese have been doing the egg thing for a while now.

 

The picture you posted is of a 1990–2000 (1st generation) Toyota Previa, the Japanese called it the Toyota Estima or エスティマ. It came out the in the same year as the Chevrolet Lumina APV, Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac Trans Sport.

1986 Pontiac Trans Sport Concept Car - Department X

The funny thing is GM had a secret project in the works with Pininfarina Inc.(an Italian auto body design company) in 1986. I don't understand what happened to GM. In the 90s and in some years of the 2000s they had some good body designs. Yeah, I know GM still uses push rod engines and vertical shaft driven oil pumps, but why the .... are they doing this. I mean Indy cars use OHC (Over Head Cam) engines and the OHC was not invented by the Japs, it was the French about 100 years ago - I think. They need to do something. Maybe they need more computer oriented people - I dunno. They need to stop thinking about over powered big engines and design something better that uses fail safe parts. Don't put the power over the piston put it into improving things like gaskets, bearings, guides (valve and cylinder), cranks, cams, heat transfers, oil and water pumps. If you can't trust other country's to make your stuff then don't out source. It makes you wish you had a separate plant that you could turn into an industrial complex that you can trust. The problem with building here is the environment, Government red tape, and taxes. That is actually a good thing, you should see China. They work pretty hard other there and I'm not sure if they use lean manufacturing methods cause they have or had contaminated and destroy(building buildings which destroys plants and animal habitats - maybe one of a kind plant or animal) their environment and living in factories only to build stuff. Just think of all the stuff that they've learned to build over there. And it wouldn't surprise me if their government singles out the very best of all they learn to produce. Computers and robots seem to be the only workers you can trust cause they don't complain (except break down but you can repair them unlike their organic).

 

Not sure how any of this fits in with the Volt, but it's still an interesting analysis.

Here's one for you: Tatra T-87. Note the resemblence to the Beetle. That was more than coincedental.

 

As for your other comments, the reason the U.S. doesn't change is that until now, American car manufactures didn't have to change. Even with the onslaught of foreign cars, American made cars accounted for the largest number of cars sold in the U.S.

That's not to say that OHC cars have not been built in the U.S. Most 4 cyl cars have benn OHC for a long time. In the 60s, Pontiac made an OHC inline 6. Ford had several OHC motors going way back. Still, these were not mainstream. Pushrod motors are easier/cheaper to build, maintain. Plus, you have a workforce more concerned about how much time off they have than how much time on they have. No pride in their work. Of course, how can you have pride in your work if your job is to attach the lugnuts on the front driver's side wheel all day long.