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Why the oddball Hnusp concept car isn't as mad as you think

This is the Hnusp L-DDC concept car, a bizarre creation that has a single wheel at either end and two in the middle, plus a mid-mounted engine.

Despite looking like two Reliant Robins melded together, the car has been created by Hnusp University to investigate ways of improving side impact safety.

See the Hnusp concept in detail

"By putting the two wheels in the middle we are able to reduce the damage done in a side impact," said a spokesman. "It is not an idea that will ever make production, but more a way of opening discussion."

The car is also designed to showcase fuel-saving technology, and has been tested in the wind tunnel, achieving a drag co-efficient of 0.22cd - the same as BMW's Vision Efficient Dynamics concept.

Its 1.05-litre four-cylinder engine is mounted in the middle of the car, above the two wheels, offering better weight distribution.

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Curmudgeon 6 May 2010

Re: 'Reliant Robin' concept explained

sportwagon wrote:

It's taken over a century but at last somone has taken the 1901 Sunbeam Mabley and developed into the car it always should have been.

http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/Museum/Transport/Cars/Sunbeam/Mabley2.jpg

and much more elegant (the Sunbeam, that is). I approve.

sportwagon 6 May 2010

Re: 'Reliant Robin' concept explained

It's taken over a century but at last somone has taken the 1901 Sunbeam Mabley and developed into the car it always should have been.

http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/Museum/Transport/Cars/Sunbeam/Mabley2.jpg

Uncle Mellow 6 May 2010

Re: 'Reliant Robin' concept explained

Perfect illustration of the modern trend , which is to build cars which are as safe as possible while you are having an accident , rather than being as safe as possible while you are driving along trying to avoid accidents.