Saying it offers one thing new to the auto trade, WIKISPEED, the small automotive startup based mostly in Hillsdale, introduced its light-weight and highly economical prototype SGT02 this morning at the North American International Auto Show.
Joe Justice, project director and founding father of Wikispeed, said the corporate is prepared to start out selling its cars in kit type for $28,886. If 250 pre-orders are received in 2011, customers are credited with rebates bringing the value right down to $17,995, Justice said.
Taking its name from the Hawaiian word wiki, that means speed, Justice has innovated a car that he says is modular. An simply manufactured chassis of 4 extruded aluminum girders is tied along by cross members of aluminum tubing.
From this base, the method is custom-made to accommodate nearly any powertrain and suspension. the inside is additionally a module, framed from smaller tubing, that may be modified at any purpose within the automotive s life to extend or decrease seating capability.
Justice said laptop testing indicates the chassis can meet the very best safety standards despite the fact that the totally cut automotive weighs solely around one,400 pounds.
One carbon-fiber composite body that Justice said prices the corporate but $1,000 to create will be swapped for one more in barely some minutes, giving the owner the potential to alter from an internal one in winter to a convertible in summer. a light-weight pickup additionally has been thought of.
Justice, a Seattle resident, started Wikispeed in his garage to pursue the $10-million Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize for 100-mile-per-gallon potency that was staged last spring and summer at Michigan International Speedway. The SGT01 failed to advance past the initial spherical of testing, however Justice was inspired enough by the expertise to form the SGT02 for the Detroit auto show.
While in Michigan in 2010, he cast a relationship with a Hillsdale couple, Brian and Lisa Ford, who volunteered to support the competitive effort.The SGT02 was designed over the past fall within the Fords garage. Justice, a software consultant, arrived in Hillsdale on Christmas Day to start laying up the SGT02 s carbon-fiber composite body.
Air bag technology has nevertheless to be refined before a completely finished production version will be offered. Justice is seeking further investment before continuing.
Source - Wikispeed
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