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Agree on the regs; can contain all that are applicable. Vehicle is quite different than the Morgan, Atom and Twizzy. Has its own uniqueness unlike anything on the road.

Anyone want to take the survey? I'll gladly send it. Somebody else already broke the ice so you won't be the first!

To narrow the design criteria down to "crash worthiness": I'll go anecdotal:

Today I was at WalMart and it was amazingly busy given that it is mid-week and after the 1st of the month day, but we're a few weeks before Xmas so maybe that explains it. Anyway, there was some late-model jellybeanmobile in the parking lot not too much bigger than what you have described with a significant "smack" on the driver-side door. The door was some kind of "plastic" and broken into several large and small pieces as well as a hole almost showing through to the interior. Given that this is Pahrump, NV, the owner, obviously on hard economic times and being a "red neck", had repaired the door with duct (or "Duck" if you will) tape. OK, this is anecdote is very Walmartian, but it points out the problem with small, very light "urban vehicles": They don't stand up to a collision very well -- or maybe not at all.

I was in my 1955 Packard Patrician so the intellectual comparison between it and the "plastic-mobile urban vehicle" is inevitable. I'll take my Pat every time.

PM me if you want more info.

Craig

You mean like the Bombardier Can Am Spyder?

http://www.insideline.com/brp/can-am-spyder/2008/first-drive-2008-brp-can-am-spyder-grand-sport-roadster.html

Safety will be a top priority for this vehicle. While the laws of physics can't be changed, careful use of certain materials can greatly help protect the occupants and manage the impact forces.

The Can-Am is different in many key ways. I can't describe the vehicle on this public forum but can give more info in a one-one. Most importantly at this point, would like to hear what the potential market's needs are. Speaking of needs, I need 10 responses by Sunday. Am in an entrepreneur boot camp and they are beating on us brutely! After this week, need 10 more every week for 4 more weeks. They want us to get to know our potential customers thoroughly and "pivot" if our original product idea doesn't jive.

Any kind of vehicle manufacture is a sure way to bankruptcy and maybe the nut house. There are too many rules and regulations, too much competition and cheap prices, and it is unbelievably hard to come up with a really good product unless you have 5 years and 100 million dollars for R&D.

After all that, there are basically no niches left to be filled, where you could sell enough units to make a profit.

If I were teaching a class in entrepreneurship and anyone proposed to manufacture and sell any type of vehicle, I can pretty well guarantee a failing grade without even looking at the proposal.

Look at Tesla, they have the backing of a billionaire tech geek and more billions in government loans and grants and after some ten years in business they are yet to make a profit. And they are trying to sell for $100,000 + which is probably their break even point if only they can sell about 3 times as many units as they have so far.

They are about the only vehicle maker I can think of, to get off the ground this century.

You need to read The Millionaire Next Door. The surest route to wealth in America is some boring run of the mill business.

Drop that goofy ass class. U want CARS to SELL!!! Not some instruction from a hokey inspirational speaker turned college prof.

Short daylite now. NEed white cars. Good looking young couples not too yuppie looking. Put them in the cars with coffe shop money maybe minimum wage or less paid in cash at the end of the day and send them around the area. SEE AND BE SEEN!!!!!

You're in Ferndale. Good location. Just north of u is RO and the Troy/Mortgage City area. Slightly upper middle types SO TRENDY that they only know what they can buy at WalMart or Somerset mall there at 15 and coolidge. They'll buy anything that looks trendy. So amke it look trendy!!!

Mega church in Troy and another VERY old one just west of Woodward and north of 14 in Mortgage City. Send some 20-somethings there to visit on Sunday morning IN THE CARS!!!.

Coffee shops, churches, dinner clubs, Doewntown RO street shops etc etc. Use your imagination.

PLeasent Ridge another good area. High school Sr. yr book phot-ops. Don't forget the loosers that hang out at the high school walls either.

White cars show up good at nite. Young couples look good together. About 3 cars to an event. They don;t hang around long, maybe 20 minutes at each coffee shop or shopping centre or hospital, nursing home etc. but keep moving.

Do NOT want them as commisioned sales persons. Just want them to get out and have a good time and everyone will notice AND NOTICE THE CARS!!!!

Wedding ceremonies too. BRide and grroom leave in WHITE cars with mom and pop in tow. PUT ON A SHOW!!!! But don't make it obvious that it is sales or promotion gimmick. Want it look like the peo[ple driving are owners.

AUburn Hills, Orchard Ridge and Highland Lakes campuses of Only Chance College.

Make it a plug-in hybrid. I suspect there will be large sums of green start-up federal funding available after Jan. 1.

If you really want to make some sort of road worthy vehicle how about a high end travel trailer?

Give Airstream some competition with a product that is not mired in the 70s.

An aerodynamic fibreglass body that can be towed by an ordinary car.

I don't think there is anything on the market quite like this. There are luxury travel trailers but they are all monsters that need a 1 ton truck for a tow vehicle. There are also cheap boxy trailers that can be towed by a car. Then there is Airstream. Maybe it's time they had some competition.