Heartland

Zeno, as we had the obscure cars topic lately: Did you know the 4WD Variomatic Daf 555?

No I didn't Interesting stuff!

My grandmother drove a two wheel drive version of those Marathons though. And very dangerously so too I've been told

petroil price is costantly inreasing



cheap and ecological

-Well, initially, fuel driven cars weren't too attractive as well.
A not entirely worksafe drive may result from applying genetic engineering

Oh, and Zeno: Did you granny drive as hard or simply bad?
My uncle's Volvo 340 had the Variomatic gear"box", and except from the unnerving noise and the unpredictable automatic clutch that thingy was pretty nice to drive. Still, I wouldn't want to own one. The 340 with a 4 gear shifter is my favourite.

eotunun wrote: -Well, initially, fuel driven cars weren't too attractive as well.
A not entirely worksafe drive may result from applying genetic engineering

....maybe this time i'll have the right pet

Why did I guess you'd say something like that?
Predictable? Toi?

eotunun wrote:Oh, and Zeno: Did you granny drive as hard or simply bad?
My uncle's Volvo 340 had the Variomatic gear"box", and except from the unnerving noise and the unpredictable automatic clutch that thingy was pretty nice to drive. Still, I wouldn't want to own one. The 340 with a 4 gear shifter is my favourite.

Most likely it would've been a combination of the two She stopped driving long before I got into this world, but I remember my mother telling she only joined her for a ride once and she just floored the pedal. My mother was very glad to have had a couple of Irish Coffees before getting in that car with her

I rather like the concept of a variomatic though! Genius stuff, and all because Van Doorn wanted to bring the comfort of his Buick's autobox to teensy cars Don't have a clue what kind of driving experience it brings though

Three nice video examples from Youtube:

A one..
..anda two..
..anda tree!
Isn't it boring? Noo! It'sa car-geeky!
Video one shows the shortcomings best: You hear the engine gets reved *very* slowly. And the clutch still kicks in rather violently. This will have you hopping into motion like a jolly wee bunnywabbit. Not for people who are prone to sea sickness. I watched my uncle do starts at traffic lights with his Variomatic 340 that gave me the feeling of watching a boat in an orcane rather than a simple car in a simple street simply starting to drive. As the engine speeds up, you hear that grinding, singing, ever un-nerving sound that gear"box" makes.
Video two demonstrates the rather unnerving sounds as well. Not the music, that other unnerving noise. But you see: At low speeds that gear"box" gives the light car remarkable agility. Actually, once you got used to handling the start, you are hardly overtaken at any streetlight. That's the fun bit. And they still go rather carfull in that video, the 340 can take a *lot* more..
In video three some more soundexamples give you an idea of what the drive is like: It rather sounds like an accelerating boat. As you push down the accelerator, the engine revolves faster instantly, and as the car gets faster, the gear just varies the transmission ratio.
If there weren't these shortcomings, the Variomatic would be just great.
White man say: If it weren't as bad, it were good. White man clever!

Ace!

I think these look the tits

Just like a spaceship!

I really, really want one

i called new Civic a Architecture on wheels. shape of door handle, exhaust a truly masterpiece of design. plus it looks almost the same a prototype.
saw today a Aston Martin Vantage in my village. first one in my country I've ever seen... i want it

Brideoffrankenstein wrote:

I think these look the tits

Just like a spaceship!

I really, really want one

It's such a great looking car!!

It looks good, but somehow it's a neven mix of a car and:

guess for what part we love this car