We were continuing to discuss concept cars that have never been presented by the German manufacturer Porsche. Apart from the Porsche 919 Street which is a road-legal version concept car of the Porsche 919 Hybrid, it turns out that the Stuttgart-based car manufacturer still has other concept cars inspired by their other legendary racing cars.
Porsche 551 Vision Spyder concept born in 2019 and inspired of the legendary Porsche 550-1500 RS Spyder racing car. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3mIaEK4)
This time, the German manufacturer is trying to take inspiration from their legendary racing car, the Porsche 550-1500 RS Spyder which had participated and succeded in various racing events in the 1950s (precisely 1954). And then here's born a concept car called the Porsche 551 Vision Spyder in the form of 1:1 scaled model. As a concept car, it was first initiated in 2012 also has the same fate as the 919 Street concept car figure, which has never been shown off to the public.
Porsche 551 Vision Spyder concept born in 2019 and inspired of the legendary Porsche 550-1500 RS Spyder racing car. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3mIaEK4)
The Porsche Vision Spyder has an exterior design that is completely different from the Porsche-made existing lineups. On the front, you won't see the circular headlamps that could be saw in the 911 or 718 models. The Porsche designer team affixed the headlights in a rectangular shape. In order for this concept car to look more aggressive and sporty like a real racing car, the German manufacturer added a gaping-wide air intakes, cooling ducts for the brakes, and two red tow hooks.
Porsche 551 Vision Spyder concept born in 2019 and inspired of the legendary Porsche 550-1500 RS Spyder racing car. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3mIaEK4)
To give the impression of a naughty speedster as its slogan 'Little Rebel', Porsche added a small-sized windshield. This concept car is also equipped with a roll bar which of course functions as a security system. The roll bar also makes the Porsche 551 Vision Spyder look even more boxy. Meanwhile for the rear, the taillights carry the current Porsche characteristic of a thin horizontal line.
Don't expect any futuristic interior design in this car. Because Porsche only presents a pair of bucket racing seats and a sporty three-spoke steering wheel. Even though it will not enter the production line, the Stuttgart-based manufacturer said the Porsche Vision Spyder concept design could be the key to creating an innovative and timeless its future sports car designs. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARSCOOPS ]
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When you walk in front of it, maybe your footsteps will stop for a moment, smiling, then frowning in surprise, and say softly, What is this? So weird, who made it? This is a show car named 'Ewock' created by The 51-50 Foundation, a Novato, California based automotive social group.
This is a show car named 'Ewock' created by The 51-50 Foundation, a Novato, California based automotive social group. (Picture from: MSN)
Well, this cute, funny and unique vehicle in the picture above has shown off at a The Little Car Show at Monterey Car Week 2017 which is usually a favorite of American automotive fans. And this is not an ordinary cute car figure, but already extraordinary.
This is a show car named 'Ewock' created by The 51-50 Foundation, a Novato, California based automotive social group. (Picture from: MSN)
When viewed from the name, it is clear that the car (if you want to call it a car) was inspired by the funny figure of an imaginary creature with the same name that appeared in one of the famous science fiction films "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" released in 2015.
This is a show car named 'Ewock' created by The 51-50 Foundation, a Novato, California based automotive social group. (Picture from: MSN)
The owner-made Ewock is probably our best show ever and looks like something a genius kid put together in an auto shop. The body was two fenders from a 1946 Plymouth welded together and powered by a bicycle engine connected to a 12 volt battery.
This is a show car named 'Ewock' created by The 51-50 Foundation, a Novato, California based automotive social group. (Picture from: MSN)
And at first glance the shape looks similar to the Sqweeks, a new Autobot character in the fifth sequel of Michael Bay's directed movie titled Transformers: The Last Knight, named Sqweeks built based on Vespa VBB.
The funny figure shows a grille, turn lights, console switch and brake light coming from the 1969 Jaguar XJ6. The wheels are taken off a a wheelbarrow and a hand truck.
While the chassis is part of the massage table and the chairs are from the kindergarten classroom. Also equipped with press-to-operate headlights and tillers for steering. What an awesome little monster is not? *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | THE 51-50 FOUNDATION | EWOCK | MSN ]
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Piaggio Ape is a three-wheeled vehicle produced by the Piaggio Group. But its appearance is often mistaken for a Bajaj (a type of vehicle made by Indian companies that are widely circulating in Indonesia), and it was even rumored to be a special gift for Valentino Rossi. Then how did the story began?
Piaggio Ape Classic is a versatile commercial three-wheeled vehicle available in Van and Deck form. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3pjjOi1)
As news was widely heard at the beginning of 2020 (to be precise in April 2020), when the MotoGP superstar Valentino Rossi was confirmed to no longer be part of Monster Energy Yamaha in the 2021 racing season, and joined the Petronas Yamaha SRT team. Even so, the Aprilia MotoGP team paddock is still murmuring about the chance of Valentino Rossi's return to Aprilia.
Valentino Rossi is officially joined the Petronas Yamaha SRT team for the 2021 racing season. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3aFRm5A)
Of course, you already know that Aprilia is one of the brands under the Piaggio Group. And before entering the world of MotoGP racing, it turned out that the racing maestro had been a part of the Aprilia team, where in his first two years while racing in the GP125 and GP250 classes, Valentino Rossi wore the Aprilia team racing uniform, and had won the world's champion titles in each classes in 1997 and 1999.
Along with that, Romano Albesiano, the technical manager of the Aprilia Gresini Racing team on the 2020 MotoGP, admitted that he would be honored if the famous racer Valentino Rossi would join his team. Not only that, Romano also had time to offer him an Ape Car with the Aprilia Gresini Racing team livery.
Romano Albesiano, the technical manager of the Aprilia Gresini Racing team on the 2020 MotoGP. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/37CwR82)
"We will be very honored and enthusiastic if he wants to race with us, but the possibility is very small," said Albesiano quoted from GPOne.com.
Reportedly,
Valentino Rossi was very fond of using a Piaggio Ape Car and the
Aprilia's technical manager would give him a special one under the
Aprilia Gresini Racing team livery if he willing to join the team next
year. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3mJLdI6)
"Rossi was very fond of using a Piaggio Ape Car, we can make it a version of the Aprilia racing team," he added.
Back to the Piaggio Ape, actually the shape of the three-wheeled vehicle is well known world wide. The Piaggio Ape three-wheeled vehicle is made as a multipurpose vehicle that can be used as a vehicle for transporting passengers to goods.
As reported by Piaggiocommercialvehicles.com, the Piaggio Ape was produced from 1948 to 2016, and it was designed by Corradino D'Ascanio as a cheap and efficient conveyance. Piaggio deliberately designed commercial vehicles that were cheap, small and could transport large quantities of goods to rebuild post-war Italy.
The Piaggio Ape Calessino is made for the passenger transport vehicle. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/38pp4tv)
In general, this three-wheeled vehicle made by Piaggio uses a 2-stroke engine which is similar to that of a Vespa scooter and can carry loads of 200-800 kg depending on the variant. And during its production period, this three-wheeled vehicle comes in three versions, namely the Ape 50 and Ape Classic for the pickup model, and the Ape Calessino for the passenger transport model.
Especially for the Piaggio Ape 50 model because it carries a 2-stroke engine with a capacity of 50 cc with a fairly small size. While the Ape Classic carries a 4-stroke 435cc engine. Finally, the Ape Calessino comes with an engine variant with a capacity of 197cc and some even now use the electric motor.
Then, is Valentino Rossi willing to return to the Aprilia team? We will wait for futher news. For a while, maybe you are interested in seeing a similar three-wheeled vehicle made by Ducati or seeing the Ape Car racing and drifting below.
That's
it, and if the article above is still considered inadequate or
inaccurate, or if you have additional information related to the Piaggio Ape three-wheeled vehicles, please don't hesitate to let us
know via
the comments column below this article.
Almost all automotive enthusiasts must know the Ferrari brand which has many great sports car models, but it will be incomplete if we don't discuss the cars ever used by Enzo Ferrari, who is known as the founder and owner of the premium brand.
1962 Ferrari 330 GT Prototype Coupe with chassis number #4085 used by Enzo Ferrari as his personal car. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/37tR006)
In the 1950s, as Ferrari transformed into a dominant force on the race track, it also brought increased interest in the Prancing Horse marque which meant a further development need for a practical offered product to the consumers. Infact, though said to be practical, it is not the right word to describe the Ferrari, so then the company saw the need for a proper 2 + 2 GT car and as the result, here's Ferrari 330 GT with the first prototype launched in the summer of 1962.
Enzo Ferrari pictured with his personal 1962 Ferrari 330 GT Prototype Coupe with chassis number #4085. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/37tR006)
The car comes from the limited production of the Ferrari 330 America, but the 330 GT features a new frame with a wheelbase of 2 inches longer than its predecessor which was built based of the 250 GTE. Besides comes with a 2 + 2 layout, the Ferrari 330 GT also carries a distinctive shape with a long hood and a Ferrari's classic short trunk profile.
1962 Ferrari 330 GT Prototype Coupe comes with a 2 + 2 layout and also carries a distinctive shape with a long hood and a Ferrari's classic short trunk profile. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3nGl9yY)
The car's gorgeous shape was designed by a young designer named Tom Tjaarda who previously worked for Pininfarina and joined Ferrari in 1961 at the age of 27 yo. As its drivetrain, the car uses a Colombo V12 refined engine by an enlarged block meant to create extra cooling capacity. It replacing 3,967 cubic centimeters, averaging 330cc per cylinder, those hungry V12 engine is fed by three Weber carburetors to produce 300hp of power at 6,600rpm.
1962 Ferrari 330 GT Prototype Coupe with chassis number #4085 is featured in a light ivory beautiful color plus a gorgeous black leather interior. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/37tR006)
The power is transferred via a 4-speed manual gearbox with electric overdrive for road efficiency. As the car's is designed for the high-speed touring, so the car's handling depend on a fully independent front suspension and a sturdy rear axle held by longitudinal pushrod and tubular shock. In 1965, the Car and Driver magazine noted and said, that the Ferrari 330 GT's high-speed handling characteristics was smooth as glass on anything over the eighty.
1962 Ferrari 330 GT Prototype Coupe with chassis number #4085 powered by a Colombo V12 refined engine is fed by three Weber carburetors to produce 300hp of power at 6,600rpm. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3nGl9yY)
The Ferrari 330 GTs was produced into two distinct series, with only 1,087 units made up to 1967, of which the first 627 units featured a unique four-headlight arrangement. The Ferrari 330 GT 2 + 2 has a special meaning in the prancing horse logoed company as it is one of the few production cars that Enzo Ferrari drives personally with the two prototypes being driven by him as his personal car.
The 1962 Ferrari 330 GT Coupe coachworked by Pininfarina as shown here featured in a light ivory beautiful color plus a gorgeous black leather interior. This prototype example was made in 1962 and is one of the most important Ferrari 330 GT that will come on the market for many years. The Maranello-based auto factory maintained this car for two years after it was built, and used for the car original brochure then at the 1962 Brussels Motor Show, it appeared as a show car in the Ferrari's booth.
As mentioned above that Enzo Ferrari also uses this example with chassis number #4085 as his personal car. This incredible provenance is documented by Ferrari author, Leonardo Acerbi, in his book-titled Ferrari: A Complete Guide to All Models. Only in June 1964, this car was sold to Luigi Chinetti Motors, one of the first Ferrari dealers in the United States. The car lastly sold by Daniel Schmitt Co.Ltd at the price of the US. $495,000 back in 2018. According to Hagerty, that’s more than double the average going rate for this model. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS OSURCES | SCHMITT | INSIDE HOOK ]
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Everything in this world always has a beginning, so it is with works in the automotive world. Of course, as an automotive enthusiast you already know the famous Italian automotive designer named Giotto Bizzarrini.
Yes, it is undeniable that some of the creations he made while working in the world's automotive have became legendary car figures. And on this occasion, let's take a brief look at his first automotive work called Macchinetta which is made when he was a student.
1953 Macchinetta built by Giotto Bizzarrini based on the Fiat 500 Topolino, while he was a student of the University of Pisa. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/37sg6wo)
Well, before he managed to design the car that would bear his name, or the V-12 engine would fill the Lamborghini's engine room (in several forms) from 1963 to 2010, or the legendary Ferrari 250 GTO, young Giotto Bizzarrini was a student at the University of Pisa.
In there as part of his graduation project, he overhauled a Fiat 500 Topolino, by upgrading its four-cylinder engine and revising the chassis to make it better handled. Eventually, the project succeeded in earning him an engineering degree in 1953, and later brought him to work as a teacher. However, because of his love for the automotive world was too big, so made him later left the teaching profession and worked as a chassis engineer at the Alfa Romeo's factory.
1953 Macchinetta built by Giotto Bizzarrini based on the Fiat 500 Topolino, by upgrading its four-cylinder engine and revising the chassis to make it better handled. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/37sg6wo)
Shortly thereafter his career at Alfa Romeo rose to become a test driver. Until one day in 1957, he heard that the Ferrari prancing horse manufacturer was looking for a new test driver, then he drove his Macchinetta to Maranello. What happened next, not many people know thus giving rise to many stories about it.
In one version that Enzo Ferrari was impressed by the technique and design of the small car, so he offered Bizzarrini a job. In another version, Enzo accuses Bizzarrini of "being not too smart, but very brave" for driving the cutie car to Maranello for an interview.
A young Giotto Bizzarrini with his creation, the 1953 Macchinetta. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/37sg6wo)
In short, then he was accepted to work at the Maranello-based car manufacturer, where he would go on to design cars like the 250 Testa Rossa, the 250 GT SWB and the aforementioned 250 GTO, and it’s likely that his Macchinetta creation played a role in his hiring.
If you look at the shape of Macchinetta at a glance, it is similar to the Ferrari Ouvo, the 1950s one-off car made by coachbuilder Carrozzeria Fontana which after completion was sent to Mexico, where the Marzotto brothers intended to participate in the Carrera Panamericana racing event in 1953.
1953 Macchinetta uses a 569cc SOHV four-cylinder engine with the Siata-owned cylinder head, and coupled with a pair of Dell'Orto carburetors. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/37sg6wo)
As previously mentioned that the cutie Macchinetta started life as a Fiat 500 B Topolino which uses a 569cc SOHV four-cylinder engine in standard conditions it only spewed power of 16.5 horsepower. Then Bizzarrini changing its cylinder head with the Siata-owned which allowed it to breathe more freely.
And those engine mated to a pair of Dell'Orto carburetors so that the power-bursted up to 30 horsepower. And to improve the car balance, the engine position is then placed in the backwards, from the top of the front wheels to near the center of the frame.
The most obvious change can be seen in the installation of the aerodynamic coupe body which replaces the original Fiat body. Then, under the aluminum shell, Bizzarrini fabricated a tubular steel frame similar to the construction used by the Ferrari cars of the day, with the application of a teardrop coachwork design that was a direct result of Bizzarrini's knowledge of airflow.
Even though its modest power output, Macchinetta proved capable of reaching a top speed of 95 mph, that's a speed number might proved daunting for passengers in such a small car. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | HEMMINGS ]
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So far, many people thought that the Triumph motorcycle brand came from the UK. But did you know that the brand actually also has German's sibling? What's more, did you know also that Triumph has also ever produced several beautiful scooter models?
The TWN Contessa 200cc scooters were produced from 1955 to 1958 and uses a 197 cc 'split single' 2-stroke engine coupled with a 4-speed gearbox. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3nrlzsF)
As quoted of Wikipedia, the company was originally founded by one of German expatriates in the United Kingdom named Siegfried Bettmann as a bicycle factory called the Triumph Cycle Company in Coventry, England in 1886.
A year later the company was registered under the name New Triumph Co. Ltd., with funding from the Dunlop Pneumatic Tire Company. In the same year, Triumph turned into a manufacturing company after Bettmann partnered with Johann Moritz Schulte. And in 1888, Bettmann purchased a site in Coventry using his lent money from the Schulte family.
The
TWN Contessa 200cc scooters were also equipped with an electric starter. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3nqjzkw)
The company started producing the first Triumph-branded bicycle in 1889. And a decade later in 1896, Triumph started its German's subsidiary named Triumph Werke Nürnberg AG (TWN) to manufacture bicycles in Bettmann's hometown of Nürnberg, Germany.
Since 1890 the company diversified into manufacturing motorbikes at its Much Park Street's factory. As the results, the first Triumph motorcycle was rolled out of its Coventry's factory in 1902. It was a usual bike powered by a 2.25 bhp Minerva engine. A year later in 1903, its Nürnberg's factory was also carried out its motorcycle production.
The
TWN Tessy Luxus 125cc scooters scooters were produced from 1956 to 1958 and uses a 125 cc 'split single' 2-stroke engine. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2KsXFP4)
Despite the turmoil of the Great War, the German factory maintained its good relationship with its British sibling and built motorcycles by using the same engines as, and otherwise very similar to the British bikes.
The
TWN Tessy Luxus 125cc scooters scooters were produced from 1956 to 1958 and uses a 125 cc 'split single' 2-stroke engine. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2KsXFP4)
The British and German factories are diverged in 1929, after the German economic and political climate forced the company to use of fellow German manufacturers' products. This led to change to the components pinned in the German's factory subsequent motorcycle model by using the MAG and Sachs engines.
At the time, several German's Triumph models with 248 cc and 269 cc two-stroke engines, and being given the badge as Orial, but after they got the complaints from the French company of the same name in 1920s, so then the company decided independently to given its products the TWN (Triumph Werke Nürnberg) badges.
The
TWN Tessy Super 150cc scooters scooters were produced from 1956 to 1958 and uses a 150 cc 'split single' 2-stroke engine. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2WnHKV6)
In the 1930s an engineer they had hired away from its rival NSU named Otto Reitz managed to design a single cylinder 200cc two stroke engine along the lines of the Puch "Twingle", with the two pistons sharing a forked conrod. Later, it was developed in 250cc and 350cc versions which were used in military machines during preparations for the coming war.
The
TWN Tessy Super 150cc scooters scooters were produced from 1956 to 1958 and uses a 150 cc 'split single' 2-stroke engine. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2WnHKV6)
From 1939 to 1945 there was a second World War, which made almost all of Europe and the world feel how bad it was. In that time, Nürnberg was badly damaged in the latter years of the war, and the TWN factory also suffering extensively. Shortly after the war ended, by 1948 production had resumed. It is also known that during the 1950s, this German manufacturer had produced several scooter models, as follows;
TWN Contessa, a beautiful premium scooter that is armed with a 197 cc 'split single' 2-stroke engine (a type of engine that has been developed by TWN since the 1930s) which is capable of producing around 10hp of power, combined with a 4-speed gearbox with a top speed of around 60mph, uses two 10 inch wheels. Besides that, the TWN Contessa scooter was also equipped with an electric starter and was produced from 1955 to 1958.
TWN Tessy Luxus, a scooter produced by this German manufacturer from 1956 to 1958 by using a 125cc 2-stroke engine capable of producing around 7.5hp of power which can carry the scooter to run up to a top speed of 50mph.
TWN Tessy Super, a scooter produced by the TWN manufacturer from 1956 to 1958 by using a 150cc 2-stroke engine which is capable of producing about 8.5hp of power which can carry the scooter to run up to a top speed of 50mph.
Finally, the company merged with Adler motorcycle and typewriter business after Max Grundig took over in 1958 and the German-built Triumph motorcycles ceased production. However, the mopeds production is still being carried out, it is likely that's the Triumph's rebadged and marketed as Hercules during this period by using Sachs engines.
The Triumph Tigress 250cc scooters scooters were produced from 1958 and uses a 250 cc twin-cylinder, four-stroke overhead-valve engine. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3mmSgpT)
Meanwhile, the British Triumph or Triumph Motor Company is known to have made a scooter model known as the Triumph Tigress. The scooter is built on a design concept created by Edward Turner. And as a result, TMC introduced the Triumph Tigress in 1958 as a scooter that carried a 4 stroke-twin engine with a 250cc capacity that was able to deliver about 10 horsepower, so that it was able to make this scooter run fast to a maximum speed of around 70 mph while making it a the fastest scooter at the time.
The Triumph Tigress 175cc scooters scooters were produced from 1958 and uses a 175 cc single cylinder, two-stroke engine. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/3r666kg)
During its development, TMC also produced the 175cc Tigress Scooter which was armed with an air-cooled single cylinder 2-stroke engine. Inevitably, the Tigress became a scooter that was loved by the public at that time, besides being economical, it was also comfortable to drive because of its excellent handling, acceleration and braking.
However, behind the Tigress perfection, there were major obstacles that caused this scooter to be less attractive due to expensive maintenance and spare parts. That's a classic problem faced by British automotive manufacturers. Besides being known as the Triumph Tigress scooter, this scooter also has another name, namely, BSA Sunbeam, because in the 1960s some of TMC's shares were bought by BSA.
The Triumph Tina/T10 100cc scooters scooters were produced from 1962 to 1970 and uses a 100 cc single cylinder, two-stroke engine. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/34g0cmP)
Besides the Tigress, the TMC manufacturer also had a chance to produce a tiny scooter called the Triumph Tina, a small-sized, low-performance scooter with a 100 cc two-stroke engine coupled with the automatic transmission system and a handlebar carrying basket. This Triumph tiny scooter model was produced starting from 1962 and stopped in 1970, having previously changed to the Triumph T10 in 1965.
This scooter had caused quite fierce differences of opinion among the TMC's internal decision makers, because it intended to be marketed specifically only for women. Some internal circles who oppose the its production and existency think that the scooter is very contrary to the identity of Triumph, which has been known as the big-engined motorcycle and is very synonymous with masculinity. It was not know, how many Tina scooters has produced by the British manufacturer.
That's
it, and if the article above is still considered inadequate or
inaccurate, or if you have additional information related to the Triumph scooter models, please don't hesitate to let us
know via
the comments column below this article.
Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of the two-wheeled monster and
stay alive with true safety riding. May God will forgive Your sins and
so does the cops..... *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CYBERMOTORCYCLE | WIKIPEDIA | SCOOTERHOOD ] Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.
