After this weeks anouncement of the Toyota IQ's pricing, my thoughts turned to another super efficient small car project.
Gordon Murray, designer and driving force behind the McLaren F1 supercar has recently started his own car design company and is intending on launching his idea of a city car. This, in my eyes is a mouth watering prospect.
The fundamentals behind the design are small compact dimensions, light weight and super low running costs. No different from any other small car concept you may think, but Murray has assembled a team behind him that has the gumption and ability to make it work. From what I can see, he has targeted the current generation of city cars, looked at their strengths and weaknesses and decided to perfect the concept. As a focused and single minded individual he has half a chance of doing it properly too.
Mr Murray, for want of a better description, reminds me of a latter day Colin Chapman. He shares the same views on weight, or more precisely, lack of it, and he has an attention to detail which is second to none and essential if this project is going to work.
Murray, who contributes to Evo Magazine in his spare time, has been a fan of the Smart ForTwo and the Smart Roadster for many years. I would guess the idea probably stems from his own ownership experiences of the Smart and his frustration that despite the many millions of Euros spent on the design, it was born imperfect. For certain, these two cars will have been used as benchmarks, but there are probably a few Japanese micro cars that have been thrown into the mix for good measure.
Another big asset to this project will be Gordon Murray’s business profile and with this the ability to bring funding to the table. Instead of dealing with the usual bunch of motor industry shisters, as has been seen way too many times before, investors are assured of a level of rare integrity. They will also be safe in the knowledge that if the project doesn’t work it wasn’t for the lack of talent or dedication of the company and its leader. Besides, I don’t think he would even contemplate the idea if he couldn’t make a profit.
Unfortunately, I have never had the pleasure of meeting Gordon Murray. Subsequently I only have his and other peoples written word to go on, but I get the feeling he is the sort of bloke I’d like to spend an evening with chewing the fat about cars. Him, and strangely Chris Harris. This would certainly be an interesting night.
As we’ve seen many times before, a small British design company launching their own cars, is rarely a good idea. This time however……
I hope he succeeds. For once though, I think they’ve got a chance.