Starts with an F, like Etienne Fermigier ?
...from 0-100 in 2 guesses!
Yup, this is Etienne and his brother Claude joined forces to design this 'forward control saloon car' very much inspired by the Ghia Selene.
The text that went along with the images:
Etienne and Claude Fermigier, French engineer and industrial designer, presented this scheme for a rear-engined forward control car inspired by Ghia's Selene. By placing driver and front passengers ahead of the front wheels it is hoped that the weight distribution will be such as to avoid excessive oversteer. The rear seat is also advanced, leaving space behind it for a big transverse luggage locker, thus solving a common problem on this type of vehicle. The engine can be a flat four or a four in line placed transversely. Cooling air is drawn in at the base of the rear window, reducing turbulence at this point.
With critique:
Such a layout can obviously give good all round vision, easy access to all seats, effective streamlining, good luggage space and free access to the engine. However, the front seats are right over the wheels, where they receive maximum upward acceleration on road bumps. The pedals are placed too high in relation to the driving seat in order to allow ground clearance under the nose which will be swinging out among pedestrians and parking meters when pulling up at the kerb. The steering gear and control runs will also be complex but solutions are not suggested in the drawings. Finally it remains to be seen whether the public would accept a type of vehicle which appears to leave the front seat occupants so vulnerable.Once again, well done!
