Topic: Solved: Wendax 3214 - Felix

[Wendax]

With a hint of 928.

For one point, please respond and identify this car.

[Wendax]

up

[Wendax]

up again

[gte4289]

Scandinavian?

[Wendax]

No

[Djetset]

Swiss?

[Wendax]

Yes

[gte4289]

Sweden?

[Djetset]

Did it compete in one of the many Swiss electric/human powered competitions?

[Wendax]

Yes

[gte4289]

Sweden?

?

[Djetset]

Was this Swiss event held in the 1990s?

[Wendax]

Sweden?

?

I thought that by agreeing to the car being Swiss I wouldn't have to answer this question. 

[Wendax]

Was this Swiss event held in the 1990s?

I don't have an exact year, but I'd say so.

[gte4289]

I thought that by agreeing to the car being Swiss I wouldn't have to answer this question. 

My apologies! Replies 4, 5 and 6 were not showing up on my end, making it look as though you had answered "yes" that the vehicle was Scandinavian in origin. Since it resembles the work of Swedish designer Hansi Kobes (Salon), I thought I was on to something.

I'll look to see what I have on similar Swiss vehicles. In the meantime, is it partially solar-powered?

[Wendax]

There is another picture of this car around where it seems to have solar panels on the front hood.

[gte4289]

I found something in my file of potential AP puzzle cars that closely resembles this vehicle: a Horlacher solar-electric hybrid designed and piloted by Horlocher designer Tony Felix in 1991. There appear to be only minor cosmetic differences between the two vehicles. Is this a revised version of that car?

By the way, I found the answer to another of your puzzles in that file as well. That puzzle hasn't yet advanced to the Pro level, so in the meantime...

[Wendax]

Well, it seems that the number of unpuzzled cars is limited. 

Your answer is correct, although I am not sure whether it is right to call this vehicle a Horlacher. I know that there is a Horlacher sign on its side, but that may be sponsoring. Tony Felix is a freelance designer working for Horlacher and this car is usually referred to as a Felix. I've also read the name Felix Super 03, but have no proof for it being official.
The puzzle picture comes from an old card game of mine. No info coming along where the picture was taken, so I can only guess that it is an earlier development stage of the car. The picture where the car is blue seems to be more recent.

[gte4289]

Your answer is correct, although I am not sure whether it is right to call this vehicle a Horlacher. I know that there is a Horlacher sign on its side, but that may be sponsoring. Tony Felix is a freelance designer working for Horlacher and this car is usually referred to as a Felix.

I concur. After all, the car was built in Felix's home garage (see photos below).

The picture where the car is blue seems to be more recent.

It seems to me that the gold car is probably the more recent version, with modifications likely required for regulatory compliance (extended front bumper, prominent turn indicators, larger side mirror, etc). I suspect the blue car was the initial version, built specifically for the 1991 Tour de Sol competition. This would also explain the installation (and subsequent removal) of those unsightly solar cells in order to eke out as much power and range as possible.

[Wendax]

There were two of them! Look at your picture with the car moved partially out of the garage. You can see a part of the golden car in the lower left corner of the picture.

[gte4289]

There were two of them! Look at your picture with the car moved partially out of the garage. You can see a part of the golden car in the lower left corner of the picture.

You're right! That image was actually a screenshot taken from a video about the 1991 Tour de Sol. I've just found and reviewed the original video, and it turns out the gold car participated as well .. but without the roof and doors!