Re: New Gull-Wing Automobile

["therealdmcvegas <DMCVegas@xxxx>" <DMCVegas@xxxx>]

--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Jordan Hamilton" <DeLorean@xxxx> 
wrote:
> I was recently looking at the new cars that will be showing this 
year at the Chicago Auto Show, I noticed that Infiniti is showing a 
new automobile called the Triant. The pictures of it show it to have 
gull-wing doors. The styling of the doors look a lot like that of a 
delorean, does anyone know if this is just a concept car or are there 
production plans?
> 
> Jordan

After looking the car up online, it's only a prototype. The doors are 
VERY DeLorean looking when it comes to both the overlapping, and the 
inner door seal. The seals are quite interesting as there only 
appears to be an innter seal, and it doesn't cover the bottom. A 
spray sheild strip of rubber covers the door on the bottom, out from 
the door sill. If so, that would really resolve the only fault with 
the gullwing design on the DeLorean (sometimes when I get out, my 
boots will snag the door seal, and pull it loose).

The doors need a bit of work though. The have a rather unique design, 
in as they're reversed witht the striker pins on the door, and the 
latches are on the body. It looks nice, and does reduce the weight of 
the door (though you would end up with a Bricklin situation of having 
to enter via the rear hatch if the battery dies). But the latching 
points are too low. In a side impact, the door would fold in half, 
and intrude into the passenger compartment. So the latches will 
either need to be moved up to the center of the door, or fixed steel 
grab points, and a 2nd set of pins to lock into place incase of an 
impact.

Another feature that I like is the coverplate over the hinges. 
Although I don't know how feasable it is on the DeLorean application. 
Looking at the control panel on the center console, the doors are 
electronicly controled. Which leads to an interesting question of 
how. They can't counter-balance the doors with torsion bars, because 
that would be a pattent infringement. And if sole electric motors are 
what controls the doors, then the battery would be dead in no time at 
all. Just by opening and closing the doors. So it really makes me 
wonder just what is behind those covers over the hinges. The hinges 
too are not what I would consider "ideal". They appear to me to 
require a thicker than normal roof to house the internals of the door 
hinge mechanics.

Overall, the vehicle isn't too bad of a design. But the gullwing 
doors don't fit it well at all. Gullwings should be installed on 
sleek cars where they aren't so much of a feature, as they are a 
nessesity to compensate for ingrees/egress, and widetrack 
considerations for parking. Not something that looks like a small 
SUV. The Triant isn't too bad, but seems to be suffering from an 
identity crisis. Is supposed to be a luxury car, a "Cute Ute", a 
sports car, what?!? If I had one thing to compare it to, it would be 
the first car that popped into my head when I first saw this one: AMC 
Eagle. Seadan look with a lift kit.

-Robert
vin 6585 "X"