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The Hawk: a one-seater future car with a canopy like a fighter jet's
The other day Charlie White offered up some car technologies that could save Detroit, and on that list was "build a tiny car like the Smart." Well, I've got a provision to that motion: make those tiny cars look good, like the Hawk. New Zealander Alex Hodge's slick concept car is billed as being small and lightweight, which is easy to believe as it's just a one-seater. Hodge describes the Hawk as follows:
Powered by a Honda RC51 V-twin 999cc engine, with a redline of 10,000rpm, 120RWhp and a theoretical top speed of 233 kilometers per hour. Wearing three 19inch lightweight alloy wheels equipped with twin rear and front disc brakes, you wont have any problems stopping in a hurry.[A] fiberglass outer shell and alloy chassis give you the aerodynamics needed to achieve the level of performance you expect from a roadbike, with the comfort of a car. The interior is a combination of molded plastic and leather trim, with digital dials giving you the vital information about your vehicle."
Check out the gallery below for more of Hodge's Hawk in swanky black — and check out that cool fighter-jet-style overhead canopy instead of a door.
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Alex Hodge, via Coroflot
By c.robotman at 6:47 PM ON 12/12/08
cool!!!!! where can you get one
By xTdub at 9:05 PM ON 12/12/08
Sexy!
By BoxerFanatic at 12:16 AM ON 12/13/08
I've been mulling something like this over for a while... but thinner, longer, and on motorcycle tires, with a tilting front suspension. That car looks a bit short, wheelbase wise, and lateral grip on the rear tire might be lacking.
A three wheeled vehicle with a jet canopy, that actually banks like a plane, or a bike, too. It also helps solve the lateral grip issue, by exerting force outward.
By Dan at 10:19 AM ON 12/13/08
That would be awesome. An open wheel version would be even sweeter!
By Nighthawk at 12:39 PM ON 12/13/08
You gotta know that the inside is gonna be hot as hell on a nice summer day.
By Buddy Love at 12:58 PM ON 12/13/08
I can think of only one problem. You get hit by anything bigger than another one of these on the highway, and you'll be paste.
By stevok at 3:36 AM ON 12/14/08
Lovely....But that door seems poorly positioned for egress, should flip forward or side ways.
By xpez2000 at 3:50 AM ON 12/14/08
IS THAT A CHAIN FOR A DRIVETRAIN????
GET REAL
By mtgeekman at 11:08 AM ON 12/15/08
Only problem i see is that its 1 seater... I have issues with my two seater cars. (honda insight and mazda miata) sucks when you want to bring friends along...
By ohdotoh at 11:00 AM ON 12/18/08
the canopy needs to be hinged at the front so that if the latch fails at speed, the air pressure will hold it closed rather than blow it open
By dahwedge at 4:58 PM ON 12/19/08
XPEZ2000 - looks to be belt driven. Which I agree would be better, or even a shaft like on the BMW cycles.
As for it being one seater, I am fine with that as a covered way to get me to work instead of riding my cycle in the rain. Hinged in the front or side would be better too. I've been in one of the Corbin single seaters and the only problem I had was the mechanics of getting up out of the thing. Not as spry as I used to be.
By shadowwarrior at 10:58 AM ON 02/09/09
when will it be ready?
By concept car at 10:23 AM ON 02/19/09
this is very cool car concept....
By Michael Bynum at 10:23 PM ON 07/30/09
Wow, this really does look futuristic.
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Wow, this really does look futuristic....More »