>>>>>>>>Ah yes I forgot you told me before you had a Mini Cooper. Curious - did you test drive the Fiat 500 before you got the Mini Cooper? I've driven both and liked the Mini a lot better - but I haven't tried one of the turbo Fiats.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I have driven nothing but Mini Coopers for the last 14 years :)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Pure curiosity: Was the first one already one of Beamer production or did you get the bug by an english original ? (not implying Andy, but the earlier Rover/Austin cars...)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>IMO one of the absurd things about the BMW mini is how big they have got. I used to regard my Volvo as a big car and it looks small next to some of the new minis.
>>>>>
>>>>>IMO the first new one was borderline, but the second new one is ridicolous to run as "Mini". Victor is correct in pointing out current security needs...
>>>>
>>>>If by "security" you mean crashworthiness, you don't necessarily need a large vehicle for that. From VW, their original 1-liter prototype: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_1-litre_car
>>>>
>>>>"The body and frame are designed with crush/crumple zones and roll-over protection, and the tandem seating means large side crush zones. Volkswagen claims protection comparable to a GT racing car. The car has anti-lock brakes, airbags with pressure sensors, and stability control." - in a car that weighed 290kg empty.
>>>
>>>This has tandem seating too https://www.eliomotors.com/ I have one of these on order - hoping to see it later this year.
>>
>>They've got the right idea - they just need to add one more wheel.
>
>naaahh - don't need it. But heck, 84mpg and $6,800 brand new with warranty. Sold!

If three wheelers were any good the big boys would all make them. I seriously doubt any of them could complete a lap around any major manufacturer's proving grounds at anything more than granny speed.

Ask yourself - could Ken Block do this in any three wheeler:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuDN2bCIyus

Just skip to 5:40 if you don't want to watch the whole thing.

The only hits you get on YouTube for "rally 3 wheel car" is footage where a wheel comes off a 4-wheel car. Why doesn't anyone rally them? Rhetorical question; they'd be Darwin Award contenders.

Yeah, rally is extreme - but it's a great example of performance at the limit. Even normal drivers need that kind of performance on occasion. It can be the difference between life and death.

If you end up with an Elio be cautious driving it. You try to drive it like an X1/9 or a Europa and you're gonna hurt yourself. Also don't hit potholes, curbs etc. at any kind of speed.

LuDN2bCIyus