The New Mercedes .... really different!

[Dario]

No Steering wheel - Can you drive with a joystick??

I bet your kids and grandkids probably can.

The influence of video games in our lives has really arrived, wouldn't ya say?

And did you notice, there is no accelerator or brake pedals . . . A whole new way of driving !!!

 

[chitswood]

[:0][:0][:0]
Did this come with a review Dario?
Are you serious that everything will be done with the joystick there?[:0]

 

[guts]

Dario,i think that's the logans run of the car industry,they are trying to kill us off,don't think i'll ever have to worry about having one though.

 

[Ligget]

WOW![:0] Wonder what it looks like with dog hairs, candy wrappers, sticky finger marks on windows etc... Oh and the smell of fast food, just as mine does! lol []

 

[mrcook4570]

Originally posted by ligget
<br />WOW![:0] Wonder what it looks like with dog hairs, candy wrappers, sticky finger marks on windows etc... Oh and the smell of fast food, just as mine does! lol []

Now I know who stole my car []

 

[woodwish]

So how do you toss a sheet of plywood or some logs in that poor excuse of a truck? I'll stick with steering-wheeel-equipped fullsize American-made gas-guzzling pick'em-up truck! []

 

[ed4copies]

"No Steering wheel - Can you drive with a joystick?? "

I don't know, Dario! But, I'll try as long as you're buyin'!!!
[][]

 

[DocStram]

Speaking of driving with a joystick ...... a close friend and professor at my university is quadriplegic. Well, he has very limited use of his right hand from the tip of his fingers to about six inches above the wrist. He teaches at our off campus sites (about 80 miles one way) AND ... drives himself.
What a great experience I had with him last summer ..... him driving us down the interstate at 80 mph using a joystick. He had a minicomputer at his finger tips. He could control everything from his cellphone, climate control, gps, brakes, gas, the whole thing ... all with the flick of his wrist and fingers.
Isn't technology great and, the perseverance of the soul!

 

[alamocdc]

Man, for a Chrysler that looks surprisingly like a Ford.[}][]

 

[beamer]

Joy-stick steering ... take a quick right turn at a good clip and your passenger grabs the other side of the V to pull themselves back to center, further sharpening your turn - mmm glad to see logic is still being applied to automobiles as usual

The fiance was displeased with the lack of an Oh S#!T handle on our latest car. She dislikes my driving style. But since hers makes me actually motion sick, she is almost always the passenger.

 

[Penmonkey]

That car stinks. Where would you strap your lumber? I'm sure the white interior wouldn't do good with a weekend hunting trip. It's way too low to the ground, just think what a Dodge 2500 would do to it. You can keep your girlie car, because that's all it is good for, California girls. And I don't want any California chicks.

 

[smoky10]

Personally, I would love to take that thing out for a test drive, but, being poor, I would never buy one. I'll keep my Dodge truck. [][]

 

[DocStram]

Good one alamocdc. I'm still chuckling.

 

[RogerGarrett]

The Joy Stick eliminates left hand relief while driving long distance - making the right hand HAVE to do all of the steering work. Since a large amount of fun stuff (AC and Heat Controls) is to the right of the joy stick, does one remove the hand from the joy stick momentarily to make adjustments?? One handed driving doesn't really appeal to me - and I doubt it will to a large segment of the population.

Great looking car - but the idea is just too restrictive.

Just my 2 cents.

Best,
Roger Garrett

 

[johncrane]

thunderbirds eat your heart out. Dario did it have a price tag[]

 

[JimGo]

Roger,
Note that there's another joystick in the door. I wonder if the left-hand one is for steering, while the right-hand is for acceleration/deceleration and other functions.

OK Dario, like Darick said, does that come with a review??? Wheredju git dat? (that last part was for Ed and Cav)

 

[Dario]

Guys,

I got this through an email and I think this is just a concept car (for now). It is not a hoax as far as I know because I can recall seeing this on a motor type magazine before.

It doesn't really float my boat so much but I believe the concept is where the future will be heading. I hate the trunk door opening and the cabin doors are also "modern" but definitely not "me".

The biggest part that is not "me" will be the price LOL. [xx(]

I wonder where the button is to release the missiles as well as the machine gun trigger (left or right joy stick)? [}]

 

[RogerGarrett]

Originally posted by JimGo
<br />Roger,
Note that there's another joystick in the door. I wonder if the left-hand one is for steering, while the right-hand is for acceleration/deceleration and other functions.

Didn't notice that one - would make a big difference. But then, if they don't both steer (!!) then you have a similar problem with fatigue. I wonder if there is only a brake pedal?

Here's a pic of what I think the interior should look like! [}][}][][]

 

[johncrane]

looks like the dash is wood! mite be good for a few pens [][]

 

[DocStram]

Hey Roger ...... looking through that windshield ... that's your next door neighbor's house? Which means .... that's your car? OK, now we wanna hear more about it, plus pictures of the exterior.

 

[RogerGarrett]

Originally posted by DocStram
<br />Hey Roger ...... looking through that windshield ... that's your next door neighbor's house? Which means .... that's your car? OK, now we wanna hear more about it, plus pictures of the exterior.

I don't mean to hijack the original thread.....was just being facetious. But, since you asked......

That was my old neighborhood - the picture was taken 7 years ago. However, you are correct - that is my car. The woodgraining was actually painted wood over metal - a very popular and expensive option for a 1941 Chevrolet - and it was part of the Special Deluxe package. It's hard to find an original interior like this that is in as good a shape (untouched). Here are a few more pictures:

The '56 Chey isn't mine (I wish it was) - but this was one of the poster shots at the IWU car show a couple of years ago. Our university is in the background.

Best,
Roger

 

[Dario]

I somehow knew it is the same car as you have on your website [].

Really nice!!![^][^][^]

 

[JimGo]

Roger, you can't fool me, that can't be a real car! It sure looks beautiful, but I can tell that's one of those Photoshopped images. You know how I know? Just look at the instrument "cluster" - there's only a speedometer and a clock! Who would build such a thing? EVERYONE knows you AT LEAST need a tach, gas gauge, and oil temp meter next to the speedometer. Plus, there aren't any controls for the GPS, cell phone, DVD player, or satellite radio. Heck, the steering wheel doesn't even have controls for that radio; how are you supposed to change the channel or turn the volume up/down? Just look at the controls on the Mercedes...that's what a car is supposed to look like!

 

[RogerGarrett]

Originally posted by JimGo
<br />Roger, you can't fool me, that can't be a real car! It sure looks beautiful, but I can tell that's one of those Photoshopped images. You know how I know? Just look at the instrument "cluster" - there's only a speedometer and a clock! Who would build such a thing? EVERYONE knows you AT LEAST need a tach, gas gauge, and oil temp meter next to the speedometer. Plus, there aren't any controls for the GPS, cell phone, DVD player, or satellite radio. Heck, the steering wheel doesn't even have controls for that radio; how are you supposed to change the channel or turn the volume up/down? Just look at the controls on the Mercedes...that's what a car is supposed to look like!

I've been found out...........[:0]

Now - let's address some concerns []

Note the instrument cluster to the left of the speedometer. Closest to the speedometer is the Oil Pressure Guage, then the Charging Guage (batter and charging system - 6 volt by the way), Heat Gauge, then the fuel gauge.

The radio you see in the center of the dash is a working, Nine-Tube, 5-Band Shortwave Radio - the top of the line for that model year. You can actually get stations from Japan and Europe when the antenna is extended to it's full 93 inches! [] Ok, Ok - so you have to let it warm up for about 20 seconds........

And the clock? Look to the right! I admit, it is a 30-hour wind-up, but still........[]

Some people.....

 

[DocStram]

Hey Roger .... GREAT pictures! I thought I had heard of everything in cars ...... but, a shortwave radio? How cool is that! (Back in the 60s a friend of mine had a record player in his car - impractical as all get out ... but the girls loved it!)

 

[redfishsc]

Now the Chrysler and Benz are the same company I wouldn't touch a Benz with a 10 foot pole. I'll go Bimmer... or even VW before I'd pay half price for a Chrysler-ized Benze.


Now, that being said, I'll buy Japanese steel before I'll buy German. The only American thing I have any respect WHATSOEVER for anymore is Ford and Chevy TRUCKS. We currently own a 2000 Chevy Cavalier for our family shoe-horner, and it's made out of spitballs and paper mache. I've never in my life seen such a piece of crap. The drivetrain is solid, but ***nothing else**** on this car is holding up. The dash board has cracked in at least 10 different places. Once the drivetrain craps...Toyota here we come.

 

[RogerGarrett]

Not sure about the mid-line Toyotas. We used to own two - a 1984 Corolla (my first new car!) and a 1986 4X4 Tercel - we liked both cars then.......

We just shopped for a car - tried out the Toyota Corolla, Matrix, and Camry. The Camry is too much money for the car, and the others didn't do as well as the Hondas we tried. We also tried out the Pontiac Vibe which is, essentially, the same vehicle as the Matrix. Didn't try Mitsubishi because the milage wasn't as good as the others, and the styles were a bit hard/crisp for us. We ended up with a 2006 (the newly redesigned)Honda Civic EX and so far we think it is tight, smooth, and stylish. The mpg is 30/40. This is a bit bigger than the Civic of years past - and it is a very pretty car I think.

Best,
Roger Garrett

 

[Dario]

I personally think you cannot go wrong with either Honda or Toyota. That said, I prefer Toyota over Honda and I too owned both brands.

I think Camry cannot be beat value wise. Just my humble opinion from my limited experience []

 

[reed43]

Roger, not to change the subject but that is one very nice looking neighborhood you live in.Everthing looks so clean and the yards are great.

 

[RogerGarrett]

Originally posted by reed43
<br />Roger, not to change the subject but that is one very nice looking neighborhood you live in.Everthing looks so clean and the yards are great.

Glad you noticed! We built a new house nearly four years ago.

We had lived in a bi-level, 4 bedroom home (1 bedroom was 9 X 10!!), with a one car garage, no dining room, and a small eat-in kitchen for 14 years. The one car garage held one of three cars (my '41 chevy was stored at a different house with a friend) and one car shared the garage with all the shop equipment (all on rollers). Eventually, the woodworking became so constant, we couldn't use the garage for a car at all.

Along came 9-11 and the interest rates dropped. Meanwhile, our bi-level was almost paid off and the prices of houses had doubled since we purchased back in 1989. So - after selling the house for nearly twice what we paid, we moved into the new house in a brand new neighborhood with an undeveloped (but seeded) city park behind us and a man-made pond three hundred yards away (stocked with fish....!). They are now beginning to develop the park - soccer fields, a baseball field and basket ball court (on the area furthest from us - with a creek between), and NO BACK YARD NEIGHBORS.

I'm lucky in that everyone on this end of the street (it is a cul-de-sac) really works hard to keep their lawns and houses neat and clean. No one parks outside unless they have to, and everyone tries to keep the vehicles they have to park outside off of the street and in their driveways.

My wife happens to be extra specially talented with gardening - so her flowers are really beautiful - I'm lucky that she knows how to enhance the look of the house. The back garden also has rasberries, onions, green oninons, tomatoes, basil, broccoli, and various other vegetables. We also have about 200 lbs of zuchini - anyone want some???? []

Best,
Roger

 

[alamocdc]

Been doing a little research on smaller, better MPG cars for both LOML and youngest son. I kept coming back to Toyota and Honda, but the thing that keeps me at Honda is the resale value. It's higher than any other make, including Toyota. That said, LOML's next car will be a one year old Accord.