I'd stay away from VW - the infotainment on their gassers is subpar and on their EVs the software & UI are a total & utter shitshow.

The VW ID.3 also seems about like what you'd want, but alas VW doesn't sell it in the US.

Part 23: Jowett Jupiter


Brothers Benjamin and William Jowett began selling bicycles in the West Yorkshire town of Bradford in 1901.  Soon they had branched out into building engines for motorcycles and stationary machinery and, by 1906, had built their first prototype car.  Further experimentation and refinement continued until 1910, by which time, Jowett began production of their first "Light Car."  Larger than the cyclecars that were popular at the time, but still smaller than a conventional car, the Jowett was ideally suited for the rolling hills in and around their native Yorkshire.

After the First World War, the company expanded into producing larger cars and commercial vehicles.  Following the breakout of the Second World War, Jowett turned to manufacturing fire pump engines, aircraft parts and other military equipment.  The postwar period brought about a new model range.  There was the new Bradford commercial van, the streamlined Javelin sedan, and a sports car based on Javelin components, the Jupiter.

Unlike most sports cars of the era, the Jowett Jupiter had proper roll-up windows instead of clip-on side curtains and a snug-fitting convertible roof.  The car was designed by Eberan von Eberhorst who became head of design at Auto Union after the departure of Ferdinand Porsche.  von Eberhorst also had a hand in the development of the Tiger Tank for the German Army.

The Jupiter enjoyed some racing success in the early 1950s, including taking class wins at LeMans in 1950, 1951, and 1952.  But outside events were causing serious headaches for the Jowett company.

Jowett's supplier of bodies for the Javelin and Bradford, Briggs Motor Bodies, was sold to the Ford Motor Company who, in turn, sold it to a concern called Fisher & Ludlow.  Fisher & Ludlow was itself soon acquired by the British Motor Corporation.  This caused Jowett to lose their body supplier.  At the same time, a general downturn in the UK car market put further pressure on Jowett's finances.  With few options left available to them, Jowett's board of directors decided to cease trading.  The company was liquidated by 1955.

This was indeed a pity because the Jupiter, in particular, was quite an impressive and capable car.  But do you know what it wasn't capable of?  Interplanetary space travel.  Because I am fairly confident you will never see this, or any other sports car, anywhere near the gas giant that is the fifth planet from the sun!  The Voyager I space probe did a flyby of Jupiter in 1979 and found no evidence of vintage British sports cars on the planet.  And if you can't trust NASA, who can you trust?

Quote from: MrH on April 09, 2024, 08:46:45 AMYou basically want a RWD Bolt.  I think you'd like a Bolt a lot for a daily if you tried it.

Honestly it probably wouldn't be that hard to make a RWD Bolt. Easier front end, need to make a little room in the back end for an axle or just throw a motor on each side.

You basically want a RWD Bolt.  I think you'd like a Bolt a lot for a daily if you tried it.

Quote from: MrH on April 08, 2024, 02:59:31 PMThe Caterham Project V is probably what you're looking for.  Sadly, not many people want it, and EVs are just really expensive still.

Something with a higher hip point and storage to use as a DD. Like you said, The Honda E Would have been perfect.

Quote from: CaminoRacer on April 08, 2024, 03:03:17 PMI'd love to build a Factory Five hot rod truck EV. Motor on the rear axle and the battery pack split between under the hood and in the truck bed, to go for 50/50 weight balance.

No fenders so it can fit fat 315 or 335 tires all around for max grip.

Someday.

A Lightning will be substantially cheaper and better.

Reset the trip odo after break-in and was averaging 24.8 mixed. Not bad at 2000-3000 vertical ft/day. Lots of bottle-feeding idles for the new baybay too.

That was on Eco. Reset it today on normal to give it a whirl. Throttle tip-in on Eco is frighteningly slow.

Bump. This is still unresolved and is now moving to the front burner because of a just-announced third child, due in late autumn. They're now talking about buying two minivans.

Quote from: shp4man on April 08, 2024, 04:07:43 PMI will say this. The Lightning F150 has literally neck snapping acceleration. The energy needed to pull a trailer can be used for other, more fun endeavors.

I wonder if those will replace the WRX for "very often wrecked". All that acceleration and mass doesn't equate to great handling and braking....