h a l f b a k e r yNot so much a thought experiment as a single neuron misfire.
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44 years after Studebaker introduced a station wagon with a sliding roof, GM announces an oversize, overpriced, luxury SUV with "retractable" roof; GM also makes the Chevy Avalanche and Cadillac Escalade, which are supposed to be multipurpose vehicles (ugly as sin, not really all that "changeable.",
did I mention overpriced?)
I need a minivan that converts into a pickup truck, by means of disappearing or removable roof panels, and removable or retractable windows, or WHATEVER. Sometimes I need a minivan, with seats, and a nice, watertight roof, and sometimes I need a pickup truck. I don't think it's unreasonable or impractical to have both functions in a single vehicle.
OK, go back to whatever you were doing.
{11/1/04: Semi-baked, in the Saab 9X and the Mercedes VSR concept vehicles. The Saab has the Half-Track windows and converts from ugly car to pickup with miniscule bed, the Mercedes has sedan, station wagon and pickup modes.}
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Wouldn't the sand, cement, logs, sheep etc make a mess of the carpet? |
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On the other hand, having nice comfy seats in pick-up mode would be fun. Bit like those WW2 German half-tracks. |
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Having recently wrangled the rear seats back into my Windstar to accomodate visiting friends, I have to say this is quite a good idea. Combining fold-flat seats with a GMC-style sliding roof in a minivan? Brilliant. |
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One of the features GM may implement in it's fuel cell concept car is the "one chassis, multiple bodies" approach. In theory, GM would make a "skateboard" that housed all of the vehicles functions, and the bodies would attach to the skateboard interchangably. Its primary purpose would be to standardize production techniques (currently GM makes up to a dozen different chassis) But they have speculated that you could unbolt your minivan body from the chassis, attach the pickup body, and go haul dirt... |
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Or just get a Land Rover. Admittedly it lacks refinement and luxury, but it carries both people and stuff very well indeed. |
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Yes, no need for convertibles, either. Just buy a coupe and a roadster. |
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