The new retractable undercarriage feature of the Blund 3 liter sports is a development of the adjustable hydro-pnumatic suspension systems availible for some years. When the car is parked up and the breaks set the suspension can be set to the full retract possition. The wheels retract upwards untill two specially placed skids on the underside of the car come into contact with the ground taking it's weight, the wheels then fold up and into the wheel arches as they continue up leaving contact with the ground. Once fully retracted slatted metal flaps (like the door on a bread bin) slide over the wheel openings closing them off. Not only is the car much more secure from theft as not only has the ignition to be forced but the wheels have to be unlocked too before the vehicle can be stolen, the wheels are protected from vandals, and the car is much less likely to run away if parked on a steep hill, breaks can fail, but if it's sitting on it's belly it CAN'T roll off.
-- Bronzewing, Oct 09 2005

Wheel retracting Lotus http://www.showbust....com/007_lotus.html
James Bond has his own Halfbakery [lurch, Oct 09 2005]

The car need not be huge http://news.bbc.co....662663_gal_bond.jpg
[fridge duck, Oct 09 2005]

Tip of the day: If you're going to make spelling mistakes, don't make them in the title, it looks bad.
-- wagster, Oct 09 2005


Heh, oopsie! That's what i get for trying to bake before brekfast!
-- Bronzewing, Oct 09 2005


This thing would have to be big in order to have space for the wheels to tuck in, and handle terribly, due to the non-optimized suspension that it would require. Ideal for a Hummer. The next big thing in big bling...
-- RayfordSteele, Oct 09 2005


Useless, expensive and overengineered. I can't help thinking how cool it would look though.
-- wagster, Oct 09 2005


Tow trucks are now fitted with giant magnets.
-- cjacks, Oct 09 2005


I'm not so sure about the car being parked on a hill - there would have to be something on the bottom with a good deal of friction to stop it sliding away. Rayford - the car need not be huge - if you would look at the link. There is also an amphibious car from which skids extend downwards, and allow it to move across water.
-- fridge duck, Oct 09 2005



random, halfbakery