We love trikes because any new three-wheeler shows that the
rebellious spirit that lurks at the root of all car design is alive and well.
The latest trike to have caught our fancy is the Elio from the U.S.
The rebellious spirit behind this DIY vehicle is Paul Elio, whose mission is “to
create a vehicle for today’s generation of drivers that addressed their
transportation needs and the world’s new realities”.
These realities include very expensive fuel and no space on the
roads. Elio named his long, narrow trike the Elio and since we reported on the
launch, the trike has been touring the states, with the final stop in Houston,
Texas, last week.
Wherever it went, petrolheads were impressed with the standard
safety equipment on board, which includes three airbags, a reinforced roll-cage
frame, anti-lock braking system, and 50% larger crush zones than similar
vehicles. Elio expects a five-star safety rating from U.S. crash tests based on
computer modelling.
While this trike with its air-conditioning, three cylinder engine
and $6 800 (R66 000) price tag is not heading to South Africa, it does set the
standard for local designers.
