Quote:
Originally Posted by guye
And I agree Wazza, the driver offset looks scary. As does the dash itself. That was more offensive to me than the rear seats actually.
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I agree. The idea of these rear seats could perhaps be considered just plain quirky yet maybe feasible, but the execution is terrible, surpassed only by the ugliness of the dash. At the risk of causing more heartburn among the faithful, I wonder if, somewhere in the world, a four seater Cobra has been constructed with some semblance of design integrity. The one we're talking about is wide of the mark. The rear bench looks more like a day bed and the occupants would sit far too high -- agreed. My old Healey looked a whole lot better.
However over the years there have been many oddities in the automotive world and it's probably drawing too long a bow here to compare this weird Cobra with the Mini, (yeah, I know... you think?) but I'm old enough to remember the launch of the Alec Issigonis inspired masterpiece in the late fifties. Front wheel drive? Independent suspension for the masses? I remember a woman in our street who could best politely be described as "eccentric" bought one. I'd recently got my licence, she couldn't reverse the Mini down her steep and narrow driveway, so every afternoon after school I had the pleasure of taking the car for a short run around the block and then backing it down the drive for her, much to the concern of my mum who viewed both the woman and our afternoon "arrangement" with suspicion. My dad and his mates questioned the Mini-- a box on wheels, how long would the front wheels last having to both steer and power the car? how uncomfortable were those low seats? how would you go in the event of an accident with such a flimsy body? -- and I was advised to buy a "proper" car like a good old FX/FJ and not one of those front wheel drive things that would only appeal to strange arty types like our neighbour, and were destined to die out "after the novelty wore off"....
Not saying that four seat Cobras are going to catch on any time soon, but good on the builder for trying something outside the square. Without innovation, however poorly executed in this case, we'd be in a sorry state.