Asymmetry in Design

[synchromesh]

I think vans have always been built that way.

Not always, one example is the Mini Van, as well as some older vans.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

And the X Coupe concept too...

Wow. I've never seen this particular shot of the car before. Someone must've been looking at a lot of Picasso paintings.

 

[niky]

Over the decades, many van makers have gone the single-side sliding door route to save money. And also, sometimes, to make for more interior seating space.

-

Easy way, really, to tell which vans here are RHD-LHD conversions. The single-side door opens out onto the street rather than onto the curb.

 

[TexasTyme214]

I like it in some subtle or extreme cases:

 

[Doog]

I always liked the off-center exhaust placement on E28s.

 

[Nessy]

Oh, and this is just awesome:

Ahhh, i'd completely forgotten about the Palatov. The whole concept is awesome as well as it's Hartley V8.

Honda did a similar thing back in the late 90's (Honda-by-side formula car), it wasn't 4WD though.

 

[Pootis]

The right sight view mirror is a little different than the left one on the Enzo.

 

[niky]

Ahhh, i'd completely forgotten about the Palatov. The whole concept is awesome as well as it's Hartley V8.

Honda did a similar thing back in the late 90's (Honda-by-side formula car), it wasn't 4WD though.

The only disappointing thing about the Palatov cars is that I don't have anywhere near enough cash to justify buying one... and I suppose the wait period is pretty long, considering it's a single, tiny garage making them!

Or you could just build your own motorcycle-engined monster:

http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArtic...Best-Engineered-Lemons--2-the-MetroGnome.aspx

 

[TheCracker]

Not always, one example is the Mini Van, as well as some older vans.

Wasn't really talking about car-based vans. I was thinking more like the full sized Transit-size vans which all usually have a pavement side sliding side door. You don't often get slide-doors on cars or car-based vans as they're little more than just estate cars with no rear seats and blanked-out rear side windows. Although the Peugeot 1007 did have sliding doors, but had them on either side.

 

[synchromesh]

Wasn't really talking about car-based vans. I was thinking more like the full sized Transit-size vans which all usually have a pavement side sliding side door. You don't often get slide-doors on cars or car-based vans as they're little more than just estate cars with no rear seats and blanked-out rear side windows. Although the Peugeot 1007 did have sliding doors, but had them on either side.

Or the modern MINI Clubvan, which has an extra half door.

 

[homeforsummer]

@niky - If I had the skills to chop an MX-5 into such a beast I would! I'm surprised I can't find a kit of something like that, but I'm sure one exists (chopped windscreen, single seat, maybe shortened wheelbase).

Alfa Romeo once did that with the 1990s GTV:

It's one of my all-time favourite concept vehicles. Though an MX-5 version, rear-driven and perhaps with a D-type style fin behind the driver, would be even better.

Closest I've seen with an MX-5 was this, a couple of Autosport Shows ago:

​

Which I suppose you could call asymmetrical as it has no roof and is therefore rendered asymmetrical by its interior...

 

[CSMDuty11]

Alfa Romeo once did that with the 1990s GTV:

Now how would i find THAT via google search?

 

[homeforsummer]

Now how would i find THAT via google search?

"Alfa Romeo GTV monoposto". I can't remember whether that was its official name, but it gets the right results.

 

[Dennisch]

Not really an obvious asymmetric thing but still.

On the Renault 4 the left rear wheel is slightly ahead (it's like 4cm or so) of the right one to make space for the torsion bars.

And of course one of the most annoying things possible:

Who is sharp enough today to spot it?

 

[VXR]

The wheels?

 

[TexRex]

I was wondering when that would show up.

 

[Dennisch]

The wheels?

Ding! Ding! Ding!

 

[Liquid]

That's lame. Too cheap to manufacture correctly orientated wheels or lazy quality control?

 

[ExigeEvan]

@homeforsummer - The monoposto is exactly what I'd do to an MX-5, just with a small windscreen, fairing behind roll bar, and something different to that rear/wing mirror!

 

[ScottPuss20]

Alfa Romeo once did that with the 1990s GTV:

It's one of my all-time favourite concept vehicles. Though an MX-5 version, rear-driven and perhaps with a D-type style fin behind the driver, would be even better.

Closest I've seen with an MX-5 was this, a couple of Autosport Shows ago:

​

Which I suppose you could call asymmetrical as it has no roof and is therefore rendered asymmetrical by its interior...

That Alfa is interesting

 

[homeforsummer]

@homeforsummer - The monoposto is exactly what I'd do to an MX-5, just with a small windscreen, fairing behind roll bar, and something different to that rear/wing mirror!

The odd mirror is a symptom of the GTV's high-tail design, really. In an MX-5 you could have a proper dashboard-level mirror like old British sports cars used to have.

I'd love to try something like that, but neither my budget nor my engineering skills are really up to the task...

 

[MatskiMonk]

That's lame. Too cheap to manufacture correctly orientated wheels or lazy quality control?

Seems to be a common problem with Audi's too. My bosses A8 has four of the same "directional designs", and I've noticed it on A5's too. It's this design; and having googled it, the little arrow detail on the spoke always points clockwise.

 

[TheCracker]

That's lame. Too cheap to manufacture correctly orientated wheels or lazy quality control?

It's not unusual for that. Audi's five spoke Rotor wheels, as seen on loads of the contemporary S series, are the same on both sides yet are directional by design.

*edit* tree'd. Lol.

 

[Dennisch]

I think Mercedes delivers wheels that are proper directional.

 

[TheCracker]

The turbine wheels originally off the SLR are different each side 👍

But perhaps that's a functional design due to its carbon discs?