[ds968]

Does anyone know what the purpose of that F-ugly window-in-a-window thing is all about ? And it's not a feature that's exclusive to the McLaren F1 pictured here, there are at least a handful of other cars which were made with that feature. Does it have a functional reason ? Because sure as hell it can't be simply an aesthetic feature to be " different " ...unless it was designed by Stevie Wonder ..

   

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[flash]

probably a design limitation.  because of the curvature, it doesn't look like the entire window would fit inside the door.

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[ds968]

Too funny, I'm just watching the Velocity channel right now, and they're featuring a DeLorean - it has has the same window set up.

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[flash]

yeah, but on the delorean it was to keep the interior wind down, because that will make a mess of a perfectly good 8ball.

 

ba dum bum

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[biosurfer1]

same design as the Subaru SVX. Their reason was the one Flash mentioned, but looking at the door, its hard to see why they couldnt fit the window.

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[Rap]

8 ball. Gee what's that?

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[ds968]

Yeah, what is the 8ball in this context ? And does it have anything to do with the flux capacitor activation in the DeLorean ? :-) :-)

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[Cloud9...68]

Strange window notwithstanding, and I know this is controversial, but to my eye, the F1 is one of the most stunning, innovative cars ever made, and I'm generally not a fan of so-called "supercars".

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[ds968]

I don't think you'll have many argue with the fact that even to this day the F1 is arguably ( alongside the Bugatti Veyron ) the most innovative and phenomenal street car ever made. Two feats of engineering like none other. That could also explain why Rowan Atkinson's ( aka " Mr. Bean ) F1 , after having been in two accidents, one of which caused significant damage costing over $ 1 mil in repairs, is on sale for $ 12 million !!

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[Cloud9...68]

Wow, $12 million.  I knew they were crazy expensive, but I didn't realize how much.  Although if a homely 914 is worth, according to a recent search, $15 - $23K (and those are 4-cylinders, not the 6), I suppose anything is possible.  I just remember the amazing innovations the F1 had - central seating, with two additional seats alongside and slightly behind the centrally-located driver, the luggage bins located along the lower flanks, the pop-up aero used to help under heavy braking, and just the amazingly low weight of the car.  But I believe they were never federalized, which I'm sure helps with the value.

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[ryker]

My daily driver currently is a 1996 Subaru SVX with 22,000 miles in perfect condition. I guess you would say I am stuck in the 90's with a couple 1990 VW Vanagons, a couple 968's and the SVX. Anyhow, they do say it is too much glass to fit within the door. It does keep the wind down, if you are one to drive with the windows open. I think a big reason, at lease in the case of the SVX, was to create a vehicle that was completely different than anything else out there, which they certainly accomplished. 

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[ds968]

I think Rowen Atkinson much like his character Mr Bean, has his head firmly planted up his ass, asking roughly $ 12 mil ( 8 mil sterling ) for that car . The few which sold in the last couple of years went from a low of $ 3 mil to a high of $ 5 mil ( all in mint condition and the latter had zero miles on it ..an owner in Japan bought it from the factory and simply stored it away ) . Atkinson's car was in two friggin accidents ! He's delusional to think that his " celebrity " status warrants that kind of a premium on his car. But there may be even a bigger idiot out there ; the person that pays anyway near that much for it.


As for federalization, there are people in the US that drive those here " illegally " , I saw one several years ago and followed it closely for about half an hour on my commute to work. Same thing happens with 959s.

But that does not surprise me; anyone with that kind of money probably does not care at all about the penalties they may have to pay and that's IF caught. I'd bet not even one in a thousand police officers would know or even cross their mind that any given car is not federalized.

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[MCL968]

I believe the window was called a toll booth window.

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[ds968]

Or a speeding ticket pass-trough window.

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[lbpesq]

If you don't now what an 8 ball is, you're probably better off.

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[Langley968]

same design as the Subaru SVX. Their reason was the one Flash mentioned, but looking at the door, its hard to see why they couldnt fit the window.

 

My "inbox" today had an article from Popular Mechanics titled: 10 Biggest Car Flops.

Coming in at #5... The Subaru SVX!

 

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/new...15#slide-5

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[Rap]

I appreciate that legal advice counselor. Just seemed unusual coming from that source. Course of  us have skeletons in our closets! Mine of course have been whitewashed.

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[paulzebo]

An open door gives you a better look at the design. The bottom door opening is in the shape of a "v". The bottom of the window glass can only go down about 6-7 inches before it is stopped within the aft "v" structure. With this design, I guess one would have to be careful not to get a full bag of food at a McDonald's or any drive through. So I look at it as a diet aid, rather than a toll booth window.

 

   

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[ds968]

Lol, no super-sizing your meal when you drive the F1. And I suspect if the interior space is similarly crammed as the Carrera GT's ( I'm 5 11 , 185 lbs , and it would have helped I had taken contortionist lessons before climbing into that car, and the jaws of life to yank me out of it, which was an ordeal all by itself ) anyone driving the F1 must be an anorexic little person to fit comfortably in there. So no Big Macs for them , a diet of kale and sashimi is a prerequisite to ownership of the F1.

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[JTP]

That's probably why Top Gear had Hammond drive the F1 being the smallest guy on the show.

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