The Kneeslider

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Volkswagen GX3 Cancelled?

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Volkswagen GX3

The Volkswagen GX3, the 3 wheeled concept that looked ready to go into production for sale in the U.S., looks like it has run into an obstacle it couldn’t avoid, … lawyers. According to Autoweek, VW saw the potential for huge liability lawsuits and, though the decision hasn’t been made yet, indications are the GX3 won’t survive.

So, we have a 3 wheeled fuel efficient and fun vehicle sidelined by those who would prefer we all live in a perfectly safe, padded world without any possibility of injury, … What if motorcycle companies thought this way?

Link: Autoweek

The Kneeslider: VW GX3 at LA Auto Show
The Kneeslider: VW GX3 Spy Photos

Comments

  1. Lawyers will inevitably be the downfall of the United States.

    From local government to the Federal Government, we elect people and charge them with the responsibility of writing law. We have reached a point in the U.S. where there are so many laws that Lawyers and Judges have to specialize in certain areas of the law because they don’t know them all either, and ignorance of the law is no defense.

    We need to do three things, in my opinion, to correct this. First; disallow anyone who has a law degree, from running for election for any level of the legislature( Local to Federal ), and second; for every new law that is enacted, two laws must be removed from the books, third; all laws must be written in standard english (eliminate legal jargon, and no latin) and must be written to a maximum of 12th grade level.

    After some period of time, we would have a reasonable and understandable set of laws.

    I also believe that civil law should be severly curtailed.

    But then that’s just me 🙁

    What is 15 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?
    A damn good start.

  2. Funny

    But its people like Luke who are the FIRST to sue a car company when they are injured when a stupid unsafe (like ALL 3-wheel vehicles) this is built.

    This car NEVER had a chance in hell to be built..especially by a co. as conservative (boring) as VW. This putative “lawyer driven” cancellation is just the final “publicity stunt” for a silly, impractical styling exercise. Where could you use it?

    Lawyers are SAVING the country from the chaos that would ensue if people had no way of resolving conflict civilly.
    Oh yah..the 100 year old joke(?) is “500” lawyers (at the bottom of the ocean)..& no, I’m not one.

  3. Well, I hope you’re “joking” like your name says, but the GX3 seemed to have a very good chance of getting produced. It would have been driven and used anywhere the owner wanted. 3 wheelers aren’t common but to say they’re stupid and unsafe, simply isn’t true. Lots of people ridicule what they’re unfamiliar with right up until enough other people accept the new product, then all of a sudden they change their mind and say they knew they were cool to begin with and they were only “joking.” … Right.

    Frivolous lawsuits are epidemic by those seeking a pot of gold without any need to work or be creative. Are lawyers necessary? Sure. Are ALL lawyers necessary, … many would think not.

  4. Actually, I have had several good opportunities to sue, and did not…and my father was a lawyer…and I know a few honerable lawyers.

    Lawyers have convinced everyone that everything that happens is someone elses fault. We now have a society that refuses to take responsibility for their own actions. Now when people sit on jurys in civil trials, they go in with the pre-concieved notion that it’s always someone elses fault.

    …..this is not the forum to have this rant.

    I appologise to The Kneeslider, and all the readers. I will not continue this post.

  5. I’m disheartened by this move from VW. I cannot say I’d be able to fit the GX3 into my vehicle plans by late ’07… but the concept has certainly caught my fancy, especially its price-performance expectations. Hopefully VW’s decision will provide the motivation for someone else to develop a similar design that can lower the entry price (~$20k) of such a vehicle compared to the TRex’s ~$50k.

  6. hmm, they looked at making low production of a lightweight sportscar viable. identified a niche (small quirky sports car) that would fit into the lineup. saw the benifit of a halo car that could use an existing, low cost powertrain.

    but they cancelled the gx3. looked like a good idea except for the blend of lawyers, lawsuits, and an unconventional design. still a good idea if it had 4 wheels, right? I wonder if VW has any other small, quirky designs out there – maybe another recent concept car?
    ecoracer anyone?

    http://www.seriouswheels.com/2005/2005-Volkswagen-VW-EcoRacer-Concept-SA-RW-1280×960.htm

    with audi set to ride a diesel to lemans victory, and rumours that the upcoming audi supercar may be diesel powered, maybe a diesel lightweight could be VWs version of the audi supercar – kinda a R8 lite!
    there’s an appeal to 80mpg and a 6.3 sec 0-60 time! (it’ll also save me from having to shove a TDI engine into a 1st gen RX-7)

    I want one! the only improvement vw coulda made? make it a three wheeler.

  9. I think VW could have made a few hundred… limited production if you will. The advantage to this is that they have already invested in the design so they might as well utilize it for further study to see if it is a viable market. I don’t see how they have much to loose..

    maybe I’m dense, but I don’t quite understand how this is held up by the lawyers…. if it passes the breaking requirements, and collision tests, whats left over any other vehicle in terms of liability?

    the only possible area of concern.. as far as this blurred line between car and motorcycle, is the possible need for eye protection. without a windshield of any type, i think eye protection would be required to operate on public roads. if the roll cage was proven in impact tests, I don’t think a helmet would be required, but I’d probably wear one to simplify the eye protection problem.

  10. No kneeslider..I’m not joeking. It IS unsafe..as are ALL 3-wheel vehicles. I suggest you familiarize yourself with the vehicle dynamics…they don’t work. How do you assume I am “unfamiliar” with this type of vehicle; because I don’t share your view?

    Do you really believe ANY major car company would dare market a vehicle that the drivers head is less than 3′ off the ground? How many people would be simply run-over because a truck, bus, van etc…simply couldn’t SEE it? How many vehicles might accidently be run UNDER…with immediate decapitation? Bumpers, winshield, side protection, exposed wheels, crash protection..who cares..NHSTA does. VW ISN’T T-REX.

    The saving grace of motorcycles is their maneuverability & that the rider is at eye level..this has neither…a dangerous toy.

    This car(?) would single handedly PROVE unequivocally that economy(?) cars will ACTUALLY kill you. I think that the “threat” of litigation in this case; has SAVED many lives that otherwise might have been lost had people might have indulged themselves in such folly. Again, never had a chance of production.

  11. I am not sure where you live JoeKing, but where I live, sportbikes are hardly eye level with less than half of the vehicles around here (considering upwards of 60% are trucks with lifts). Cruisers even less so, which dominate the motorcycles around here. Also, most sports cars are less than eye level, people see bicyclists, they see motorcycles (most of the time) and the times they don’t I doubt it would matter if they had a dump truck instead of a bike. Three wheelers are not as dangerous as two wheels, which are fairly safe if ridden smartly. People sell and buy three wheeled motorcycles all the time.

    It looks like your main argument against them is that they are low to the ground, not that they are ill-handling or sluggish. You mention it is not maneuverable, where does the article say that? I might have missed it.

  12. The GX3 is undoubtably safer than ANY two wheeled motorcycle. Contrary to some mistaken belief, the two wheeled motorcycle is not nearly as maneuverable as a reverse trike design like the GX3, T-Rex, and others. This is even more true during panic maneuvers. A motorcycle can’t stop 60-0 in 100 feet and corner with 1.25gs. Also, a motorcycle has ZERO crash protection for even modest accidents. I should know, I ride bikes and love them but they have limitations.

    VW claiming it is the lawyers is just an excuse for not being able to produce it for the promised 17k. I was there at the autoshow and listened first hand to the designer admit that the 17k cost was a goal and not a number based in capability. Also, VW doesn’t want to take the chance of producing a vehicle so far away from its standard product line.

    The reverse trike design will catch on eventually, it is a matter of time.

  13. I can’t say I’m surprised, but I’m disappointed anyway. I really wanted one.

    The only legal difficulty I can think of would be the lack of crash-survival related stuff that’s required for cars and is just a bunch of excess mass on crash-avoidance oriented motorcycles. And this only because we are a people who must be told “Do not iron clothes while you are wearing them” and “Keep hands away from whirling blades” or we do something stupid and blame the manufacturer.

  14. JoeKing,

    Do you really believe ANY major car company would dare market a vehicle that the drivers head is less than 3′ off the ground?

    I’m not sure “less than 3 feet” is correct but the “run under” or “get run over because you’re too low” argument seems tenuous. Compare driver height here with something like a Mazda Miata or Honda S2000, I’m thinking we’re pretty close. I haven’t heard of either car having those problems and I think Mazda and Honda qualifiy as fairly major car companies.

    Also, perhaps I should have said, it’s easy to criticize the uncommon right up until it becomes common.

    JoeKing, not everyone needs the government to protect them from themselves, as you seem to feel they do:

    the threat” of litigation in this case; has SAVED many lives that otherwise might have been lost had people might have indulged themselves in such folly.

    The frivolous lawsuits I mentioned in my previous comment come from those who want to be saved from themselves because they’re unwilling to take responsibility for anything they do. A lot of us prefer to take responsibility for ourselves and enjoy life accordingly.

    I guess I’m having a hard time understanding your point and I certainly can’t understand why you’re so worked up over this. Take it easy.

  15. i’ll hate myself in the morning, but – I kinda agree with a few of joeking’s points. I believe the total height will be about a foot under a miata. just check the picture – the height is equal to that of a seated man, with 3 inches above and 3 inches below. and most of the frontal area is only the height of the front wheel! I believe people won’t see them. I believe, not due to the physics of it, but due to the footprint of the car, that a bike could be considered more maneuverable than the GX3. I’ve squeezed between a few 3 or 4 foot gaps to avoid collisions before. not an option on the gx3.

    I disagree with “It IS unsafe..as are ALL 3-wheel vehicles… the vehicle dynamics…they don’t work.”

    I also want to believe in darwinism – “the threat of litigation in this case has SAVED many lives that otherwise might have been lost” mankind’s greatest failing, in my view, is that we’ve shortcircuited darwinism for the worse. the lawyers on the sea floor? a better start would involve chaining them to the most opportunistic of their clients!

    BTW – I do want one. Very badly. but due to the safety concerns stemming from the lack of darwinism among bad drivers, I see it as a sunday fling saved for the back roads of the countryside, not a commuter. strangely enough, that’s the same category I fit ferrari and mv agusta into.

  16. it’s all about money and VW wouldn’t make enough of it on the GX3. VW is already having a hard time determining what people want. I know I want one but I’m definitely in the minority (not here at the kneeslider though).
    -todd

  17. I don’t know how much of an issue cost would be – as a halo car it would be relatively cheap. it makes more sense to do this than the midengined W-12 supercar that volkswagen was supposed to be considering a few years ago… BTW: as far as halo cars go – did chrysler make any money on the prowler, crossfire, or viper? I think that only the viper may have sold even a single car at a profit… and GM’s failure with the SSR was just painful to watch. the local dealer had (or still has?) a 2 year old model still on the showroom floor, I think the last price I saw advertised was $57K cdn (list at $80K) not what you expect from a “dream” car. (or truck, or whatever. the SSR wasn’t MY dream.)

  18. Everything in business is a risk. VW needs to grow a pair and build the GX3! Stop the whining and crying about what-ifs. If VW is so concerned about liabilities, then they shouldn’t be in the automotive business period!

    This is the ONLY vehicle that will get me behind the wheel of a VW again!

  19. I think until the complete problem is solved, there will never be a “real” 3 wheeler. It must:
    Be all-weather (rain) capable
    It must handle well (2 wheels in front)
    It must be safe (airbags, seatbelts, safety glass, crush zones, decent height above ground)
    It must be the right price for the performance ($

  20. How come thay cant put a disclaimer on them and still sell them i know i want a GX3 and if thay put a disclaimer saying you buy this at your own risk i would still buy one. but maybe thats just me. rember to always have fun:)

  21. Todd said it best it’s about the money. Anyone know why VW did not aim for the Eu market or global market? the US is the only (largest) place with enough people willing to spend crazy money on crazy concepts. I love three wheelers I build them and this is one of the nice ones. VW would simply not sell enough to justify the hoop jumping and yes, the liabilities of selling in the US for the beneffits it MIGHT reep in the long run. Add to that, the development and production costs and you have an unfortunate recipe for a money pit. Rememebr this is not what they do best they make small girl cars like the beetle, golf etc. in their eyes they are better off sticking to that. I wish they’d buid it so I can come back here in a year and say to Joe King “you know nothing” or very little at most!

  22. I think this is a crock of **** ! The GX3 is one of the coolest concepts I have seen in ages from a major manufacturer! I was all ready to buy my new helmet to match the color of my new GX3!
    We can all blame Adrian Hallmark for this one! When was the last time any of you asked your lawyer which car you should buy next? NEVER!
    To all the doubters I will say this the three wheel concept has been around for ever look at the Reliant! Also, Peugeot recently had a concept three wheeler called the 20cup, Merecedes had the F300 life jet, Campanga T-Rex, and the all new Carver! ( Which I must say is awesome!) The carver is currently in production and looking for financial backers to go full scale and reduce the cost of building! check it out!
    http://www.carver-worldwide.com/Home/Index.asp?nc=1
    As for the safety issue I think this is just ridiculous to argue over when a motorcycle doesn’t offer any protection!
    So, I sold my VW Cabby and will never own a VW again until the GX3 is in production! I would like to take this time to encourage everyone else not to purchase a VW until this gross error is fixed!

  23. Not that anyone will notice this extremely late posting, but I thought I would include it just for the heck of it because it is so interesting.

    I have learned from an inside person that the GX3 was “a piece of crap” from the person who actually built the vehicle. I guess the real company behind the construction was called “Swift” and Volkswagen/Moonraker directed the build. According to the builder himself, the vehicle had only a 1.2 gallon tank and they never got the steering right. Why? He said Volkswagen only cared about aesthetics and not functionality. They gave them only 4 months to make it in time for the LA auto show and the vehicle came out crappy. In fact Volkswagen gave the body people more time to make the shell than they had to design the vehicle. All Volkswagen wanted was for it to look good and make the show. In fact, the press pictures showing the vehicle carving through canyons was actually taken on a hill and they “pushed the vehicle and let it roll down” to take the pictures. So in the end Volkswagen can claim to save face by blaming cancellation on the law / laywers, but in reality they just built “a piece of crap.” Those are his words, not mine. It is amazing what you can learn from a chance encounter! Now I wonder how many other concept vehicles are truly just pieces of art and functionally flawed.

  24. HEY, ALEJANDRO. IF YOU SEE THIS GUY AGAIN TELL VW TO GET IT RIGHT. I WILL STILL BUY THE GX3. I THINK THIS CONCEPT IS HERE TO STAY .

  25. i say what i thought was a GX3 but just found the Canadian Made product
    T-REX so cool my mother wants one !! at $50,000.00 a little out of the price range for fun but at the GX3 sugested price if it were available i would seriously concider it .
    i say my first one just yesterday driving through my town of Miramichi N.B. CANADA. THE COOLEST THING ON THREE WHEELS.
    I question if the lawers at T-rex stoped its production line if i would have ever
    experenced my jaw drop while it drove past my truck sum 24″ from the ground.if their was a dealer in N.B. I WOULD BUY ONE !
    I would like to see one in electric/hybred deisel, from VWB .