Yamaha makes motorcycles. It may make cars at some
point, if recent concepts lead anywhere in the near future. But this one
bridges the gap between the two. With four wheels, the MWC-4 may appear closer
to a car (missing some parts), but is closer in concept and execution to a
motorcycle (with some extra components added).
Like a Renault Twizy, it features tandem seating, a
windscreen, fixed roof, and open sides. But it's controlled by handlebars (not
a steering wheel), and actually leans into corners (instead of staying
perpendicular to the road surface).
The MWC-4 is little longer than a Twizy, but about
the same height, and a fair bit narrower. Power comes from a pair of electric
motors, with a gasoline engine on board to serve as a range extender. And the
design looks considerably more aggressive than the Renault – or anything this
side of a Decepticon, really.
Whether Yamaha ever gets into the conventional car
business or not, building something like the MWC-4 could stand to put it on the
radars of buyers who wouldn't otherwise consider a motorcycle. Here's hoping
whatever it makes will ultimately look just as cool.
