Many manufacturers have tried to bring the feeling
you get riding a motorcycle into driving a car, resulting in a number of weird
and wacky three-wheeled creations over the decades. The ‘Concept Chariot’ from
designer Yi Dong takes a novel approach. The study has four wheels, just
like a normal car, but from there it differs drastically from any cother ar on
the market.
For starters, there is no defined front fascia, as
the entire vehicle is built in the shape of an ‘X’ with a large void between
the front wheels and a similar void between the rear wheels.Also, unlike a car,
there is no dedicated cabin; instead, the driver sits at the
back of the four-wheeler in one of two positions. The most relaxed sees them
sitting upright and controlling the Chariot through a pair of hand controls.
When the rider wants to operate the vehicle in a
sportier way, they lean forward and the handles are pushed forward, forcing the
driver into a position more akin to riding a sportsbike. At the same time, a
piece of bodywork which the driver wears on their back extends outwards and
connects with the exterior of the machine.
To say this is a unlike everything we’ve ever seen
would be an understatement. We guess that bringing it into life would be
anything but easy, as the tech does seem too complicated, but it does seem
doable. A clip of the concept shows it drifting around corners with the two
different driving configurations and it certainly looks like fun.
