San Giusto 750 - Daring more for a revolution in small cars
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Summary
A mid-engine, central tube chassis and independent front and rear suspension: all of this came together in an automobile for the first time 100 years ago - not in a racing car, however, but in a small car for the common people. However, the technical advantages of the San Giusto 750 failed to inspire them. This short excursion along a byway of automotive history is a reminder of the forgotten innovator
This article contains the following chapters
- A hint of Fuhrmann: central engine, air cooling, king shaft
- A hint of Lotus: central tube and double wishbones all round
- Learning from the past
Estimated reading time: 5min
Preview (beginning of the article)
What do car designers dream of? According to the cliché, mainly sports and racing cars. But there were others. They wanted to reinvent the small car and Volkswagen, despite a thankless market and particular difficulties, because it is an old law of automotive development: small cars are more challenging to build due to the tighter framework conditions (design and costs) and generate less profit. They therefore often call for more unusual solutions than large, expensive cars. And they offer scope for innovation, because prestige criteria do not count here, which in larger cars often promote irrational things such as long hoods, curved fenders, running boards, imposing radiators and the like.
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