We won’t lie, the Reverse Pregnant Guppy sounds like a euphemism for something better left unexamined on these pages. But upon our first glimpse of this rendering a four-seat variant of the DeltaWing, we were reminded of a backward version of Aero Spacelines’ ungainly rocket-parts transport plane. See? It’s all very innocent.
While the racing variants of the DeltaWing (and the Nissan-built Hatfields to the Real McCoy, the ZEOD RC and BladeGlider), have a certain X-plane middle-finger salute vibe, this multi-passenger version just looks ungainly and ill-conceived. At least from an aesthetic standpoint.
But Don Panoz has never been a guy to fear a new idea, and he’s pushing the benefits of the design, selling it as a means to help automakers meet the looming 54.5-mpg CAFE requirement. The narrow front track helps the car slice through the air. The lightweight construction means smaller, more efficient engines are adequate for moving the thing around. DeltaWing Technologies claims that a DeltaWing with an 85-to-110-hp engine could hit 60 in around six seconds, touch 130 mph, and return 70 mpg.
- Dissected: Nissan-Powered DeltaWing Race Car
- Panoz Sues Nissan Over Unique DeltaWing Design
- Nissan BladeGlider Concept: Reimagining the DeltaWing for a Civilian Mission
Those are impressive targets, and we hope DeltaWing Technologies is able to hit them. We’re far from opposing form-follows-function design, but um, we hope they can make the thing at least a mere smidgen more attractive. Perhaps they can adapt this design of Hot Wheels’ Silhouette?
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