Vauxhall SRV
Encyclopedia
The Vauxhall SRV was a 1970 concept vehicle designed by Wayne Cherry
and Chris Field for Vauxhall Motors
in the UK
. Never intended for production, the car was an attempt to raise Vauxhall's profile and image, while providing a platform for researching some unusual design concepts.
The car's exterior design was inspired by the short-nosed, long-tailed Le Mans
racers of the time, but was able to seat four adults in comfort, despite being just 41 inches (104 cm) high. Unusually, the design featured fixed front seats, but with all of the driver controls adjustable for position, angle and reach. The car also featured four doors, with the rear doors being handle-less and largely disguised - this feature is only now being incorporated into real production cars over thirty years later.
The car could change its aerodynamic profile using an adjustable aerofoil located in the nose section. The SRV also had electrically adjusted suspension leveling at the rear, and the car could redistribute fuel to different tanks to adjust handling. The instruments were fixed to a pod hinged to the drivers door.
The engine was a 2.3 litre mid-mounted transverse version of the Slant Four
, but featuring fuel injection
. The engine fitted to the SRV was a mock-up, and the car was unable to run under its own power, and the necessary transverse transmission was never developed for the vehicle.
Wayne Cherry
Wayne K Cherry is a noted American car designer is responsible for the conversion of Opel-style lines into the British Vauxhall or American counterparts for General Motors...
and Chris Field for Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Never intended for production, the car was an attempt to raise Vauxhall's profile and image, while providing a platform for researching some unusual design concepts.
The car's exterior design was inspired by the short-nosed, long-tailed Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
racers of the time, but was able to seat four adults in comfort, despite being just 41 inches (104 cm) high. Unusually, the design featured fixed front seats, but with all of the driver controls adjustable for position, angle and reach. The car also featured four doors, with the rear doors being handle-less and largely disguised - this feature is only now being incorporated into real production cars over thirty years later.
The car could change its aerodynamic profile using an adjustable aerofoil located in the nose section. The SRV also had electrically adjusted suspension leveling at the rear, and the car could redistribute fuel to different tanks to adjust handling. The instruments were fixed to a pod hinged to the drivers door.
The engine was a 2.3 litre mid-mounted transverse version of the Slant Four
Slant Four
The Slant Four is a type of car engine manufactured by Vauxhall Motors and in modified form by Lotus Cars. Unveiled in 1966, it was one of the first production overhead camshaft designs to use a rubber toothed belt to drive the camshaft from the crankshaft , a method developed in 1956 by Bill...
, but featuring fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
. The engine fitted to the SRV was a mock-up, and the car was unable to run under its own power, and the necessary transverse transmission was never developed for the vehicle.