sounds interesting... if it ever comes to anything

Tweels? The Future Tire is a Tweel - by Auto Media

I think this thread is a wee bit hollow!!

I think this thread is a wee bit hollow!!

:P

Looking at that design, there's a lot more work in them and they'd probably be at lot more expensive, and what advantage would they bring over conventional tyres - that is apart from making it easier for ladies to park !

It may be OK for the Moon buggy and the Mars Rovers which are essentially low speed vehicles, but can you imagine what that extent of wheel deformation would do to your steering response at speed. Unless the material from which these are made has a variable response, i.e. it stifens with speed, then I suspect that using the steering mechanism that cars currently employ in combination with these tyres would require a greater range of input from the driver than at present

In those circumstances, one can conceive of the situation where car designers would probably need to include "Drive-By_Wire" Steering in the cars - the computer dealing with the variable nature of the steering input.

Also, those "Tyres" don't appear to have any Sidewall. Tyres at present have either steel or plastic lateral bands, secured to the tyre bead on the rim. These provide some degree of resistance to undesirable sideways movements.

It would be interesting trying to keep to a line, at speed, say on a motorway

Nick,

21/02/07

I thought these were already out? And they'd have to be changed every now and again.

Id like to see that handle more than a couple of hundred bhp

Interesting, it reminds me (as do some of these comments) of Michelin's first development X radials.

Would the nay sayers like to try an Octy vRS on 6.00 section crossplies?

Those tweels have been around for at least 2 years, or at least the test ones have been. Interesting concept though would annoy traffic cops because stingers wouldn't work (or probably wouldn't have enough of an effect).

Those tweels have been around for at least 2 years, or at least the test ones have been. Interesting concept though would annoy traffic cops because stingers wouldn't work (or probably wouldn't have enough of an effect).

nor would american cops be able to just "shoot the tires out" ( american spelling was used i know)

and they also look abit ummmmm twee.....

These were on one of the motoring programmes (I think 5th Gear) about 2 years ago... they obviously haven't developed far enough in that time to make it to production.

nor would american cops be able to just "shoot the tires out" ( american spelling was used i know).

A former workmate of mine was married to a Septic, who's father was the "County Sherriff" (in the literal sense). This guy carried a magnum (using full jacketted rounds) and said that the way to stop a car with that cannon was not to aim for the tyres, but for the block or back axle, cos you could crack the castings, and that would stop even the most determined in 2 or 3 miles.