KIA base their cars on old Mazdas.
Hyundai in their first 15 years based their cars on old Mitsubishis...

Regards, Robin

John Benditt wrote:

> Hey Eric
>
> Sorry! But you are totally wrong!  There are allot of vehicle designed from the
> ground up. Why don't you go back and read my ordinal Email carefully before you make
> half whitted comments.
>
> I said "I expect to sell tens of thousands of these amphibious options for all 4x4
> SUV's." not tens of thousands of cars from the ground up! Notice, the two words,
> (amphibious option) which in other words, it is a mechanical assembly that is
> fastened to an off road 4x4 vehicle known as an SUV giving the owner the option of
> amphibious capability.
>
> Also this option will  enable Vanagon Syncro's to be amphibious, but my design
> efforts will be made on present SUV's. configurations.
>
> Honda started to sell "all new"original designs in their cars in 1973, which was
> designed from the ground up. KIA, Hyundai are other recent car manufactures. There
> is the 3 wheel electric Sparrow which is a ground up vehicle being marketed in USA.
> Theirs the Dulton Marina which is a present amphibious car made in Europe somewhere.
> Solar powered cars and other types of cars are being built from the ground up by
> collage students are from the ground up designs. Even race cars are ground up made
> using hi performance after market parts from engine blocks to seats. Not to mention
> the safety cage frames..
>
> EMZ wrote:
>
> >    John,
> >       Sorry first, but your out there a ways.... No car, (I must repeat
> > this) "NO car" in recent history has been "all new" or in your words
> > "designed from ground up". Even GM stated, several years back, the cost
> > (and risks) are just to much. Only a total economic chance would a ground
> > up design, ever appear again.
> >       AS for selling tens of thousands, Well I'm sure everyone wants
> > one of these? right?
> >
> >             Eric                   86-VW4x4
> >             vw4x4@fyi.net          72-240z
> >             Pittsburgh, PA USA     1936-Chrysler
> >
> > On Fri, 3 Dec 1999, John Benditt wrote:
> >
> > > Well Dan
> > > It is not a crazy project. It is not a fun project. It takes a lot of long
> > > hours sitting at my computer designing every part, over and over until it is
> > > what I think will work. Then hour after hour hand fabrication of  each
> > > aluminum part to high tolerances. After many months and many thousands of
> > > dollars it starts to materalize. I would only go through this type of project
> > > if there is a monitery spin off. I expect to sell tens of thousands of these
> > > amphibious options for all 4x4 SUV's.
> > >
> > > I do drive an all aluminum state of the art amphibious gas/human powered
> > > bicycle. As soon as I am finishing up my first production run I will be
> > > selling it and I will have a web sight to show you an example of my work! My
> > > next product is the amphibious 4x4 SUV.
> > >
> > > The reason why I believe you don't see much innovation like this in today's
> > > society, is because most people are distracted. Whether it is the internet,
> > > TV, love making, to really sit down an design a vehicle from the ground up
> > > using one's own original design like Dr. Porsche did, with the VW back in the
> > > '30's. I have admired his originality. It seems that Volkswagen has maintained
> > > that originality even in present products. I am amazed how unique my '87
> > > Vanagon is with the master cylinder under the dash, the AC on the roof and so
> > > much more.
> > >
> > > I live in Florida
> > >
> > > John
> > >
> > >
> > > dan wrote:
> > >
> > > > What a crazy project:)  Where do you live where you can do fun things like
> > > > this? How much does it run to do something like this to a vehicle?
> > > > Honeslty, I never have even heard of it..
> > > >
> > > > Dan
> > >