Interview with Mr. Kosuke Kubo on FT-86 II concept

[PAImportTuner]

Originally Posted by Sabastian

"Today's modern sports cars are becoming more and more technically advanced, and at the same time, with the car itself taking over control the, presence of the driver is diminishing."

Yeah I agree but when safety makes standard ABS, TCS, ASC, 6+ airbags, ginormous door and bumper beams and god hope not a anti-roll back feature for manual cars on hills. It's hard to keep the car light, true to form and purpose, so what does he expect.

[serialk11r]

ABS, ECS, TCS don't add much weight though, it's all integrated into a small computer which modulates the brakes and ECU. Airbags I think should be quite light as well, since it's a folded up plastic bag with a small combustible cartridge. Otherwise it wouldn't be easy to stuff side curtain airbags into a car.
This extra protection on the road is very helpful and reduces injuries. Of course if you're on a track with a helmet and harness then it's not as useful.

[PAImportTuner]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

ABS, ECS, TCS don't add much weight though, it's all integrated into a small computer which modulates the brakes and ECU. Airbags I think should be quite light as well, since it's a folded up plastic bag with a small combustible cartridge. Otherwise it wouldn't be easy to stuff side curtain airbags into a car.
This extra protection on the road is very helpful and reduces injuries. Of course if you're on a track with a helmet and harness then it's not as useful.

"Today's modern sports cars are becoming more and more technically advanced, and at the same time, with the car itself taking over control the, presence of the driver is diminishing." -Kosuke Kubo

Again, ABS, ECS, TCS don't add much weight, that was not what I said, I said "Yeah I agree(with Kosuke) but when safety makes standard ABS, TCS, ASC, 6+ airbags, ginormous door and bumper beams and god hope not a anti-roll back feature for manual cars on hills. It's hard to keep the car light, true to form and purpose, so what does he expect".

I'll break down the last part.. Hard to keep car light(airbags, bars, beams), true to form and purpose(TCS,ECS,ARB,ABS). Those electronic aids do take away from the presence of the driver, and at times hold back a driver/car, if you can't disable them.

Airbags are heavy I have 2 of them in my basement, find one and imagine 6,8 or 10 of them. Have you picked up a 2002 wrx seat vs 2002 RS seat they are virtually the same seat, the WRX is noticeably heavier. Steel door bars and bumper beams add weight.

You could save over 250 pounds if they only had (2) front steering wheel and dash bags, and use of aluminum in the doors and bumpers. More if they use a aluminum hood, roof and trunk like the Evo MR but they know some people are going to put carbon fiber(not me), plus it would cost more because of the price of aluminum.

[serialk11r]

On the road ABS/TCS/ECS are pretty important though, where a crash means not only you but other people are going to get hurt. If you can't turn them off and they hold back the car, bummer It'd be good to be able to switch them off yea, it adds no cost but gives the driver that extra bit of control. ABS I think is bad on snow too, since wheel lockup can help stop the car in an emergency by pushing the snow.

I do think that seats can certainly be cut down. I find the heated seats on my mom's car entirely useless: when the seats are cold, you turn on the heat and sit on the seat, it's still cold since it hasn't had time to heat up. By the time the heat kicks in, your butt would've warmed the seat enough already. The mass of foam that you sit on is pretty good at insulating too.

Aluminum is starting to be used in more cars and the industry is starting to implement measures such as better waste heat recovery to reduce the cost of producing aluminum.

[Aki]

Nice vid. Part of the translation's a bit inaccurate. The subtitle says the AE86 "evolved with everyone's participation"--Kosuke-san was saying that everyone grew up with the AE86, and that it appeals to the memories of the AE86.

[Want.FR-S]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

On the road ABS/TCS/ECS are pretty important though, where a crash means not only you but other people are going to get hurt. If you can't turn them off and they hold back the car, bummer It'd be good to be able to switch them off yea, it adds no cost but gives the driver that extra bit of control. ABS I think is bad on snow too, since wheel lockup can help stop the car in an emergency by pushing the snow.

I do think that seats can certainly be cut down. I find the heated seats on my mom's car entirely useless: when the seats are cold, you turn on the heat and sit on the seat, it's still cold since it hasn't had time to heat up. By the time the heat kicks in, your butt would've warmed the seat enough already. The mass of foam that you sit on is pretty good at insulating too.

Have you driven in a snowy winter night with 0 F (-20 C) temperature? Oh wait, you just got your license in CA, my bad.

ABS can be very useful in the snowy weather, depends on how you use it on the slippery surface. Similarly, heated seat can be quite a comfort in cold winter night to heat up your body pretty quick. That is a luxury feature, probably not suitable for FT-86 though.

[Random_Art]

Originally Posted by Want.FR-S

Have you driven in a snowy winter night with 0 F (-20 C) temperature? Oh wait, you just got your license in CA, my bad.

ABS can be very useful in the snowy weather, depends on how you use it on the slippery surface. Similarly, heated seat can be quite a comfort in cold winter night to heat up your body pretty quick. That is a luxury feature, probably not suitable for FT-86 though.

Luxury features are just that- luxury. For me, they tend to be items that I wouldn't opt for unless they already came in a cheapish used car. My Mountaineer has heated front seats, and neither really work. The driver's side won't turn on, and the passenger side won't turn off. Since neither really affects the overall functionality of the car and they aren't a danger to anyone, I don't see the point in fixing them. Same with the broken CD changer, I just use my ipod so it's not like I really need to use the CD player.

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by Want.FR-S

Have you driven in a snowy winter night with 0 F (-20 C) temperature? Oh wait, you just got your license in CA, my bad.

ABS can be very useful in the snowy weather, depends on how you use it on the slippery surface. Similarly, heated seat can be quite a comfort in cold winter night to heat up your body pretty quick. That is a luxury feature, probably not suitable for FT-86 though.

Sorry lol all the info I have that I can't derive from my knowledge of physics is from Wikipedia. ABS increases stopping distance in snow/mud since if you let the car skid the snow/mud will stop it. But handling...well I don't know what it does, I'll take your word for it.

[Ryephile]

Great interview, Kubo-san's answers really emphasized the purpose and soul they're trying to achieve. He's right, it's in direct confrontation to popular culture's ridiculous obsession for "MOAR!", instead focusing on the intelligent interfacing between man and machine.

Originally Posted by PAImportTuner

Airbags are heavy ....

Agreed, but you can't overturn federal mandates just cuz they interfere with ideals. We just have to do our best to work with or around them [the laws and our ideals].

[OldSkoolToys]

Originally Posted by Ryephile

Agreed, but you can't overturn federal mandates just cuz they interfere with ideals. We just have to do our best to work with or around them [the laws and our ideals].

Aka, removing the side-curtain bags.

Again, its just more gubment interference in our lives. This whole nanny state BS is getting out of control. Honestly, the market would take care of this bit by itself. If people WANT 6 airbags to make them feel safer, they'll get the car with 6 airbags, making the automakers offer it in all of the lineup. That would at least leave open the option of not taking it. But the general public is easily frightened and scared, and don't realize that no matter what safety options you have on a car, you're still putting your life on the line EVERYTIME you start that engine and get onto the motorways.

Seriously, a side-curtain bag isn't going to save your life if a 3-ton PU barrels into you, not in a car this size. Nothing will, save a miracle.

I think the short version of everything I'm saying is really, smart, informed, and trained drivers will save more lives from automobile accidents then all the safety gizmo's in the world. Unfortunately people are stupid...and as it goes, everyone suffers from a few peoples stupidity in a nanny state.

[Allch Chcar]

Originally Posted by OldSkoolToys

Aka, removing the side-curtain bags.

Again, its just more gubment interference in our lives. This whole nanny state BS is getting out of control. Honestly, the market would take care of this bit by itself. If people WANT 6 airbags to make them feel safer, they'll get the car with 6 airbags, making the automakers offer it in all of the lineup. That would at least leave open the option of not taking it. But the general public is easily frightened and scared, and don't realize that no matter what safety options you have on a car, you're still putting your life on the line EVERYTIME you start that engine and get onto the motorways.

Seriously, a side-curtain bag isn't going to save your life if a 3-ton PU barrels into you, not in a car this size. Nothing will, save a miracle.

I think the short version of everything I'm saying is really, smart, informed, and trained drivers will save more lives from automobile accidents then all the safety gizmo's in the world. Unfortunately people are stupid...and as it goes, everyone suffers from a few peoples stupidity in a nanny state.

Well actually I think it is possible to design a small structure capable of surviving an impact from a 12 ton semi but it would significantly add to the weight and cost . Most vehicles are designed to absorb the impact from the crash instead of giving the occupants whiplash. Obviously more safety would require multiple point belts, ballooning the width, and reinforcing the structure etc. Just my humble opinion.

The problem with Nannies is that they do help on the road, but it would be really nice to disable them for the track or at least reducing them for spirited driving.

[Neutral_Eyes]

Originally Posted by Sea1monkey2

I was under that impression from almost the beginning. a toyota/subaru miata is the base of what this should be, right?

I hope so. The Miata does so many things right, adding a higher-power boxer engine, hardtop roof, and a back seat - if only for front seat adjustability can really improve on that. Even if the weight ends up a bit more than the Miata, it's good to hear their intentions are (IMO) in the right place.

[Matador]

@Old Skool...

Stupid people are definitely in the majority.

[Midship Runabout]

I don't get why they are so strict on car safety but they allow motorcycles on the road as well?