Idea transfer and company constraints in the design of a two-seater sports car

摘要

In 1992 the principal authors were contacted by Beans Industries, the owners of the Reliant Car Company of Tipton, Staffordshire, and asked to present a proposal for the design and product development of a lightweight sports car based upon Reliant pans bin components. This paper covers some highlights of the exercise and details some of the compromises between engineering excellence, manufacturing practicability, cost constraints and pleasing design. Key aspects identified within the paper are the concepts of idea transfer, transferring technology, techniques and style from one design to another and the merits and process of integrating existing components into a design. The study illustrates the scope for two-seater sports cars in the market and postulates on near-term possibilities.