July3
In early May, we cited an Automobile magazine report suggesting VW was concerned about possible liability issues surrounding the GX3 Concept, which the automaker had plans to mass produce. Later that month, AutoWeek said VW was poised to kill the 125 mph three-wheeler due to these concerns. Today, financial publication Bloomberg confirmed that Volkswagen has killed the project. “With regret, we have concluded that the current and foreseen product liability issues at this time were just too great,” Adrian Hallmark, Volkswagen’s U.S. chief, said in an e- mailed response to questions. Hallmark said that, since showing the GX3 in Los Angeles, Volkswagen had received “overwhelming” customer responses.
“It would not have been possible for us to build the GX3 with the purity that it required, at the price which prospective customers told us they would be willing to pay,” Hallmark said. “Rather than offering a product which deviated from such a basic, honest and original concept, Volkswagen has concluded that, regrettably, production will not be possible.”
“The idea of going around with three wheels is a quaint idea from yesteryear,” said Stephen Pope, head of equity research at Cantor Fitzgerald in London. “It smacks a bit of stupidity to me. Nice concept, thank you very much, but keep it in the design studio.”
When VW cannot get the fifth generation Golf here in a timely manner, cannot get the R32 here in a timely manner with you choice of transmissions, cannot get the Eos here with proper options like red leather interior, they have no business even considering toy tricycle cars like this.
Its very sad to see such an out-of-the-box model go, but #1 is right.
I sure hope they sell the project to Lotus…
I don’t think the product liability’s any greater than Smart cars …
but I don’t really like it anyways, so as #1 said, try get your already avaliable products over first.
AND also don’t force me to buy a stupid XM radio when all I want is just leather seat.
Liability issues on a 3 wheel, open air car??? Shocker…
VW should just sell this project to Caterham, who currently makes the old-fashoned Lotus 7, and that could be the next-generation Caterham.
I don’t understand. Motorcycles are everywhere. Why would a three wheel car be any more dangerous than a motorcycle with a side car?
#5 - it is technically a motorsickle, that is a geat way around the car certification route. No airbags or crash testing.
#7 - this would be even safer than a sidecar rig. those things are very unstable.
All in all, I’m saddened, by this news. I would have bought one of these. Instant classic.
You know who could design this and sucessfully market it here in the States. BMW. They have the motorcycle thing established and they have the balls to do it.
VW will never sell it to them though. Although I’m sure BMW could do their own version in house.
How cool would that be???
Confirmed: GX3 Just a Pipe Dream
Our friends over at LeftLaneNews.com have confirmed that Volkswagen will not go ahead with production of the fabled 3-wheeler GX3 concept. *tear*
…
Americans here talk like this is the first 3 wheeler to ever exist. Stop being so ignorant.
^ that’s not the issue. It would be the first three wheeler to go into production at this level (at least in the states), and it’s the most refined. The only other option (road legal) for us now would be the T-rex as far as I know and it will cost you a pretty penny.
Besides, If you have some knowledge we don’t. Share. But calling everyone ignorant for their dissapointment really really really sounds stuck up.
wasnt this thing co-developed with Lotus? or something like Lotus having a hand in designing this motortricycle….
maybe Lotus could build a version of their own…
“The idea of going around with three wheels is a quaint idea from yesteryear,” said Stephen Pope, head of equity research at Cantor Fitzgerald in London. This may be the dumbest quote I have ever read. With a closed mind like that, its good to see he is an “equity researcher” rather than any sort of designer.
Let me start by saying you can’t believe everything you hear, especially on the internet. They are going to build the GX3. Since every1 wants to compare it to a Campagna T-Rex I’ll tell yall some facts. The GX3 is safer than a T-Rex(T-Rex’s are open sided). The GX3 cost a lot less ,maybe up to 19k now but T-Rex’s are 50k so yea, and sorry to ditch on my friend but his T-Rex took like 2 months to get fixed this would just have to be taken to a VW dealer.
Thanks VW for teasing us.. I was ready to lay out the Bucks.. Last Kraut Kar I’ll ever buy..
I agree with rapcar–the quoted equity guy is a closed-minded idiot. We need to come up with different solutions, and three-wheelers actually make a lot of sense! I’d love to have something like this for long distance solo commuting!
Two things are fundamentally at odds, today: Safety and Fuel Economy. Concepts like this, the Grinnall Scorpion, and the Campagna T-Rex can get the driver good performance, great fuel economy, and better safety than a motorcycle. Being on three wheels doesn’t physically save that much weight, but legally shedding the weight of being a car certainly does.
My theory on VW’s liability concern: If it car-like in its appearance and how it is driven, consumers will expect car-like safety. I’m disappointed with their decision. Looks like I’ll have to get a BMW K-bike-powered Grinnall Scorpion, instead (much less expensive than the T-Rex)!
I just found out about this bike. They’re killing it already. I should’ve known it was too good to be true. Oh well, hope some company stills the idea and makes a good profit. Thats the reason car companys aren’t as successful as they should be. They’re never willing to make exactly what we’ll buy. I hope Audi or BMW gets their hands on this bike. Way to go VW. *News flash*: People have been dying since the beginning of time, so what if the design is considered unsafe. Im pretty sure people ridiculed Gottlieb Daimler back in 1885 when he made the worlds first two wheeled vehicle(motorcycle). Look how far thats gone.
Hey captainobvious, speaking of obvious, Audi is VW, so i uhh got a feeling they wont be getting their hands on it. Really too bad about this thing though, it would have been damn sweet
i got pissed off cause i just saw the X-bow post and thought id come on here and remind VW that they made the wrong move scrapping this.