VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Dodge RAM 4X4 Diesel. Wide tires for the sand. Front end will sink if not. You can throw anything on it or in it, drive over most of the vehicals others have discussed. I have driven to Mexico 4 times in one. One of my bro's down there has driven his back and forth at leaste 10 times. $1500 to the bottom of the Baja and back with ferry cost included. You should have the Scull and cross bones on the back to scare the cops away too!! Does not work all of the time though

It is not yet available, but it promises to help alleviate the guilt some of us feel when driving vehicles that are big enough to haul our large amounts of gear.
http://www.brightautomotive.com/vehicles

Plus it looks cool, for a van...

Know some of those guys, ex-RMI folks - think all they needed to do was/is raise $250 million or so to go from the idea to production (it's probably actually closer to a billion as the vehicle is aluminum and the paint shop alone accounts for about the first figure!!!) Not holding my breath.

Really smart (expensive too) team on the Bright, but realistically (based on the long-distance driving performance where you're on gas anyway) likely all you need to do to alleviate the guilt is to ride your bike to work every other day.

Still cannot for the life of me understand why we don't just open US/Canada to the European diesels and 5-speed manuals??? A no-brainer, almost automatic 50% increase in efficiency!

Exactly! Diesels are great! And better for long distance fuel economy. A plug-in hybrid van would have the most advantage for driving to the local sailing spots.

Speaking of diesels and surf vehicles, Ozy's veggie-oil van is a great surf vehicle set-up. Joostio's Delica is/was pretty slick too...

You are so right Geoffy !!! http://www.vw.ca/ca/en_ca/models/TDI/golf_wagon.html

JL - checking out the specs that VW is sweet! Would be lovely to package that drivetrain into a carbon fiber minivan at half the weight; forget the full hybrid - add a couple electric rear wheel motors for city-only dedicated driving - there's my ultimate windsurf vehicle!!

Noted that it's speed is electronically limited to 206 kph in Canada. Awwww!

Retirement project!
Geoff

JL wrote:You are so right Geoffy !!! http://www.vw.ca/ca/en_ca/models/TDI/golf_wagon.html

I can attest that this vehicle not only gets amazing fuel economy, handles like it is on rails, holds all my gear and sleeps two plus two dogs - but you look good while doing it.

http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/publish/ ... 2769.shtml 4.6 litres per 100 km. !!! Bring it http://www.petitiononline.com/touran/petition.html

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHap3RV5 ... r_embedded[/youtube]

Now there's two of us that have a woodie!!!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40263315/ns ... rgy?ref=nf

Now, That is a truck!

I think a 1991 2wd lifted vanagon with a tdi would be perfect. 7l/100km, a queen bed & tons of room.

blackdogvan wrote:I think a 1991 2wd lifted vanagon with a tdi would be perfect. 7l/100km, a queen bed & tons of room.

Where the heck would you find such a rare, dream-like vehicle? Sounds AMAZING.

Yes, and at 6.5 mpg, 37 litres/100 km, it really is SO environmentally friendly! Just because its bio diesel doesn't make it good. Their little 'good for the planet' trip will probably consume enough what-could-have-been-food to feed a many villages for many years.

more force 4 wrote:Yes, and at 6.5 mpg, 37 litres/100 km, it really is SO environmentally friendly! Just because its bio diesel doesn't make it good. Their little 'good for the planet' trip will probably consume enough what-could-have-been-food to feed a many villages for many years.

interesting vehicle but my thoughts exactly....seems everyone needs to tag on some positive human or environmental spin on their very self centered pursuits to make them palatable to others or themselves....me, I love windsurfing and wanna be warm and comfortable at times so I burn a ridiculous amount of fuel sometimes I do try to pool and make it a multiday trip but at least I'm not singing the "gee, I spent all this money to make my hog more efficient, I'm an exemplary custodian of mother earth" song Oh if Fiat was only in the country