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weatherman -> reduced weight (8/20/2005 12:48:03 AM)
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... Well I guess that lack of messages here means that you can't improve Rovers! Ha!
Actually there is one thing, but it's not a mod I've done. It's a dream mod. One that can't ever happen though.
I've always wished that they could seriously reduce weight. I don't mean aluminum body panels here and there. I mean some serious redesigning. New materials, different ways of constructing certain parts. Shave a few pounds here and there, and it adds up. And what does it result in? Better handling, better braking (or rather, shorter braking distance), faster 0-60 (or 0 to anything), more payload capability, less fuel consumption = less gas bill, less fuel consumption = better for the environment. I'm sure there are some offroad advantages too, but I've never gone offroading, so I don't know anything about that. Well for example, you can probably go farther on one tank.
An example I'm really proud of - but you'll probably hate me for saying this - is Subaru. They spend a lot of time reducing weight - while keeping incredible crash ratings. They shaved off enough weight to be over 200 lbs. less than their direct competitor, the BMW X5. It resulted in much better power to weight ratios and 0-60 scores. Jaguar has that all aluminum structure - which I guess isn't suitable for offroad use because it's not brute strength - but it's something like 40% lighter yet 60% stiffer than before, which is all good.
Can you imagine a RR under 5000 lbs.? It'd be like strapping a rocket to a bird, or more like a bird to a rocket.
The only part where money is lost is in the office - they have to spend time and money on this, valuable research time, which is exactly why I don't think this will ever happen. But I can dream [:)].
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