why is this car called 'oddball'?

[danny_galaga]

i say this is extremely sexy 




http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/geneva_auto_show_2007/106/Geneva-Auto-Show-Oddballs-Quirky-Cars-You-Won-t-See-on-U-S-Roads/

[ChadTower]

Maybe because you have to be 5' tall to drive it?

[boykster]

I dig it, I'd love to own that car.

they're "oddballs" because they know they'll never ever be sold/available in the US due to many reasons. 

[DrewKaree]

Ummm.....danny?

stricter federal safety and emissions laws become a barrier to small firms who can’t afford the hundreds of thousands — and sometimes millions — of dollars required for developing and testing expensive emissions and safety equipment for their vehicles.

They're not just limiting the term "oddball" to body design, that's why.

If I were being given that car, I'd take it in a heartbeat - it's got to be the emissions requirements that make it an "oddball". 

Funny, that.  It'll be sold in Europe, which rails against us.  Doesn't that make it a car that shouldn't be sold, pot, black, kettle and all?   Or is that an "affirmative-action" car, being targeted towards a minority so as to avoid following the "equal opportunity for all, instead of equal opportunity for SOME" theory?

Jeez danny, way to post this in the wrong forum.

[DrewKaree]

Can I trade the wife and kids in for this?! :

[danny_galaga]

Ummm.....danny?

stricter federal safety and emissions laws become a barrier to small firms who can’t afford the hundreds of thousands — and sometimes millions — of dollars required for developing and testing expensive emissions and safety equipment for their vehicles.

They're not just limiting the term "oddball" to body design, that's why.

If I were being given that car, I'd take it in a heartbeat - it's got to be the emissions requirements that make it an "oddball". 

Funny, that.  It'll be sold in Europe, which rails against us.  Doesn't that make it a car that shouldn't be sold, pot, black, kettle and all?   Or is that an "affirmative-action" car, being targeted towards a minority so as to avoid following the "equal opportunity for all, instead of equal opportunity for SOME" theory?

Jeez danny, way to post this in the wrong forum.

well, its powered by a V6 thats already in production, so emmissions wouldnt be a problem. i think THIS is more your kinda 'car', drew (",)

[danny_galaga]

Maybe because you have to be 5' tall to drive it?

well, short people need more choices. they dont ALL want to drive lambos you know...

[TOK]

It is a nice looking car... I think what really makes it an oddball is that its the first car from a startup. Every year there are a couple of these startups at the big car shows. Probably 1 out of 10 of them actually ends up having a car for sale, and then its often in very small numbers.
Most don't ever make it to the US because they have to sacrifice a certain number of them for crash tests to be imported. I forget the number, but its large enough that a company offering very expensive cars at low volume just can't afford to do it.

Koenigsegg is an example of a manufacturer like this. Their cars are absolutely incredible, beautiful and fast, but barely anyone in the US knows about them.