Yes, the Batcycle might be in your future ride. As in, inside your future ride.
Cue the music: https://youtu.be/VSaDPc1Cs5U
Automotive News caught our eye recently with the story (“Is a motorcycle car hybrid in Ford’s future plans?”):
“Ford has filed for a patent that features a motorcycle integrated into what looks like a Focus or Escort wagon. … Ford’s bike emerges from the front of the car, a la the Batmobile, to ride to whatever location comes next.”
But even if you are not a caped crusader, there are some practical benefits to the idea.
Those of us who are city-dwellers, for instance, know how hard it can be to find parking sometimes. There’s a space, at Point A – but where you want to go, is over there at Point B. No problem. Park the car at Point A – break out the motorcycle, and ride over to Point B (you can always find a place to park a bike).
And practicality aside, there’s no doubt that parking your car, “ejecting” your motorcycle and riding off (even if it’s just up the driveway) – that’s a cool way to make an entrance anywhere.
Now, there is a looooooong distance between patent and product, so who knows when, or even if, you’ll find this in your next Ford. We can hope though. (Ford calls the idea a “multimodal transportation apparatus”, by the way, so when the time comes, you’ll know what to ask for.) And it is a reminder that for all those years the car has been with us – there is still plenty of new on four wheels.
We should say though, that if your driving companion is Robin, he may be out of luck. There’s no sidecar with this bike. Well, not yet anyhow.
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