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Vauxhall Teases the First Full-Size Wind-Up Car

Remember the wind-up tin toys that appeared during the 1880s? If you’re too young to remember, ask your grandparents about them. As it happens, British manufacturer Vauxhall has integrated the clockwork motor into one of its cars. Cue the Adam C.
Vauxhall Adam C wind-up car 1 photo
Photo: Vauxhall
At the present moment, only this teaser photo will have to do. From the looks of it, the groundbreaking Adam C doesn’t differ too much from its internal combustion brethren except for the massive wind-up key sticking out of the hatch door. And yes, all you need to wind up the internal coil spring that propels the car forward is a little elbow grease.

According to Vauxhall, 15 minutes of wind-up is all it takes for the Vauxhall Adam C to offer up to 125 miles (201 kilometers) of range. In terms of range, the BMW i3 should take notice. In the time spent winding up the Vauxhall Adam C, a Supercharger can replenish the battery of a Tesla Model S to 35 to 40 percent. How about that for forward thinking?

Larry Bobbins, the chief engineer of the Adam C, explains that he was inspired to put a clockwork motor in a car after he found out that a man going by the name of Leonardo da Vinci created a wind-up lion for another man called Louis XII in 1509. “Louis XII was a bit of a mental, though,” commented Mr. Bobbins. The greatest thing about the Adam C, however, isn’t the range or that kinetic energy is free energy.

The pioneering aspect about the soon-to-debut Vauxhall Adam C is that you don’t need to search for a fuel station or a charging point. When you run out of juice, you simply stop at the side of the road and start winding. Simple as that. Another advantage of winding up for 15 minutes is that you'll burn more than 400 calories in that span of time. Unfortunately, there is no word on pricing at the time of writing.

However, don’t expect the Adam C to cost an arm and a leg. Then again, even if it ends up retailing for more than an ICE or electrically powered Adam, the Vauxhall Adam C has two aces up its sleeve: not only does it keep you fit but it is friendly to the environment. Like properly friendly.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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