Althouse: The Pussycar Automodule.

June 22, 2011

The Pussycar Automodule.

It's "The Car of the Year 2000" — from the 1970s!

41 comments:

Toad Trend said...: Of course, this 'machine' was designed by a frenchman.

The french have designed some awful automobiles, though I am not necessarily calling it that.

Its a contraption.

Ridiculous.; 6/22/11, 12:45 PM
Chip S. said...: I like the Gallic subtlety in the third pic at the site.

Pussycar, indeed.; 6/22/11, 12:47 PM
edutcher said...: Any automobile with a back seat was, is, and always will be a pussy car.

(well, somebody was going to...); 6/22/11, 12:48 PM
chuckR said...: That is probably safer than any modern car. With a 250cc engine, you can't go fast enough to get hurt, unless you slowly drive it off a cliff.

I want to know where my Y2K flying atomic powered car is? I was promised one.; 6/22/11, 12:48 PM
Carol_Herman said...: Where's the downside? It beats my bug! You can roll this into the office. And, when you're at work, you open the door.

Bet this car had a radio, too!; 6/22/11, 12:53 PM
Carol_Herman said...: Ex State Senator Zien should look at this as a substitute for his wheelchair!

I can see this machine making circles around the rotunda! When spray from the chorus hits the windshield, he could just put the wipers on.

(Back then when this was drawn, people thought our cars would have wings. So that they could fly over traffic backups.); 6/22/11, 12:55 PM
Anonymous said...: Prius is Belgian for "pussy."; 6/22/11, 1:04 PM
Chip S. said...: You can roll this into the office. And, when you're at work, you open the door.

Ideal for the busy executive bent on world domination.; 6/22/11, 1:04 PM
Bryan C said...: That first photo. I think it's trying to breakdance.; 6/22/11, 1:15 PM
Methadras said...: It looks like its cervix is tilted.; 6/22/11, 1:19 PM
Bayoneteer said...: My motorcycle has a bigger engine (1500cc) than this toy does.; 6/22/11, 1:20 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: Don't Tread 2012,

Of course, this 'machine' was designed by a frenchman.

The french have designed some awful automobiles, though I am not necessarily calling it that.

Its a contraption.

Yeeeeuuup! Car culture in France is a fucking circus. I'm surprised the "Smart Car" made it over here, but relieved it didn't catch on. I drove one over there and was shocked at how little power it had: It couldn't even climb a slight incline without becoming a complete embarrassment.

I even hate being reminded of that place.; 6/22/11, 1:36 PM
Phil 314 said...: "PussyCar"

I saw that and imagined all of the comments about women in cars with men of bad intent.; 6/22/11, 1:39 PM
Anonymous said...: Found at Althouse's link -

Why can't we build public spaces like this anymore?; 6/22/11, 1:40 PM
Fred4Pres said...: It is definitely the goofy car of the year. Pussy car? What can you say, it's the French.; 6/22/11, 1:41 PM
rhhardin said...: It would be very vulnerable to rolling over to the front left or the front right.

Geometry wasn't discovered until the 80s though.; 6/22/11, 1:50 PM
Fred4Pres said...: That would be a good car for Newt Gingrich.

Because he is pussy-whipped and he is French (or grew up in France).; 6/22/11, 1:52 PM
traditionalguy said...: That is one terrible design for a Pussycar. I assume that"Pussycar" translates into English as ""station wagon with a mattress in the back"? And that terribly designed pussycar doesn't even have curtains on the windows.; 6/22/11, 2:00 PM
Dose of Sanity said...: Althouse found a picture of a TESTYCLE!; 6/22/11, 2:20 PM
Joaquin said...: @t-man
ADA compliant? NO
Pretty? yes
Expensive? yes.
Does our society deserve such nice things? No.; 6/22/11, 2:27 PM
Carol_Herman said...: The only problem with this car is how would you know if it was coming or going? What's "put it in reverse" look like?; 6/22/11, 2:48 PM
Wince said...: If that's a Pussycar, it's essentially a Ben Wa Ball super-sized to take you on a Fantastic Voyage.; 6/22/11, 2:55 PM
ndspinelli said...: The French military were going to use the Pussycar for it's officer fleet, but it didn't have the required 5 reverse gears.; 6/22/11, 3:40 PM
ampersand said...: I believe that gargoyles are actually early examples of French automotive design.
For all those looking for a flying car ,here you go.
flying smart; 6/22/11, 3:47 PM
Anonymous said...: Looks like the Citroen 2CV of the future.; 6/22/11, 4:01 PM
ErnieG said...: I was reminded of an old joke:
Heaven is where
the lovers are French,
the cooks are Italian,
the mechanics are German,
the police are British,
and it's all organized by the Swiss.

Hell is where
the lovers are Swiss,
the cooks are British,
the mechanics are French,
the police are German,
and it's all organized by the Italians.; 6/22/11, 4:15 PM
MayBee said...: Looks like the uterus that birthed the Segway.; 6/22/11, 4:32 PM
Jan Koenig said...: On first impression, it reminded me of this, which predates it by a couple of decades:

http://www.thehenryford.org/exhibits/dymaxion/index.html

Very cool! Well worth the visit to the museum if you ever find yourself in Detroit.; 6/22/11, 4:33 PM
Jan Koenig said...: You could use it to make a super-giant Dyson vacuum!; 6/22/11, 4:37 PM
Carol_Herman said...: What would a woman do if that thing had a flat?; 6/22/11, 5:27 PM
Carol_Herman said...: Maybee, you win.

But why would the uterus need wheels?; 6/22/11, 5:28 PM
Carol_Herman said...: You know, if you're driving this thing, correctly, it's a 3 wheeler.

As for ideas, it probably gave birth to seat belts.; 6/22/11, 5:30 PM
Carol_Herman said...: That front wheel is used only when you want to drive up steps.; 6/22/11, 5:37 PM
Carol_Herman said...: Where's the gas cap?; 6/22/11, 6:20 PM
Carol_Herman said...: Did the driver yell "giddy-ap" before the front tire reared up high?; 6/22/11, 6:22 PM
Carol_Herman said...: That there car could pass for Cinderella's pumpkin; 6/22/11, 6:23 PM
Big Mike said...: This is a Pussycar? No back bench seat, full 360 degrees of visibility? Would even a French woman put out is everybody could see everything she and her partner were up to?; 6/22/11, 6:24 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: I'm surprised the "Smart Car" made it over here, but relieved it didn't catch on.

I see quite a few smart cars around here. Given that just about every other car is a truck or SUV, they look like little death traps.; 6/22/11, 7:48 PM
Anonymous said...: "I see quite a few smart cars around here. Given that just about every other car is a truck or SUV, they look like little death traps."

Half the mileage of a motorcycle for twice the price and a tenth of the fun.; 6/22/11, 7:55 PM
Carol_Herman said...: What's really wrong with this car, is the wheel in front.

I can see "looking over my shoulder" as I pull out ... And, the front wheel is no longer in front of the car.

The other problem? With such small wheels, why are the seats so high up? This is not a car designed to take grocery shopping.

And, it beats me how you'd pull into a gas station to fill her up. Since there doesn't seem to be a clue where they'd put either the engine. Or the gas cap.

Drawbacks, all.; 6/22/11, 8:56 PM
AlanKH said...: This is your car on meth, cocaine, psychedelic mushrooms and Japanimation.; 6/22/11, 10:46 PM