Very seldom are my eyes confronted by something wheeled that I can’t identify. In the worst cases, as with pre-’49 vintage machinery and certain marques which exist in the UK only through parallel import and the determination of eccentric enthusiasts, I can usually at least narrow it down to a manufacturer. Now, you guys overseas are probably knee-deep in these, but I’ve never encountered one of these over here. Sighted on Brighton’s Marine Parade, a stone’s throw from the celebrated pier, it sat at the kerbside, still bearing some of its original waterproof protective packaging? But what the heck was it? Bike? Car? Scooter? The answer to all of the above is “Yes”. And, whatever it is, can it possibly be as good as a bike, car or scooter. The answer to that is, well… inconclusive. 
In basic profile my first thought was BMW C1. A work colleague of mine is the proud rider / driver of one of these unmistakable devices; a twist’n go scooter with a roof and windshield wiper. It’s a weird machine, the C1, made weirder by the fact that the crash helmet exemption that the C1 enjoys in some countries doesn’t apply over here, which renders the whole bike-with-a-roof concept a little redundant. But this isn’t one of those, anyway. It has one too many wheels, for a start. And, in fact, it looks markedly less stylish than the Bavarian machine, anyway. In fact, I was starting to wonder whether this was actually some kind of high-mobility electric tricycle; the kind that the elderly, infirm or simply bone-idle use to lurch around suburban shopping centres, creating as much peril for pedestrians as they can…. because they can. The fold-up armrests would tend to support the mobility-buggy theory. But then I drew closer to it and noticed that there was some kind of fossil-fuelled powerplant sprouting out near the rear wheels. That means that we must be looking at some kind of licenceable vehicle, then. So I went in to take some more photos for further research…. but my phone had “done a Samsung” and the battery had plunged from 28% to 2% in seconds. Never mind, I’m home now, and have based my research on the name “Auto Moto” as appears on a decal at the back. And this is what I found, on an American website, of all things. 
So, it’s basically a trike, then. If we were to really strive for an analogy, we could liken it to the wonderfully insane Carver that was featured on Top Gear all those years back. Indeed, there is some degree of titling capability in the AutoMoto, but it doesn’t look to even approach the sophistication of the Dutch machine. But let’s face it, the AutoMoto is hugely less awesome than that asphalt-bound jet-fighter. Let’s have a look at their promo video [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL8fGotzq5c[/youtube] It’s slower, lots slower; its 150cc motor imbues it with a Vmax of 50mph. You also sit differently, perched. Upright, scooter fashion, so it can’t feel as sporty. Adding a little more concern is the list of specification, which goes as far as to include an MP3 connection and a set of speakers, so that the world gets to share whatever sounds you insist on filling your strange egg-shaped bubble with. Of course, with extra kit comes extra weight. I wonder just how much fun can be derived from driving a vehicle like this once the novelty has worn off. 
Just to be cruel once and for all, I’d be a little worried about people pointing and laughing at me if I drove one of these. You’re right there for all to see, unenclosed by bodywork and probably with something embarrassing spilling from your MP3 player, with no sound barrier to muffle any taunts and jibes that could come your way. What do you think of it? Personally I reckon the concept is a good’un, but the design needs a little refinement to make it look a bit more racy, spacey, dynamic and exciting and a bit less like a mode of transport recommended by a physician because your joints aren’t what they once were. Have a look at the Auto Moto website here. [Lede image Copyright 2014 Hooniverse/Chris Haining, other Photos and video stolen from theautomoto.com, apart from BMW C1 from wikipedia ]
By RoadworkUK
RoadworkUK is the online persona of Gianni Hirsch, a tall, awkward gentleman with a home office full of gently decomposing paper and a garage full of worthless scrap metal. He lives in the village of Moistly, which is a safe distance from London and is surrounded by enough water and scenery to be interesting. In another life, he has designed, sold, worked on and written about cars in exchange for small quantities of money.
Jeff Glucker 
Ross Ballot