Rubber tires are so cliché. At Jalopnik, we like to encourage innovation and new ideas, so it’s about damned time we highlight a reasonable alternative.
Today, that alternative comes to us from Youtube channel Garage 54. The channel has a storied history of making ridiculous versions of wheels, with experimental designs made of coke bottles, paper, electrical tape and wood. Oh, and they showed off a car made of ice.
But now, they’re showing off a better design. Rather than using rubber or a hard material like wood, they rolled out a new design with tires made out of coil springs. For years, automakers have been chasing a better ride by improving the suspension of their vehicles. It’s amazing, with their billion-dollar budgets, that no company thought to simply add suspension components to the wheels themselves.
According to the video, the end result drove quite well. That’s a relative term, as we’re talking about a Lada, but apparently, the ride comfort is improved. I don’t imagine that this setup would be good for acceleration, wet traction, high-speed stability, cornering or braking, but that’s fine.
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Because if your commute involves only traveling during dry weather on a poorly-maintained, straight road with no obstacles or stop lights, there’s nothing that’ll get the job done like a wheel made of springs.
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