A Look Back at the Rinspeed Senso - GREAT VIDEO

More from One of the World's Great Auto Visionaries

TACH AUTO CENTRAL - February 20, 2008:

Rinspeed sQuba

For the past week or so automotive Internet sites have been buzzing with the news about the latest concept car to come out of the Rinspeed wonder garage in Switzerland, the sQuba - the world's first underwater "flying car." In fact, the buzz was so great that even traditional media outlets like ABC News eventually discovered the vehicle and did a TV story about it.

We featured the story the day it broke, complete with an amazing video, which can be seen by CLICKING HERE. The sQuba will be formally introduced at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show in March. We’ll be covering the Geneva Show live and expect to report on the debut at that time.

Over the years we’ve also featured some of Rinspeed's other amazing inventions, such the Splash hydrofoil car and the eXasis glass car. An elaborately produced video was produced by Rinspeed for the Splash to coincide with its introduction at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show. The wonderful Splash video can be seen by CLICKING HERE.

Rinspeed Senso

Well, there is one other Rinspeed concept car, and video, that we thought you’d enjoy seeing, the Senso. Rinspeed, and Bayer MaterialScience, one of the world's largest plastics producers, presented the innovative Senso at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. This car was developed in cooperation with the experienced engineering specialist, Esoro. Both Esoro and Bayer are two of Rinspeed’s regular development partners.

Click the PLAY button below to watch the Senso video.

The "Senso", which runs on environmentally friendly natural gas, has, not without reason, been labeled the most sensuous car in the world. The "Senso" actually "senses" the driver by measuring his (or her) biometric data, and then exerts a positive effect on him with the help of patterns, colors, music and fragrances. A person who is relaxed and wide-awake simply drives better and more safely.

Rinspeed Senso

The whole project is based on an elaborate sensory system that forms the heart of the vehicle. It consists of a number of sensors that have the job of gathering data about the driver's condition. Firstly, there is a biometric Polar watch to measure the driver's pulse. A "Mobile Eye" camera records his driving behavior, in other words how well and how often he changes lane, and how close and at what speed he approaches the cars in front. Then - this, at any rate, is the vision - a HP board computer evaluates the data and establishes, with the aid of special algorithms, the driver's current state of mind.

Clean performance - the power plant The 1'385 kg lightweight "Senso" is powered by a 3.2-liter boxer engine from the Porsche Boxster S, modified for its service in the "Senso" to run on gasoline and natural gas. As a result, emissions of harmful CO2 are reduced by as much as 30 percent. This is because natural gas is an extremely clean burning fuel, consisting almost entirely of methane with virtually no sulfur. The engine produces 250 bhp/184 kW at 6'200 rpm and has a maximum torque of 300 Nm at 4'600 rpm. A manual six-speed transmission transfers the power to the rear axle. The "Senso" accelerates from 0-100 kph in 5.9 seconds and has a top speed of 250 kph.

For more information about Rinspeed and their products visit www.rinspeed.com.