The Peraves MonoTracer blurs the line between motorcycle and car, providing the excitement of two wheels with the comfort of four in a vehicle that looks like something out of Star Wars.
The super-exclusive MonoTracer -- just 100 will be built next year, at about $70,000 a pop -- is a fully-enclosed motorcycle with training wheels. The carbon-fiber two-seater combines Porsche-like performance with scooter-like fuel economy, accelerating from zero to 62 mph in a claimed (.pdf) 4.8 seconds while still returning 65 mpg. With the perfect blend of performance and luxury, the MonoTracer just might be the sports car of the future.
And it was just named one of Time magazine's best inventions of the year.
Former SwissAir pilot Arnold Wagner has been playing with enclosed motorcycles since 1982, when he built a prototype of the Ecomobile. It looked a bit like a Tylenol capsule with wheels and used a BMW motorcycle engine for power. Wagner and his sons built more than 90 Ecos -- most were sold in Europe and Japan, although a few made it to America -- before a fire destroyed the molds a few years ago. Rather than give up or simply recreate the Ecomobile, Wagner and his two sons went back to the drawing board.
The MonoTracer sports a carbon fiber and Kevlar body reinforced with aluminum crash and roll bars. The engine cradle, retractable outriggers -- they keep the bike from falling over at stoplights -- and steering head are aircraft-quality steel. Power comes from the same 1200-cc four-cylinder engine BMW uses in its K-bikes. The engine produces 113 horsepower, which may not seem like much until you realize the Monotracer weighs just over 1,000 pounds. Amenities include air conditioning and a full-on stereo.
Driving the MonoTracer is a lot like riding a motorcycle - twist the throttle and go - but it's got a clutch pedal instead of a lever. The MonoTracer will lean into corners at a superbike-like 52 degrees, while ABS and traction control will keep you from getting in over your head.