The Covini Engineering team's been clamoring to get the C6W into production for the last 30+ years. Now they might finally have their day.
The Covini Six Wheeler takes its engineering inspiration from the 1976 Tyrell P34 race car which had two pairs of smaller front wheels that were intended to increase air penetration and have a smaller frontal area effectively reducing drag. Although the ideas behind the Tyrell P34 don't necessarily translate to the C6W, Ferruccio Covini, the company's founder, gives the following reasons for creating his modern-day six-wheeler:
• Less risk of front tires deflating
• Less risk of aquaplaning
• Better braking
• Better grip
• Better comfort
• Better absorption of frontal impact
The C6W was first shown in 2004 and a revised version was shown at the Geneva Motor Show a year later with new wheels, interior and roof structure. Numerous prototypes have been developed and tested and now ItaliaSpeed is reporting the Covini C6W will be produced in limited numbers starting at the end of 2009. Power for this RWD 6-wheeled beast will be a 4.2-liter Audi mill channeling 433bhp (440PS) and 346lb-ft (470Nm) through a 6-speed manual gearbox. Top speed is expected to be 185 MPH.
Take a look at the C6W in action below:
[via: ItaliaSpeed, Covini Engineering, YouTube]
Welcome to Jalopnik, the car blog. If you enjoyed this story, here's some of our more recent reviews and features you may enjoy:
JALOPNIK REVIEWS
•2010 Ford Mustang: First Drive
•2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid: First Drive
•The All-Electric MINI E: First Drive
JALOPNIK FEATURES
•How To Winterize Your Car In Ten Easy Steps
•The Ten Most Outrageous Car Paint Jobs Of 2008
•The World's 18 Worst Intersections And Interchanges
•Chrysler Auctioning Off An Entire HEMI Assembly Line
•NBC Cuts Top Gear USA Due To Knight Rider Failure
JALOPNIK INDUSTRY CARPOCALYPSE COVERAGE
•Map Of Every Domestic Automaker Manufacturing Site Reveals The Extent Of The Carpocalypse
•While New York Slept: A Mad Lib NYT Op-Ed By Friedman Thomas
•White House Loan Deal For Not-So-Big Three Is "Bankruptcy Lite"