West Palm Beach Gravity Event

[hmp10]

Is the Tahoe it similar to how it is in the Air?

Yes, as near as I could tell it's the same.

 

[xponents]

There was another interesting feature I noticed in the showroom. Unlike the Air, the Gravity doors have "skirts" that wrap under the lower sill. This means that any mud and dirt one might pick up in off-roading will not be on the sill where it could get on one's clothes. Rivian did the same thing with their design for the same reason.

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Our new car has that too, and I absolutely hate it because I almost keep stepping on the lower part of the door that was extended downward. Tight spaces make it somewhat "hard" to get out, as in I need to twist my legs around a bit. Perhaps it's just a muscle memory issue?

 

[hmp10]

Our new car has that too, and I absolutely hate it because I almost keep stepping on the lower part of the door that was extended downward. Tight spaces make it somewhat "hard" to get out, as in I need to twist my legs around a bit. Perhaps it's just a muscle memory issue?

As long as those rear doors are, I doubt if there'll be much getting out in tight spaces. I expect we'll be having passengers get out before we pull into a parking space. It's one of the reasons I was hoping Lucid would figure out how to do an inconspicuous slider. It's the best way to handle the large rear openings needed for 3-row vehicles.

 

[Neurio]

Here is the Ojai and the Yosemite. To me, the Ojai seems to have a greenish tint, at least on my computer screen:

Here's a pic I took of the Ojai board from the auto show. Definitely more of a taupe color:

And Yosemite:

I definitely like the green exterior, but I'm with @AirDoll - I want to see the bronze color on a vehicle before deciding which color I'll get:

 

[xponents]

Here's a pic I took of the Ojai board from the auto show. Definitely more of a taupe color:
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And Yosemite:
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I definitely like the green exterior, but I'm with @AirDoll - I want to see the bronze color on a vehicle before deciding which color I'll get:
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Never mind, now I can see that Ojai is pretty good with Aurora Green. Yosemite looks great too, and is more of a monochrome approach to SC! Am I just missing something though, or do none of those colors look like actual "bronze?" If there is, I must be missing it, which shows how relatively understated it is. I would have thought it was close to Eureka Gold, as was shown in one of the Gravity teasers..

 

[hydbob]

Never mind, now I can see that Ojai is pretty good with Aurora Green. Yosemite looks great too, and is more of a monochrome approach to SC! Am I just missing something though, or do none of those colors look like actual "bronze?" If there is, I must be missing it, which shows how relatively understated it is. I would have thought it was close to Eureka Gold, as was shown in one of the Gravity teasers..

It's tough and hard to reproduce via pictures since every camera/phone will do it's own processing for colors.

 

[Neurio]

Never mind, now I can see that Ojai is pretty good with Aurora Green. Yosemite looks great too, and is more of a monochrome approach to SC! Am I just missing something though, or do none of those colors look like actual "bronze?" If there is, I must be missing it, which shows how relatively understated it is. I would have thought it was close to Eureka Gold, as was shown in one of the Gravity teasers..

The right one is the bronze color. Those models didn't photograph well, especially given the bright, harsh light of the show. It's definitely a sparkly brown-bronze tone.

 

[hmp10]

Here's a pic I took of the Ojai board from the auto show. Definitely more of a taupe color . . .

Thanks much. Those are the clearest pictures I've seen yet of these colors and they leave me really liking the Ojai.

I definitely like the green exterior, but I'm with @AirDoll - I want to see the bronze color on a vehicle before deciding which color I'll get . . .

Same here. From the pictures, the Supernova Bronze looks similar to the color I've had on our two Odyssey minivans, and I really like it. Although I think I might go with Aurora Green, I want to see the bronze first.

 

[hmp10]

It's tough and hard to reproduce via pictures since every camera/phone will do it's own processing for colors.

It's also hard to get a real gauge on colors inside a showroom, as both the artificial lighting and the studio window tinting can really skew things. I found this out in Miami when we were deciding on the color for our Air. The Zenith Red looked lackluster in the showroom, but when they allowed me to take the color model outside, it transformed into something really eye-grabbing and became the color we ordered.

 

[hmp10]

In an earlier post here I compared the Gravity to the 1936 Stout Scarab and what appeared to me as common elements in their designs.

While looking for something else, I came across this video of Derek Jenkins, the Lucid design chief, being interviewed by Top Gear. In it he talks about his love of airplane design and its relevance for designing cars. Interestingly, the designer of the Scarab was an aeronautical engineer.

Jenkins' discussion of airplane design begins at 6:25:

There were also some shots of the Gravity rear in this video that further evoked the downward sweep and inward pinch of the rear lines of both vehicles:

It's left me wondering whether this is just coincidence born of the common element of airplane design -- a form of convergent evolution based on aerodynamics -- or whether Jenkins was consciously influenced by Stout's work.

 

[xponents]

In an earlier post here I compared the Gravity to the 1936 Stout Scarab and what appeared to me as common elements in their designs.

While looking for something else, I came across this video of Peter Jenkins, the Lucid design chief, being interviewed by Top Gear. In it he talks about his love of airplane design and its relevance for designing cars. Interestingly, the designer of the Scarab was an aeronautical engineer.

Jenkins' discussion of airplane design begins at 6:25:

There were also some shots of the Gravity rear in this video that further evoked the downward sweep and inward pinch of the rear lines of both vehicles:


View attachment 19056
View attachment 19057

It's left me wondering whether this is just coincidence born of the common element of airplane design -- a form of convergent evolution, as it were -- or whether Jenkins was consciously influenced by Stout's work.

This could also explain the platinum details of all Lucid models so far, as late 20th century airplanes used to have that same accented design (with oddly, a very similar tone of silver):

 

[hmp10]

This could also explain the platinum details of all Lucid models so far, as airplanes used to have that same accented design (with oddly, a very similar tone of silver):

I hadn't thought of that. I had pegged that feature back to the two-tone body/roof combos of mid-century car design, but the choice of an aluminum finish does evoke airplanes, too.

 

[xponents]

I hadn't thought of that. I had pegged that feature back to the two-tone body/roof combos of mid-century car design, but the choice of an aluminum finish does evoke airplanes, too.

You know, the more I look at these two pictures, it seems like Lucid used the Scarab as a DIRECT influence on the Gravity (as in, actively using it as inspiration during the design process). Just look at the rear window trim piece on the Gravity, and the similar detailing on the Scarab:

Both use the same style of ribbed lines, and in the same location... I doubt Lucid would go to the trouble of detailing that obscure of a piece on the SUV without some influence. A promo picture also showed this piece SPECIFICALLY, and I doubt Lucid would call that much attention to a random trim piece if it wasn't significant in some way (in this case, it could be significant because it was based off the Scarab). The fact that other details on the car match up or look inspired also add to this theory.

 

[Lucken]

This could also explain the platinum details of all Lucid models so far, as late 20th century airplanes used to have that same accented design (with oddly, a very similar tone of silver):
View attachment 19058

You don't want anything patterned after a DC10!!!!

 

[xponents]

You don't want anything patterned after a DC10!!!!

Yup, that plane was basically the worse and old version of the 737 max in terms of issues, hopefully the Gravity and the Air don't take inspiration from THAT aspect of it and become death cruisers!

 

[hydbob]

You know, the more I look at these two pictures, it seems like Lucid used the Scarab as a DIRECT influence on the Gravity (as in, actively using it as inspiration during the design process). Just look at the rear window trim piece on the Gravity, and the similar detailing on the Scarab:

View attachment 19059

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Both use the same style of ribbed lines, and in the same location... I doubt Lucid would go to the trouble of detailing that obscure of a piece on the SUV without some influence. A promo picture also showed this piece SPECIFICALLY, and I doubt Lucid would call that much attention to a random trim piece if it wasn't significant in some way (in this case, it could be significant because it was based off the Scarab). The fact that other details on the car match up or look inspired also add to this theory.

I think in one of the videos Derek mentioned it was for aero, probably to break up the air coming down the side so it didn't create a negative pressure zone in the rear?

 

[xponents]

I think in one of the videos Derek mentioned it was for aero, probably to break up the air coming down the side so it didn't create a negative pressure zone in the rear?

Yup, that was the reason for the aero piece itself. What I'm trying to understand is why Lucid added stripes and detailing to the design of it instead of keeping it gloss black to match the surrounding trim like any other company would do, and my best guess is that they modeled it and other components of the car after the Scarab! (worked really well, as I love the design)

 

[hmp10]

I think in one of the videos Derek mentioned it was for aero, probably to break up the air coming down the side so it didn't create a negative pressure zone in the rear?

I remember that, too. I think some of the resemblance between the Scarab and the Gravity are definitely a case of convergent evolution, as both designs were addressing similar aerodynamic issues.

But I really would like to know if Jenkins thought of the Scarab during the Gravity design process. He's extremely well schooled in the history of automotive design, and I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that he has studied the Scarab at some point. I'm just wondering if the elements in play here are coincidence, convergent evolution, conscious reference, or unconscious influence . . . or some combination of these.

View attachment 19060

Remember that the Scarab had a rear-mounted Ford V8 engine. Those are probably air intakes either for radiators or to cool the engine bay.

And that brings up another element of common design between the Scarab and Gravity: very short front and rear overhangs. It seems that both Stout and Jenkins were managing not only aerodynamics in similar ways, but also the space concept: unconventional powertrain layout, stretched wheelbases. (Unfortunately, Stout didn't have the powertrain miniaturization advantages with which Jenkins could work.)

 

[xponents]

Remember that the Scarab had a rear-mounted Ford V8 engine. Those are probably air intakes either for radiators or to cool the engine bay.

And that brings up another element of common design between the Scarab and Gravity: very short front and rear overhangs. It seems that both Stout and Jenkins were managing not only aerodynamics in similar ways, but also the space concept: unconventional powertrain layout, stretched wheelbases. (Unfortunately, Stout didn't have the powertrain miniaturization advantages with which Jenkins could work.)

True, although the design principle of the vent being similar is still in effect. As you noted, MANY elements between the cars are oddly similar.

 

[xponents]

View attachment 18985View attachment 18986View attachment 18987View attachment 18988View attachment 18989View attachment 18990View attachment 18991View attachment 18992View attachment 18993View attachment 18994Just got back from the West Palm Beach event. It was nice to see the Gravity up close - Dream edition. The car is really nice. I am very interested in buying one. We did not get a chance to sit inside, that was a bummer.

On the good side, I did meet @hmp10. Nice to meet you, Mike.

Anyway I had fun talking with other Lucid owners and staff. They told us that production should start this summer. Sales should start last quarter of 2024 with the 2025 model. They did say the Dream edition will most likely go first.

I charged last night and drove to work then to West Palm and back. I drove 70 or so on the highway, AC on and 80 degrees outside. Total drive today was 149 miles at 4.2 m/kwh. Pretty good.

By the way, some of you guys just got featured on Lucid's Twitter! Guess you're too famous for us plebians now...