For inspiration, think of the Citroen 2CV, or purpose-built military vehicles.
What features would you have / not have in order to make a cheap, super-reliable car?
Things like power windows (or power anything), AC, excessive electronics, auto transmission, or other unnecessary conveniences would go, in favor of more reliable, tough diesel engines, manual transmissions, etc. Things like manual engine crank (in case the battery dies) would be good to have, for example. Styling would be the last priority.
In other words, a car that is just as safe and capable as any other new car, but came with only the bare necessities, in order to be cheap, reliable, and easy to work on.
What else would you add / drop if you were designing a car like this?
Easy to modify would also be a plus. Imagine you're a poor farmer who needs a car to get to town on Sunday and for light work around the farm, and this is the last vehicle you'll ever buy.
What features would you have / not have in order to make a cheap, super-reliable car?
Things like power windows (or power anything), AC, excessive electronics, auto transmission, or other unnecessary conveniences would go, in favor of more reliable, tough diesel engines, manual transmissions, etc. Things like manual engine crank (in case the battery dies) would be good to have, for example. Styling would be the last priority.
In other words, a car that is just as safe and capable as any other new car, but came with only the bare necessities, in order to be cheap, reliable, and easy to work on.
What else would you add / drop if you were designing a car like this?
Easy to modify would also be a plus. Imagine you're a poor farmer who needs a car to get to town on Sunday and for light work around the farm, and this is the last vehicle you'll ever buy.