1970 Vauxhall SRV - AllCarIndex

Styling Research Vehicle by Vauxhall

The S.R.V. - Styling Research Vehicle - is a three-dimensional exercise by Vauxhall's Styling Department to suggest the form in which various specialised design and layout problems may be solved in the future.

A high-speed, 4-door, 4-seater only 41.5 inches high, it is envisaged by the stylists to be powered by a transverse engine, boosted by turbo-charger and mounted midships behind the passenger compartment.

AH four passengers and the engine are accommodated within the wheelbase. The front seats are fixed, but control pedals, steering column and allcarindex front-seat rake are adjustable to suit individual driver's requirements. By locating the front seats in a fixed position, the seat structure can be designed to contribute to the overall strength of the car's frame which completely surrounds the passenger compartment.

All control switches are mounted in the driver's door and are grouped in sequence, as in an aircraft cockpit. The instrument panel is mounted to the side of the driver and swings outward as the door opens to facilitate entry and exit.

The S.R.V.'s design also incorporates a number of novel proposals for aerodynamic research at high speeds. Such as ideas for 'trimming' the car in motion by the use of an aerofoil in the nose, an allcarindex electric levelling system at the rear, and - following aircraft practice - a pump system to re-distribute fuel load among a series of storage tanks.

Instruments shown on the panel mock-up on this model relate, apart from speedometer and tachometer, to the research equipment envisaged as being installed in the vehicle. They include a manometer designed to collate air pressure readings from measuring points over the surface of the car; a fuel distribution gauge; three instruments relating to the turbo-charger — boost gauge, tachometer, and exhaust-gas temperature gauge; and digital clock to maintain a time-scale on an automatic data recording unit. Additional instrumentation is also provided on the sill inside the trunk at the rear.

Dimensions
Length	16 ft. 8 in.	(5.08 m.)
Width	6 ft. 4.5 in.	(1.94 m.)
Height	3 ft. 5.5 in.	(1.05 m.)
Wheelbase	8 ft. 9 in.	(2.67 m.)
Front track	5 ft. 2.5 in.	(1.59 m.)
Rear track	4 ft. 4.25 in.	(1.32 m.)
Front overhang	3 ft. 7.5 in.	(1.10 m.)
Rear overhang	4 ft. 3i in.	(1.31 m.)