2003 Rinspeed Bedouin Porsche 911 (996) as a pickup!

Recently updated on January 25, 2021 at 10:10 am

RINSPEED DESIGN, the Swiss creative forge for automotive concepts and emotions, surprised the car show in Geneva in 2003 with a very special attraction: the RINSPEED BEDOUIN. The Rinspeed Bedouin can be converted from a spacious two-seater pick-up into a sporty four-seater station wagon with an all-road look at the touch of a button in less than ten seconds. Thanks to its high roofline, the Bedouin also offers the rear passengers considerable seating comfort and sufficient space for free development. But that's not all: the space gained can alternatively be used as a closed loading area by folding down the backrests. "With the Rinspeed Bedouin we wanted to show that the subject of multi-purpose vehicles still has a lot of creative potential,“Said Frank M. Rinderknecht, head of Rinspeed AG a good 17 years ago. "From our point of view, multi-purpose vehicles can make an important contribution to the conservation of global resources, as they are able to take on the role of often little-used second or even third vehicles. Especially since they adapt to the respective needs within seconds."

The trick of transformation

The almost magical transformation is made possible by two electric motors that first lower or raise the entire vehicle roof via mechanical spindle gears. The front part of the roof folds to form the rear window, the rear part to the loading area. The tailgate also opens and closes electronically and, when open, extends the loading area by a further 45 centimeters to 185 centimeters. This can not only be used to transport bulky goods, but also serves as a modern replacement for tents and a romantic lying area for comfortable rest. In order to meet the requirements for maximum security, the adjustment mechanism is equipped with self-locking and redundant fuses and safety switches. A radio remote control allows the effective staging of this unique act of transformation with the lively participation of the surrounding population.

then the fastest natural gas vehicle in the world

For the then future-oriented, because very environmentally friendly drive, a Double turbo natural gas engine. Natural gas is an extremely clean-burning fuel that consists almost entirely of methane and has almost no sulfur. The protection of the environment does not come at the expense of driving pleasure: the twin-turbo four-valve engine from Porsche produces a maximum output of 420 hp / 309 kW at 6000 rpm. The maximum torque of 560 Nm is already available at 2700 rpm. The driving performance is also impressive. The quick-change artist, weighing 1640 kg, accelerates to 5,9 km / h in around 100 seconds and reaches an electronically and mechanically limited top speed of 250 km / h.

Sporty thoughts ...

Even at first glance, the sleek lines of the Bedouin caused a sensation everywhere. It is somewhat reminiscent of the Porsche 911 of the type 996, from which the all-wheel drive floor assembly of the Bedouin comes. In the English tradition of the “Shooting Break”, the sporty station wagon of the noble hunters, the roof line flattens out dynamically towards the rear. The wide rear fenders with their distinctive air inlets exude a lot of overtaking prestige at first glance. The generously dimensioned front air inlets ensure sufficient cooling air at all times and also contribute to the powerful look of the Bedouin.

The sporty Stainless steel exhaust system from Remus ensures the adequate robust sound. The tailpipes milled from solid aluminum give the rear a dynamic and unmistakable finish. The ingenious roof construction made of aluminum profiles is an expression of high school engineering. The highlight: With the help of two electric motors, the roof can be converted into a pick-up bed in just ten seconds. The entire mechanics including the drives are invisibly housed in the side walls. Green tinted Foliatec glass in the roof openings gives the occupants a bright and cozy ambience even when closed.

The body, which is 15 centimeters higher than that of the Porsche, sits on a chassis specially developed by Eibach, which is adjustable both in height and in hardness. The chassis engineers have succeeded in the rare feat of achieving a perfect synthesis of driving comfort and sporty handling. The rearview mirrors as well as the front and rear collision protection are finished in sparkling crystal lacquer from Swarovski. The hood emblem made of solid crystal and the lettering on the back using SDS technology are also from Swarovski. With the Bedouin, even the rear lights point forward - in this case into the future. In.pro. Chrome-plated LED lights developed especially for the Bedouin, which not only initiate a completely new design trend, but also make an important contribution to road safety thanks to their extremely fast lighting up. The entire body of the Bedouin consists of pre-preg composite, an ultra-modern plastic that is seldom used in vehicle construction, which offers extremely high stability with a low specific weight.

Crystalline leather worlds

In the interior, too, the Bedouin cannot and does not want to deny his noble ancestry. The interior fittings, most of which were taken over from the Porsche 996 Turbo, were lined with fine "PoltronaFrau leather" from X-Mobil. The brown tone of the color "cotto" goes perfectly with the exterior color, which changes from light green to copper. The Rinspeed designers also break new ground when it comes to the choice of materials. In a partnership with the global crystal market leader Swarovski, highly fashionable and at the same time visionary elements were created. The hand-covered door panels sparkle in soft brown and white tones. As a special treat, the gear knob made of full white crystal has a gear shift gate embedded in endography. The Rinspeed logo was lasered into the leather parts of the seats and covered with crystals.

A 7-inch color screen, which can be folded out and integrated into the headliner, serves alternatively as a monitor for the image from the reversing camera or entertains the front passenger with the program on the DVD player that is also installed. Of course, the entertainment system of the Bedouin developed by Blaupunkt also allows the connection of an external program source such as a Sony Playstation.

Well fogged

The Rinspeed Bedouin rolls on bulbous, fully off-road Continental SportContact 4 × 4 tires in impressive 18-inch format in sizes 255/55 at the front and 285/50 at the rear. Continental tires combine environmentally friendly design, excellent off-road capabilities and good grip on paved roads. Two-part Rinspeed aluminum rims (8.5 × 18 "ET 40 at the front, 10 × 18" ET 52 mm at the rear), specially manufactured by ATP, ensure a good fit. The progressive Wandfluh steering makes an elementary contribution to the agile agility of the Bedouin. Just over half a turn of the steering wheel lies between the left and right full lock. This means that quick and direct changes of direction are child's play without the straight-line running suffering. If we get more information about the changes, there will of course be an update for this report. You will be informed of this if you simply do ours Feed subscribe to. Have fun watching the pictures and stay true to us!

Photos: Rinspeed / Text: PM Rinspeed

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Rinspeed Porsche 911 (996) as a pickup conversion!

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