The entirely new tiny Meta 'city' car, from Garage Italia, has made its public debut at the Bologna Motor Show, which will be available in 2006 in five innovative different versions. Technically known as a quadricycle, the Meta is versatile, compact, has excellent handling and has been developed to meet very high safety standards according to Garage Italia who believe that the best of Italian design and engineering has been concentrated into this perky, agile, fun vehicle.

Born to respond to the strong need for easy, individual, urban mobility Meta saves space, especially important for town parking, has low fuel consumption and very good performance, even on really steep roads or parking ramps. Meta has unique and sophisticated mechanics -  statement from Garage Italia continues to say - as an entirely new integrated gear has been developed and patented. It guarantees constant and continuative traction avoiding bumpy starts and, when the accelerator is released, acts as a powerful engine brake. Meta mounts double bracket front shock absorbers and leveraged horizontal rear suspensions to give maximum efficiency with removing space from the boot of the vehicle. 14-15 inch wheels guarantee good visibility and comfort. Maximum attention has been pain to safety and protection: the chassis has been designed with a top case built with tubular cells in concurrence of forces to resist both fontal and lateral impacts.

Three different engines are available, electric 15kW, petrol 505cc and diesel 505cc, giving good performance with low consumption circa 3.5 litres per 100km for the diesel and circa 5 litres for the petrol version. The maximum speed varies from 45km/h for 4kW to 85km/h for 85kW. The electric model will adopt an engine that is hermetically sealed for longer duration and lower maintenance. Moreover, for the same power, it is lighter and smaller allowing faster heat dispersion and consequently greater efficiency and autonomy.

The interiors are technical and rational. The aim of acquiring maximum space in this very compact car has been achieved with many details. Starting with the very special seats made in metacrilate shells with seats in Eva. These sporty but elegant designer seats fold double, closing like an oyster. This gives plenty of space, even for cumbersome objects such as golf clubs, when the passenger seat is folded. The seats contain a useful dish inserted at the front in which to securely place keys or cellphones so that they do not slide under the pedals when braking. Several hooks are available for hanging handbags or backpacks.
 

The windows have been designed to be removable, for summer use, and thus a comfortable arm rest has been created in the doors. All these particular ergometric solutions make Meta small outside and big inside. The steering wheel has also been especially developed to improve space and safety. The attractive instrument panel has been inserted in the centre of the steering wheel, allowing the driver maximum concentration on the road and leaving a very clean, essential dashboard. A photosensitive sensor adjusts the visibility of the external light.

Meta will be available in five versions: Basic, Safari, Sport, Top and Electric, each with its own special features, for example 'Top' has a removable roof and windows to turn it into a summer car, while the 'Safari' option has bull bars, luggage grid and headlamp protection for off road driving; Sport has a sporty driving position with larger rear tyres than the front ones to give a very good grip on the road and Basic is just that, a very essential, no-frills vehicle. Meta will come in a choice of five body colours: Sunflower yellow, racing red, blue electric, desert sand and livesilver to which different colour seats can be matched in meta green, sea blue and grey.

Meta will arrive on the market in 2006, sold through selected dealers - on the basis of customer care, location and service - initially in Italy, but later abroad, in particular in Mediterranean countries with characteristics and terrain similar to Italy such as medieval towns, narrow streets, islands and tourist areas. Meta has already obtained Italian Ministry of Transport homologation.

"Meta is a synthesis of the best of Made in Italy," comments Giovanni Galvano, Director of Garage Italia Srl. "The whole project has been aimed at creating an extremely safe, small vehicle to be used alternatively to a car for individual transport in our congested cities reducing both the need for parking space and running costs. Meta is the result of a coordinated study by a group of young Italian engineers that, thanks to great team effort, have brought an idea to reality in only two year."