quite like the look of these
Affirmatively YES!, The 1.8T-Powered Mid-Engine Roadster
By by: Brad Beardow, Photos: Funke and Will
Apr 25, 2005, 20:11
Do you love the design philosophy behind the Lotus Elise but you’re put off by the fact that any Tom, Dick or Jane can purchase one? If you’ve answered yes, than may I suggest you also try a YES!?
A YES! Roadster, to be more precise, may well be what you’re looking for. Like the Elise, the YES! is designed to provide the purest driving experience possible, and uses modern technology and a very low curb weight to achieve it.
Weighing in at a svelte 1830 lbs via the use of an all-aluminum space frame, composite fiber body and underbody panels, and an overall lack of unnecessary creature comforts, the YES! is very much designed with a purity of response in mind. The Roadster is not designed to be everything to everyone, but rather a true sports car that is equally at home on the road and track.
In addition to providing a lightweight vehicle, those familiar with the Audi A8 and A2 products will appreciate the use of an aluminum space frame from a relational perspective to those two Audis. The layman behind the wheel will appreciate it more for its torsional stiffness that is even more impressive than many roofed sports cars. The space frame’s value also becomes apparent should the car become involved in an accident where the rigidity, combined with engineered crumple zones help increase the likelihood that occupants live to drive another day.
Each YES! (an acronym for Young Engineers Sportcar) is hand assembled and built one at a time in a modern aircraft hangar on the outskirts of Dresden, Germany. The company is owned by Funke & Will AG and was formed when two engineering students at Cologne Technical University got together and decided they did not wish to complete their studies by preparing ordinary dissertations - they decided to build a car. Each YES! is built with its prospective owner’s physical and aesthetic dimensions in mind. Seat height and pedal placement are assembled to suit, and interior trim and paint schemes are quite flexible as well. Even engine output is open to discussion.
Speaking of engine output, the YES! employs a VWAG-sourced 1.8T engine tuned to produce a very healthy 280+ hp and is properly situated amidships and mated to a 5-speed transaxle. So much power in such a light vehicle should yield supercar performance, and according to YES! these expectations are fully realized – they claim the 0-62 mph sprint is accomplished in 4.2 seconds.
From YourSITE.com
Miscellaneous Features
Affirmatively YES!, The 1.8T-Powered Mid-Engine Roadster
By by: Brad Beardow, Photos: Funke and Will
Apr 25, 2005, 20:11
Why a VWAG engine? We asked Funke & Will’s Jens-Uwe Viehrig this very question, and he told us, “When Herbert Funke and Philipp Will wanted to realize their diploma thesis in the form of a prototype, they contacted thirty-six boards of directors of German automobile companies and asked for support. Thirty-two of them offered their help and so our company founders received services, material and of course financial support. VWAG was very liberal and offered many parts which flow into the production of the YES!. The high quality of the engine and its giant performance-weight ratio, as well as the compact dimension was exactly that what the founders of the YES! were looking for. Funke & Will AG is directly provided with the engine by VWAG. On behalf of Funke & Will AG, a specialist enhances the performance of the engine.â€Â
We also asked Herr Viehrig if YES! was planning on switching to the VWAG 2.0T FSI engine, but he told us that as of now they have no plans to do so.
Suspension on the little Roadster is comprised of a sophisticated 4-wheel, double-wishbone design and 4-piston calipers clamping huge vented rotors handle the braking chores. Rather large 18-inch wheels and tires assure that tenacious grip will never be an issue.
As mentioned, the YES! Roadster is a very compact vehicle. It measures only 46 inches tall, 143 inches long, and has a wheelbase of only 92.7 inches. Front and rear overhangs are minimal and the large wheels and tires are pushed all the way out to the corners. Styling is angular and bold with a rising character line running from the lower portion of the front bumper, along the sides of the vehicle and incorporating the bottom cut lines for the scissor-style vertically opening doors. Vents in the front hood, the rear quarter panels and engine cover are no mere decorations, and the car as a whole has a purposeful, if a bit funky, look to the design.
The interior is just as businesslike as the exterior with only necessary gauges and manual heating and ventilation controls presented. YES! has chosen to use other VWAG partsbin items such as wiper and trun signal stalks and even the headlight switch. A set of very TT-looking pedals are tastefully presented, and as mentioned earlier, they are adjustable to suit the vehicle owner. Thoughtful aluminum trim keeps austerity from looking cheap, but the lack of even a radio (there is a pocket for one should an owner find such trivialities necessary) suggests the cockpit of the Roadster is simply for conducting the business at hand – driving. Shapely buckets seats with 4-point belts are the real deal, and aluminum roll hoops offer an added sense of security when venturing on track. A canvas roof is also part of the package, but considering the side windows are removable, it seems the YES! is best enjoyed on warm, sunny days.
Funke & Will produce the YES! as a specialty car in small numbers. When speaking of delivery time, they suggest that it is based heavily upon demand. Once production for a car has been scheduled, roughly 4 weeks before they begin manufacturing, the owner is invited to visit them at their factory.
Should the owner choose to do so, they may travel to the Funke & Will hangar. At that time, the buyer’s YES! will be tailored to his or her own individual requirements. One can view, select and order colors, materials and optional features, while the driver’s seat and steering wheel are adjusted to match the intended owner’s personal dimensions and preferences.
One of the many fascinating aspects of the YES! Roadster is the tailor-made aspect that Funke & Will proudly communicate. One main facet of that is the large degree of options that they have developed for the car. These include:
Green wedge-shaped windscreen, leather interior, heated seats, a YES! Edition 3-spoke steering wheel, a Becker Mexico Pro with raidio/CD MD or tape, Becker Traffic Pro Radio/CD/Navigation System, remote controlled car alarm with immobilizer, rear distance sensor with acoustic signals, fully adjustable coilover suspension, Rimowa Light Alloy Luggage Box with System Rack, Yes! Clubsport alloy wheels from BBS, a tarpaulin of Sonnenland fabric, and a breathable car cover.
An owner can further equip their YES! exactly as he or she wishes. Funke & Will pledge to always do their best to put the owner’s ideas into practice. For example, it is possible to have the car specially painted in any color a buyer might wish. Custom leather upholstery with individualized seat covers, leather trim around the dashboard and controls, or a transparent – laminated carbon-fiber dashboard and console are also available.
A full pallet of colors have also been developed for the YES!. These include:
Spellbound Silver (silver), Asphault Gray (dark gray), Sunrise Lemon, (light yellow), Clubsport Gray (light gray/blue metallic), Vineyard Red (burgundy), Nightflight Black (black metallic), Pine Green (dark green metallic), Caribbean Blue (teal blue metallic), and Rhapsodie Blue (dark blue/gray metallic).
Standard interior configurations for the car translate to a cockpit painted in basic silver or dark silver, with the accent panel available in Clubsport Orange (dark orange), Maroon Red (burgundy), and Adventure Beige (beige). Standard leather hues include Black Chamois (black), Maroon Red Chamois (burgundy), and Adventure Beige Chamois (beige).
Once completed, each YES! is ready for the buyer to run on Funke & Will’s 3.5km test track. Even better, they offer the support of professional instructors on their driver’s training course.
Pricing for the YES! Roadster starts at about 65,000 euros and goes up from there - certainly more than Elise money by a healthy margin, but exclusivity and such personalized construction usually has its price. Part of the YES! ownership experience includes 24-hr personalized customer service and should anything go wrong, it’s the YES! representative who visits the customer and not vice-versa.
Sadly, as of now YES! vehicles are not yet available in the US, but that could well change in the near future. According to Jens-Uwe Viehrig, "At present the Funke & Will AG has started the homologation of the YES Roadster for the USA, but we do not have it yet. Since our office moved it is possible to order in advance. This fall we will open our showroom there as well." US inquiries are being handled by partners P3 of America, Inc. in San Francisco (hniebergall@eeccsf.org or 415.983.9565). So who knows – perhaps every Tom, Dick and Jane will someday get a crack at purchasing a YES! Roadster. And if that happens, might I interest you in a Gumbert Apollo?
Dave (article borrowed from t'internet
Edited by Dave, 13 October 2005 - 09:33 PM.
Looks like one of those metro based TT kit cars IYAM 
But from the side it looks like nody's had some bling'ing done 
From the Side - Holy Sh1te that one ugly mumma 
