The Rally Fighter

賽車鬥士A whole new way of building cars 製造汽車的全新方式by Simon Stopps

Though it might look like an ordinary sports car, the Rally Fighter is anything but average. The US $50, 000 off - road, street - legal racer was designed by an online community, making it the world's first open-source car design to reach production. That makes the Rally Fighter more than just an ingenious idea; it's a whole new way of making cars. And for Local Motors, the company that builds it, the racer is just the beginning.

The Rally Fighter versus the auto industry
Today, most people drive cars produced by large automakers. These companies spend huge amounts of time and money developing vehicles that are suitable for mass production. Theoretically, this process results in safe, well-engineered cars that normal people can afford. Unfortunately, developmental costs also mean automakers can't effectively take customer feedback into account in their designs.

Local Motors is challenging the auto makers' model with a unique developmental process that combines professional engineering with the input of an online community. When moving cars from the drawing board to production. Local Motors takes less time and incurs lower costs than larger companies.

The process
The Local Motors' process begins with members of their open, online community submitting vehicle designs for review by other members. Than the community votes to select the best design. Winning concepts are further developed through co-creation, a process that combines the professional Local Motors' team with the online community. During co-creation, everything from the vehicle's body to its engine and components are chosen. This means the company can focus on producing cars that have already been proven popular by winning a contest.

Development of the Rally Fighter was made more efficient by the use of off-the-shelf parts from companies like BMW, Mazda and Ford. This allows owners to customize their cars, and it makes replacement parts easy to acquire. After a design is finalized, a micro-factory is established to produce the cars one at a time. These factories create local jobs, generate less waste and allow for further customization. Car buyers spend two three-day weekends at the factory helping to build their own cars as part of a "build experience."

The small size of Local Motors doesn't pose a direct challenge to large automakers, but it does give drivers an option.

Grammar Tips:
That makes the Rally Fighter more than just an ingenious idea.
"to make something more than just a _________."
The refrigerator's computer panel makes it more than just another household appliance.
This watch's ability to take pictures makes it more than just a timepiece.

Vocabulary
ingenious- 巧妙的,精巧的,有創造力的.
*This ingenious model of human organs captured the students' attention.精細的人體器官模型吸引了...
*His ingenious design was copied by many other fashion designers.他的原創性設計被..抄襲.
theoretically - 理論上來説 theory (n)-理論
*Theoretically, processing such a large amount of data is possible.
*A cure for this disease is theoretically possible. 在理論上是可行的
incur-產生,使產生,帶來,招致,導致.
*The cost incurred by the surgery will be covered by the patient's health insurance.產生...
*The mayor's careless comments incurred much criticism by the press.導致批評
component- 組成要素，成份，零件。com-有“一起”之意，
*The aircraft components are mostly made in America.
*Vegetables are an important component of a healthy diet.
off - the -shelf : 從置物柜上直接取得的，現成的，買來不需修改即可使用的，非訂制的 shelf-置物柜的板子。
*You can buy all these beautiful accessories off-the-shelf.
*These off-the shelf computer software programs can no longer meet our needs.
option-選擇,選項
*Considering the weather condition, the best option seems to be for us to return home right now.
*There are several options available for people who are willing to work abroad.
* It seems like I have no other option but to say goodbye right now.

Chat Room:
It is the right make but not the right model.
make - 製造 make (n) -company. 厰牌
model -車 型, 款式 a type of car
Toyota is make 公司,厰牌, you can't say 不能說" maker"
Camry is model. 是車型,車款.
automaker-汽車製造商(公司)
vehicle -車, 任何交通工具. anything designed to transport the people we call it "vehicle"
Police use "vehicle" for car on their report, specially, the year, make or model of car unknown.
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body shop- 汽車修理廠,
body-人的身體，也指“汽車的車身”
the body shop - 加定冠詞 "the" 指的是“美体美膚salon”
body shop- for car bodies - a body shop 汽車板金工廠，車身有損傷，可拿去body shop修
the vehicle's body -汽車的車身.