There are many things that need to be questioned. Raising the roof line 1.5-2" when cars are supposed to be rolling off the line a year from now is absurd. As far as I can tell no one at EM knows what trans will be used yet as they are still hashing out the details.
The worst part is the lack of communication. Recently people have claimed the auto trans version will cost 250-300 more, 500 more, and 1000 more. All of them claimed this news came from EM. It may well have. The fact that there is no official info pipe line and we have to guess which second hand info to believe is ridiculous.[/quote
Paul Elio has stated more then once, that there is going to be a P5 and maybe a P6 if needed, before production starts... they take the feedback, that they get from the shows and see if they can make improvements to the Elio, before production starts... so it will be more what the people want in this low cost Autocycle, like the lack of headroom in the back seat, that is why they are raising the roof line the 2"...
From the reports from a past employee, who worked that the Shreveport LA plant making the S-10 pick ups, an Elio could be rolling off the production line... one every 52 seconds, that is a lot of small things to do to make sure they come out right... so let them do it right....
As far as the auto trans... Paul stated that they were in contact with three different transmission manufactures and was working on getting the best deal, for the bucks, to keep it at the mark of $6,800... that is why you hear different prices...
and for the last part... zelio is right... where have you heard of any vehicle manufactures that really asks people what they want and changes it before you buy.... on the most part they just show what they have... and sell it to you for $30,000...
I'll take the Elio, hard to wait, but the wine will be fine....
Just have to hold on... for the Elio Party's in 2015... should be fun...
Proud to be.... an Elio owner... soon...