Rhomboid cars

The arrangement of a car's four wheels never changes: two wheels at the front, two at the rear. However, as early as the 1920s, some people, including Gabriel Voisin, came up with another solution: placing the wheels in a diamond shape. In other words, two side wheels, one at the front and one at the rear. This was known as the rhomboid car.

Ellipsis

Admittedly, rhomboid cars have never gone beyond the curiosity stage. In 2016, the Rétromobile show brought together a few models, including the Pininfarina X, a fairly accomplished concept car, as well as two Ellipisis designed by Philippe Charbonneaux. And this is where Franco Sbarro comes in.
Philippe Charbonneaux asked Franco Sbarro to build the seventh rhomboid car of his design, the Ellipsis. Together with students from Espace Sbarro, he built the car that is now on display at the Musée de l'Automobile in Reims. It is a three-seater prototype powered by a Porsche six-cylinder engine. The Ellipsis reaches a theoretical top speed of 300 km/h thanks to its meticulous aerodynamics: the Cx is just 0.17.

Assystem City Car

In 2007, Franco Sbarro presented a rhomboid car, the Assystem City Car, which is one of his most elaborate prototypes, if not the best known.
The rhomboid wheel arrangement gives it remarkable manoeuvrability: the front and rear wheels pivot on themselves, giving it an unrivalled turning radius. The car can turn on itself, making manoeuvring and parking easier.
The Assysrem City Car also features other Sbarro patents, such as the Autonomous Power Unit (UMA) and the Dual Frame chassis.