The tunnel can be MUCH smaller because the drive shaft is in a fixed position -- it no longer travels up/down or side/side as it would with a solid rear axle.
Great minds think alike
And how would you know this? We still can't see anything under the camo. The roofline is one of the best hidden I've ever seen.
Common sense says the roof line is going to follow the same path the driver/passenger windows are going(sloping off to the back), and you can see the top of the qtr. window thru the square hole.
It might be a little lower, but the fact that you can see the top of the quarter window through the square obviously doesn't mean that's where the roofline would be. If you look at the outline the OP drew, I doubt the roof is THAT much lower. It does need a little clearance for the heads of the rear passengers doesnt it?
I'm not assuming -- we have seen the lines in earlier pics. In this pic, you can see the window slop towards the back, the top of the qtr. window, and possibly the back window.
Not true. The tunnel HAS to be that high. There is barely enough clearance as it is. Plus, remember, this is a north-south engine platform. That means the transmission comes off the back of the engine. Any lower the tunnel gets. The lower the driveshaft gets and lower the ground clearance gets. There are requirements for things like ground clearance. Remember, not everyone wants a vehicle that is to only be driven on flat cement.
You are joking, right? There is ZERO reason a car with IRS, having a fixed diff and drive shaft position needs to have 4" of clearance above and to the sides of the drive shaft. The DS can stay right where it is at ride height on the current car, and 3" can be taken out above it because it no longer moves with the axle/suspension. Who cares if there is barely room for it now, that is a moot point.
This. The driveshaft doesn't need to get any lower. The wasted space above it can be eliminated, resulting in more interior space.
Don't even need to talk about S550 here. Have you looked under the tunnel on S197? The transmission hits the tunnel on wide open throttle. There are insulators in the tunnel for sound deadening. There is wiring, HEGO/CMS sensors, parking brake components, etc The tunnel cannot get shorter. It's not just wasted space. It's not just black and white.
At this point I have to assume that you don't understand the issue. Yes, I've looked under an S197. I've owned one for years. Have you? Do you understand that we're discussing the drive shaft tunnel in the rear seat area? But since, according to your profile, you already drive an S550, I must bow to your superior knowledge on this subject. :hail:
:gossip: