Munich. Since April Drievliet Familie Park in The Hague has been offering a top attraction to their visitors: The worldwide first X-Car Launch Coaster. Some 500 guests of the amusement industry, coaster fans as well as press and television representatives were enthusiastic about the soft opening. Munich-based manufacturer Maurer Söhne, proved with the new installation at Drievliet Familie Park, that their meanwhile six-time prize-winner for design and innovation – the X-Car – has turned out to be a real success in practical terms as well.
"I am truly enthusiastic and when I walk through the park I can see happy faces all over the place", says park owner, Piet Faaij, joyfully at the soft opening event.
Exceptionally many highlights within a compact layout
The innovative X-Car Launch Coaster fascinates with an exceptional sequence of riding elements that passengers can experience on a small footprint: Already shortly after the station and with an acceleration from zero to 70 km per hour in 2 seconds, the LSM drive (Linear Synchronous Motor) catapults the passengers into the air in a rocket-like manner. There is no time for the riders to catch their breath as this skyrocketing experience is immediately followed by an extremely compact special loop that leads directly into an Immelmann. A sharp Camelback offering high levels of airtime makes passengers dream of weightlessness. The next sensational inverted element is already waiting for them: A half cuban eight, followed by a heartroll and right before entering the station a high-banked steep curve. Given this thrilling layout, many visitors to the soft opening event were surprised at how "fantastically smooth" it was to ride the new Launch Coaster, with "no shocks and jerks", as some experienced coaster fans said with amazement.
The smoothness can be explained by the sophisticated manufacturing technology applied at Maurer Söhne. All tracks are manufactured at the Maurer factory, using the program X-Track. It allows for an exact measurement of three-dimensional coordinates within a space. This precision work guarantees high-quality tracks and ensures a fantastic riding pleasure.
Accurate and reliable
Second effect: With this high dimensional accuracy ensured right from the factory, the installation on site can be handled smoothly. With their stringent adherence to deadlines – as was proved at Drievliet Familie Park - Maurer Söhne has gained a good reputation among park owners.
What has made the new coaster so popular with the public is not only the diversified and compact ride layout but also the combination with typical X-Car adventure dimensions: outstanding seating comfort, excellent characteristics in view of dynamics, extreme manoeuvrability and inversions with negative g without shoulder restraints. Only a lap bar and an ergonomic, filed down bucket seat secure the passengers and let them enjoy the spectacular ride elements. Two X-Car single cars, each with 6 seats are in use.
The custom-designed coaster in The Hague opens up the way for a completely new field of application for launch coasters. Given its compact layout, the costs can be reduced to a minimum and can be redeemed very quickly. Thus, also smaller parks can afford spectacular rides and attract new visitor groups. The installation also features an energy storage system that reduces the top power requirement to 125 kVA, despite the skyrocketing riding element. This helps to keep the running costs low. | 