Automotive

November 5, 2004 Volvo has unveiled plans for an all new powerhouse model. The XC90 Power Utility Vehicle, is powered by the company's new V8 planned to produce 650 horsepower, sports a six-speed automatic "Geartronic" transmission and a computer-controlled all-wheel-drive system. Volvo once had a dowdy image thanks to championing safety long before it was fashionable. In recent times, a string of innovative and socially astute concept cars has done a lot to reinvigorate the company's brand. The introduction of the diabolically fast XC90 Power Utility Vehicle is no doubt designed to bolster the Swedish car manufacturer's image and attract new enthusiasts.  Read More

November 2, 2004 The latest creation of the Swiss design powerhouse and tuner Rinspeed is the Porsche Cayenne-based Chopster, inspired by the mostly American cult to lower the roof line ('chop') on even the most unlikely vehicles. And the Cayenne, one of the best looking multi-purpose machines on the market, is an unlikely vehicle to mess with.  Read More

October 29, 2004 No sooner had we written up the newly announced Peugeot 1007 with its clever sliding doors and space efficient design, than Toyota actually put a very similar vehicle on the showroom floor in Japan. The new Porte is a compact car with a wireless remote-controlled electric sliding door on the passenger side - slightly different from the two-door Peugeot, but with the same reconfigurable seating concept.  Read More

October 29, 2004 Celebrity, movie and television star cars have featured prominently in Gizmag recently, with the Batmobile going onto the auction block just a few weeks back. Now two more famous hero cars of 1980s television have gone under the hammer - the David Hasselhoff-driven KITT from the Knight Rider TV series and the original Ferrari 308 GTS driven by Tom Selleck in the smash-hit detective show, Magnum, P.I.  Read More

October 29, 2004 After mass production comes mass customisation and the Tokyo Motor Show shows the development of specialised, sliver-thin, vertical-market offerings is already well underway. The Nissan Caravan Box In Box was created around a the concept of adding "merchandising capability to the traditional vehicle functions of mobility and transport." The Caravan Box In Box is designed so that all of the display boxes it contains can easily be pulled out from either the back door or the sliding side door and opened for displaying goods.  Read More

October 29, 2004 Mitsubishi showed a radical concept truck at the recent Tokyo Motor Show, exhibited as a concept known simply as FUSO, which is a bit confusing given that the company's entire truck brand, which began all the way back in 1932, is also named FUSO. The Fuso was one of a number of exhibits designed to promote and focus upon the future of the company and is described by Mitsubishi as "a concept truck that proposes an entirely new style of commercial transport." Given the company's well publicised quality problems, we suspect the focus has been moved to future new products, replenishment of the entire range as quickly as possible, and things have shifted quickly in recent months, even in the land of the shortest concept-to-showroom times in the industry.  Read More

October 29, 2004 BMW has released details of its all-new BMW 3 Series. To be shown for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show next March, the E90 3 Series is will go on sale in mid-2005. The E90 3 Series adds an armoury of impressive, innovative improvements for engine, chassis, safety technology as well as driving comfort. Three new engines. The new BMW 3 Series comes with three engine options: two all-new six-cylinder engines and an optimised iteration of the famous 2.0-litre four-cylinder slots into the 320i entry model  Read More

October 29, 2004 General Motors has adapted a HUMMER H2 SUT to run on hydrogen, and will share it with the office of the Governor of California (aka Arnold Schwarzenegger). The HUMMER H2H will assist efforts to learn more about hydrogen storage and refueling infrastructure development. "The H2H is a bold experiment that along with the Hydrogen Highway Network will help California demonstrate the economic and technical viability of hydrogen," said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. "Californians invent the future and the H2H shows that a vehicle of today can run on the fuel of tomorrow."  Read More

October 29, 2004 Since 1988 The Race of Champions has invited the best in all the world motorsport series to compete in a unique event where the competitors all drive a range of identical cars in different conditions. The event has been dominated by rally drivers, with their all-round abilities on different surfaces and ability to quickly adapt to new cars - this year though, the event has attracted reigning Formula One Champion Michael Schumacher.  Read More