Automotive
Smack Attack puts a drum kit on the steering wheel to make gridlock more fun
If you get regularly get caught in standstill traffic during your daily commute, Smack Attack could be for you. Pounding your fists on the steering wheel cover's eight touch sensors produces drum sounds over the top of whatever music you're listening to from your iPhone's music library. While it may look like something of a dangerous distraction, its inventor claims that it could actually help prevent accidents by keeping drivers stimulated and alert. Read More
After having its world record for fastest production car thrown into question by a competitor and put under review by Guinness, Bugatti is back on top. Its record set back in 2010 is official all over again after a reconfirmation by Guinness. Read More
Auto manufacturers are typically thought of in terms of tangible nuts and bolts, but the auto industry as a whole does a fair amount of conceptual thinking and prognosticating. Concept cars are the most visible part of this process, but automakers also host contests, conferences and conversations about the future of mobility and the world around us. Daimler recently gathered a group of post-graduate intellectuals and visionaries in thinking about the evolving roles that vehicles could play in the future. Read More
Set to celebrate its hundredth birthday this year, Aston Martin decided an evolutionary statement was in order. So what does one of the world's most iconic performance houses bring to the party to celebrate the start of year 101? How about the brilliant 4-door Rapide, powered by a 6.0 liter V12, with hydrogen option? Then, how about entering it in the 24 Hours of Nurburgring and call it the Hyrbrid Hydrogen Rapide S? Read More
Nissan introduced the new UK-market LEAF this week, and the latest iteration of the company's all-electric vehicle gets a variety of updates and improvements. Not only does its range increase by 15 miles (24 km), but it offers buyers the option of leasing, rather than buying, the battery. Read More
Bugatti may have had its production car world speed record thrown into question, but it didn't take it sitting down. It picked itself up, grabbed one of its newest cars, and went out and set a new record. While it's a step down from the overall record, Bugatti's latest feat crowns its Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse roadster the world's fastest open-topped production car. Read More
Opting to show its latest concept car at the Shanghai Auto Show speaks to a shift in markets for Citroen. The French auto-manufacturer whose primary theater has been Europe has of late been struggling to retain market share. With the debut of the new Wild Rubis DS concept at the upcoming Shanghai Show, Citroen looks ready to shift gears to the emerging Asian market. Read More
"Motion while sitting still," or similar such phrasing, is a favorite of automaker press releases. Every car manufacturer loves to pretend that its latest car looks like it's speeding down the highway even while it's parked at Denny's. For Milan Design Week, Mazda extends the same design concept to the very essence of sitting still: a chair. Read More
The Nissan GT-R really didn't need a new speed record to remind us that it's a lotta car for a little buck – we remember that every time we look at its specs. But, in conjunction with LAV Productions company, Nissan went ahead and brought a specially outfitted GT-R to one of the coldest, least hospitable places on earth – Siberia – and returned with a new ice speed record. Read More
Way back in 1966, Maserati came to the Turin Auto Show with a new performance GT in hand. Sculpted by design legend Giorgetto Giugiaro the awkwardly named Ghibli, a long of nose GT, was one of Maserati’s great successes in the 60s. After several questionable attempts to bring the name back in various forms, Maserati is set to release a redefined Ghibli – this time in sedan form. Read More
