Articles tagged with "Automotive"
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Honda REMIX Concept mixes sports car attitude with everyday functionality
November 30, 2006 The Honda REMIX small sport concept vehicle made its world debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show yesterday. The REMIX explores the shape and design of a two-seat sports car focused on agile and fun-to-drive performance that can also provide exceptional practicality as a daily driver. Sports car in shape and design, the low-slung REMIX features a wrap-around canopy that adds a fighter jet-feel to the driving experience. The aluminium-color exterior accentuates every line and curve in the geometric, yet fluid styling. Capable of delivering more than just driving performance, the rear storage area supplies generous cargo room. (read more...)
VW’s Concept Tiguan makes debut at Los Angeles Auto Show
November 30, 2006 The launch looked more like a nighclub than an automotive debut but Volkswagen was intent on selling the sizzle as well as the sausage. The sausage in question was the Concept Tiguan compact 4x4, and the venue was the Los Angeles Auto Show, with the whole affair topped off by the announcement that the first examples of the SUV will be delivered to customers by the end of next year. The first news of the Tiguan’s development came with the debut of Concept A in Berlin earlier this year. This was followed by the naming of the model in July, the result of a poll of more than 350,000 readers of magazines of the AutoBild group. This latest development in Los Angeles takes the Tiguan one step closer to production and hints strongly at how the final version could look. (read more...)
Mazda Nagare Concept: Capturing the Emotion of Motion In New Surface Language
UPDATED NEW IMAGES December 1, 2006 Mazda does good concept cars. In the 2005-2006 global auto show season, Mazda’s Sassou (2005 Frankfurt Motor Show), Senku (2005 Tokyo Motor Show) and Kabura (2006 Detroit Auto Show), Mazda’s global design team kicked butt. Mazda’s design division has invented a new surface language called Nagare for introduction at this year’s Greater Los Angeles International Auto Show. It looks like a Grand Slam to us! NAGARE (pronounced “na-ga-reh”) is Japanese for ‘flow’ and the embodiment of motion. Under the direction of Mazda’s new global design director, Laurens van den Acker, the challenge given to the team was to invent a novel means of registering motion in vehicles whether they’re moving or still. Nagare achieves that goal while also signaling a fresh design direction for future Mazda vehicles. Nagare is the first of a series of design concepts – some closer to actual production vehicles than others – that Mazda will showcase this global autoshow season, including Los Angeles, Detroit, Geneva and Tokyo. We can’t wait. (read more...)
The Ford Mustang by Giugiaro – a one-of-a-kind concept
NEW IMAGES POSTED December 4, 2006 The 2005 Ford Mustang captured the hearts and minds of millions of fans and future owners when the all-new model debuted. But the proportions and design of Ford’s first purpose-built muscle car in 30-plus years caught the eyes and sparked the imaginations of a pair of the world’s leading coachbuilders in Italy as well. (read more...)
Volkswagen Neeza Concept Car
November 19, 2006 With the Chinese automotive market now the second largest in the world and growing like topsy, the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition is become one of the world’s premier automotive showcases in very short order. Few of the world’s non-Chinese automotive companies have debuted concept cars there for a variety of reasons that will no doubt change over the next year or two – one of the first to launch an entirely new concept car is Volkswagen which has just taken the wraps off the Neeza concept, a crossover between a sports coupe and an estate with an off-road appearance. Significantly, it was designed in China for China, combining Chinese and German design philosophies. The concept intentionally has neither a radio, navigation system nor other form of infotainment equipment. Instead a ‘Magic Box’ serves as an interface for radio and navigation systems, mobile phone, personal organiser and other devices. And the roof is entirely glass. (read more...)
The Geely Fengying Concept
November 17, 2006 The scarily large and growing Chinese automotive industry will impact everyone on the planet in more ways than just rising fuel prices and greenhouse gas emissions – it will also significantly influence design, so don’t be surprised to begin seeing new brand names you’ve never heard of on some pretty dashing automobiles … like Geely f’rinstance. The Chinese auto maker will introduce the Fengying concept car at the Beijing Auto show, complete with styling borrowed from the aero industry and scissor doors. (read more...)
The 1000 bhp Bristol Fighter T
November 9, 2006 In 1946, the Bristol Aeroplane Company, one of the world's most successful aviation manufacturers diversified into car manufacture. In 1960 it was persuaded to join with others to form the British Aircraft Corporation (later British Aerospace, and now BAE Systems), becoming a significant part of one of the most innovative companies on the planet. At that time the car division (Bristol Cars Ltd) passed into private hands and has continued building exclusive and exquisite luxury automobiles ever since. It does not have ANY dealers – if you wish to buy one, you must deal directly with the factory. The marque’s most recent design, the Bristol Fighter, was named after one of its successful WWII aircraft, and comes with a purpose-built 8-litre V-10 engine producing 525 bhp,comfort for a driver over 200cm tall, and room to do some intercontinental touring without having to scrimp on the luggage. Surprisingly, the company’s elite clientele began requesting more horsepower, so it produced a 660 bhp version – the Fighter S. The frightfully fast Fighter S kept them happy for a while, but the requests for even more horsepower kept coming. So, ladies and gentlemen, may we present the twin turbocharged, intercooled UKP351,931 (US$670,000)Bristol Fighter T producing 1012 bhp at 5600 rpm and 1036 lb.ft of torque at 4500 rpm. That ought to keep the blighters quiet for a while! (read more...)
Jay Leno’s Turbine-Powered EcoJet Concept
IMAGE LIBRARY UPDATED November 8, 2006 What would keep a group of automotive designers up all night? "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno, for starters, but not by his monologue or parade of Hollywood guests. This time it's because the late-night talk show host invited the General Motors Advanced Design Studio to help design a mid-engine, turbine-powered supercar called EcoJet. Leno and Ed Welburn, GM vice president of Global Design, introduced the car yesterday at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show. The 650-horsepower (400 lb.-ft. of torque) Leno original is powered by a Honeywell LT-101 turbine engine that runs on bio-diesel fuel. The engine sits in a modified Corvette Z06 hydroformed aluminum frame with aluminum and magnesium structural and chassis components. The vehicle's shell is an advanced construction of carbon fiber over Kevlar. (read more...)
Carroll Shelby’s Personal Dual Supercharged 800 BHP Cobra
UPDATED November 5, 2006 The name Carroll Shelby is universally known for his remarkable road and racing cars, so when his personal car comes up for sale, it’s worth taking notice. In 1966, Shelby plucked this vehicle from a line of 19 production Competition Cobras and molded it into one of the most impressive automobiles ever built. It has a monstrous 427cid, 800hp twin Paxton supercharged V8 with a super three-speed automatic transmission. “When I built this dual supercharged 427 Cobra in 1966, I wanted it to be the fastest, meanest car on the road,” said Shelby. “Forty years later, it will still kick the tail of just about anything in the world. It’s the fastest street legal Cobra I’ve ever owned.” For those interested in the history of the vehicle, check out this web page with lots of detailed (if somewhat faded) images of the restoration. (read more...)
Honda’s 500bhp Element-D (for Drifting)
November 1, 2006 The Honda Element-D ("D" for drifting) racecar shows what can happen when enthusiastic Honda associates raid the company parts bin. It's not all that long ago that racecar meant something with low frontal area and aerodynamic efficiency, but in the new sport of drifting, being as aerodynamic as a brick is an advantage. Built for the racing sport of drifting, the Honda Element-D racecar replaces the stock 4-cylinder/Real Time 4WD drivetrain with a custom-designed and longitudinally-mounted 3.2-liter Honda V6 and rear-wheel-drive. Producing 500-horsepower, the lightweight twin-turbocharged powerhouse is guaranteed to light up the rear tires and accelerate sideways at full opposite lock. Associates from Honda R&D Americas in Ohio plan to campaign the Element-D in the 2007 Formula Drift Series. (read more...)
Futuristic Nanospyder Concept (psst - it’s a Volkswagen)
November 1, 2006 A team of highly creative Volkswagen designers based in California have unveiled their own unique take on the future of modern transportation. The result is the Volkswagen Nanospyder. Futuristic nanotechnology supported by hydrogen fuel cells, solar power, wheel-mounted electric motors and inflatable organic body panels combine to form the unusual shape of the two-seater concept. (read more...)
Transportable HD Radio receiver, Dockable Entertainment featuring Game Boy Advance, and Wireless Charging Concept on show at SEMA
October 31, 2006 The Specialty Equipment Markets Association (SEMA) Show opens in Las Vegas today and one of the stars of the show will undoubtedly be the extensively modified 2006 Scion xB on the Visteon stand which incorporates several new and pretty important technologies in not just automotive entertainment but mobile entertainment in general. Visteon is using the Scion to showcase the first transportable HD Radio receiver (pictured with docking stations in the car and the home), an in-vehicle portable entertainment system that plays movies, music, Nintendo Game Boy Advance video games and a Wireless Charging Concept (main picture), that allows users to charge handheld devices such as an iPod, cellular phone or PDA and does not interfere with the operation of other electronics. (read more...)
Outrageous 650 bhp C6 Corvette with 5600 watt sound system
October 31, 2006 There’s no place quite like the SEMA Show 2006 in Las Vegas to see outrageous automobiles and the Outrageous C6 Corvette is appropriately being debuted there. Designed as a showcase for Custom Shop, Mid America Motorworks and Sony, the supercharged, fibreglass beastie features a custom interior of Ostrich leather and Alcantara suede, vertical doors, 650 horsepower (478 kW), and 5600 watts (5.6 kW) of Sony electronics. (read more...)
Steam Car Challenge targets century-old speed record
October 31, 2006 In an environment where world’s best practice in any human endeavour is expected to last only a few years, it seems ludicrous that a land speed record could survive for a century but that’s the case with the world steam-powered land speed record. A century ago, when the global automotive industry was in its infancy, the internal combustion engine was by no means the only contender as the power source for the personal transportation revolution – electricity and steam were also viable contenders in the first few decades. Indeed, the steam-powered Locomobile was the world's first successful automobile and a machine based on the famous Stanley Steamer automobile attracted global attention on January 27, 1906 when it smashed the outright world speed record of 109 mph setting a new record of 121.57 mph. Now a British team, the British Steam Car Challenge, is preparing to push the World Land Speed Steam-powered Record past 200mph. The car is powered by a 300 bhp Curtis steam turbine and the team is now completing the high-tech boilers for the car, named Inspiration. The boilers will generate a formidable four megawatts of energy – almost enough to power a small town for a day. (read more...)
Nokia launches dedicated car navigation device
October 31, 2006 Global mobile phone company Nokia has announced its first dedicated personal navigation device. The Nokia 330 Auto Navigation will initially be launched in Europe and offers both spoken and visual directions. The Nokia 330 Auto Navigation contains a 2GB memory card for the preinstalled Europe-wide map data, switchable 2D/3D and day or night view on a 3.5 inch color touch screen, and the ability to request a repeat of the last instruction. Expected to be available before the end of the year at an estimated retail price of EUR 360, the 330 also includes a music player, photo viewer and video player. (read more...)
Ascari debuts 625bhp A10 supercar
October 30, 2006 The latest Supercar contender made its first appearance at the 2006 MPH show in Birmingham (UK) late last week in the form the A10 from British manufacturer Ascari. Announced last December, and billed as a performance equivalent to the Ferrari Enzo FXX, the 225 mph A10 has a 5-litre V8 engine, with a six speed gearbox as standard and an optional sequential gearbox. Designed and hand built in Banbury, the 625bhp A10 weighs in at around 1200kg, thanks to its lightweight six-piece carbon fibre body. Unlike the EUR1.5 million Enzo FXX, the A10 is road legal and will sell for EUR522,000 (US$665,000). Reaching 60mph in just 2.8 seconds and 100mph in less than 6 seconds, the manufacturer claims the A10 will become the fastest road going production car around a race track. Although it was announced that 50 of the remarkable vehicles would be built, latest information suggests only ten of the species will be created, so better get the chequebook at the ready. (read more...)
Citroen’s new C-Crosser SUV
October 27, 2006 Citroen has announced first details of a new Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) that will go on sale in Europe from summer 2007. The versatile Citroen C-Crosser boasts four-wheel drive capability, exceptional levels of space and comfort and will will be available with a new generation 156bhp 2.2HDi engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. Capable of producing a whopping 380Nm of torque, this diesel power plant also boasts impressive green credentials, offering low fuel consumption, the ability to run on 30% bio-diesel and a Diesel Particulate Filter System that reduces particle emissions to virtually immeasurable levels. (read more...)
Fiat Adventure Concept Car changes colour
October 19, 2006 Not a great deal of information has been released in English about the newly revealed Fiat Adventure Crossover Concept Car shown at the Sao Paolo Autoshow to celebrate Fiat’s 30th anniversary in Brazil. Designed by Centro Estilo Fiat do Brasil, the Concept Car Adventure is powered by a 167 bhp five-cylinder 2.4 litre engine from the Fiat Stilo Abarth. The two-seater Adventure is painted in color-changing paint and accordingly varies in appearance from yellow to red. (read more...)
Volkswagen Atacama 4WD van concept
October 7, 2006 Ooooh, we really like this one - VW has revealed a striking off-road vehicle based on the recently-launched Crafter van. Named Atacama, after the desert in South America, the four-wheel drive concept is the product of the Volkswagen Design Centre in Wolfsburg, Germany, and shows further potential for the Crafter in the leisure and fun segment. ’could become a limited production vehicle. VW Sales Manager, Harald Schomburg, is very enthusiastic and is seeking customer feedback. "If it is positive", says Schomberg, "we will build a series of up to 100 vehicles." So there you have it folks - email your local distributor if you think this is a good idea. (read more...)
Renault’s Twingo communicating city car concept
October 2, 2006 After previewing its spectacular Nepta Concept with motor-driven gull wing doors in the weeks leading up to the Paris Show, we figured Renault had played all its cards, but we were very wrong. At the opening of the show, Renault trotted out the youth-culture-inspired Twingo Concept, the most wired and desirable city car we’ve yet seen. The centre console features a USB port as well as sockets for devices like an Apple iPod and the Nokia Smartphone. A mixing deck built into the dashboard is ideal for partying with friends. The tiny city car is no slouch – powered by a turbocharged 1.2-litre engine delivering 73kW (100hp), the Twingo combines efficiency, response, power and environmental friendliness. (read more...)
Ford iosis X concept
Updated October 2, 2006 Ford of Europe's Design team has interpreted the Company's distinctive new 'kinetic design' form language in an exciting new crossover concept - the iosis X – which makes its debut at the 2006 Paris Motor Show. One of the specific purposes of iosis X is to prepare the public for the introduction of a future Ford of Europe niche model. Ford Europe’s CEO John Fleming, President and CEO, Ford of Europe. "The iosis X is intended to send a very strong message that we will be entering this market in around eighteen months from now, and that our new model will be both stylish and individual." (read more...)
New VW CrossGolf combines SUV and MPV
September 28, 2006 Volkswagen will be showing a new crossover version of the Golf at the Paris Motor Show which opens today. The CrossGolf merges the can-do qualities of a compact SUV with the versatility of a small MPV into a new model. SUV means “Sports Utility Vehicle”, denoting a significantly more “civilian” stage on the path to the “tough” off-road vehicle. Approximately 480,000 compact SUVs were sold in Europe in 2005. MPV means “Multi Purpose Vehicle”, referring to a van. With its versatile and spacious interior, the CrossGolf also bridges this segment which sold 1.4 million compact SUVs in Europe in 2005. As a combination SUV and MPV, the new CrossGolf is precisely positioned between these poles and has no direct competitor in this class due to its positioning and conception. (read more...)
Audi launches the R8 Mid-engined Supercar
Updated October 2, 2006 On the eve of the 2006 Paris Motor Show, Audi has unveiled its R8 supercar. Audi Chairman, Dr Martin Winterkorn told the assembled press how the R8 project had been a very personal one for him, having started the process when he returned to Audi as chairman in 2002, and having overseen the design and engineering teams for the past four years. “Everyone has been looking forward to this day, the world premiere of our first mid-engined sports car. It is a key moment in the history of Audi.” The mid-engined two-seater is powered by a five-litre V10 ‘biturbo’ engine with FSI direct fuel injection, developing 449 kW (610 bhp) at 6,800 rpm. Previous article and details here. (read more...)
EuroCombi – innovative commercial vehicle concepts unveiled at IAA
September 25, 2006. The International commercial vehicle industry has opened up a new chapter in truck history at the IAA, where it has presented the innovative commercial vehicle concept “EuroCombi” to the public for the first time. The modular and road-friendly combinations are designed to transport 50 percent more goods per vehicle while reducing the amount of traffic. As such, they represent one way of dealing with the expected 20 percent increase in freight transport by 2015. The EuroCombi consumes 15 percent less fuel for each ton of transported goods, and ideally could replace 23 percent of conventional truck trips and thereby reduce long-haul traffic in Germany alone by 2.2 billion vehicle-kilometers a year. In international transport, EuroCombi can generate economic savings of more than 10 percent, and cut operating costs by 16 percent per palette area. The EuroCombi consists of a truck (tractor) with a semitrailer attached to a dolly, or of a tractor truck with a semitrailer to which a trailer is connected. Two EuroCombi variants are being presented at the IAA: a volume-oriented concept with a length of 25.25 meters and 48 tons of GVW, and a weight-oriented variant of the same length and up to 60 tons of GVW. (read more...)
Kia pro_cee’d concept car previews all-new Kia cee’d hatch to launch in 2007
September 20, 2006 The custom of Asian manufacturers giving ridiculous names to their export offerings was taken to new levels today by Korean auto manufacturer Kia in naming its latest concept car the pro_cee’d, complete with an underscore and apostrophe. Set for a Paris Motor Show debut later this month, the strikingly styled, pro_cee’d showcar is based on the forthcoming three-door ‘sporty hatch’ version of the all-new Kia cee’d C-segment model. This five-door family hatchback has its world premiere (in production-ready form) at Paris and will be manufactured at Kia’s first European assembly plant in Slovakia from November 2006. (read more...)
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