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Carbon fiber
Axon Automotive shows off lightweight plug-in hybrid
By Jeff Salton
19:42 October 29, 2009 PDT
UK car manufacturer Axon Automotive has used the Milton Keynes Science Festival to preview its plug-in hybrid lightweight passenger car. The car combines carbon fiber composite construction with a full electric mode for short-run local travel and a petrol or bioethanol-powered engine for longer distances or highway travel. Read More
The Lexus LFA supercar – the long awaited production version arrives
By Darren Quick
22:29 October 25, 2009 PDT
It’s been a long time coming. The Lexus LFA that first appeared as a concept car at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show is finally production ready. Lexus made the announcement at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show where a prototype of the production car was on display along with a full-scale see through model in the company's “art gallery” - and the stunning 202mph V10 supercar is indeed worthy of a place in an art gallery, although keen collectors will still have to endure a bit more of a wait since the car isn’t expected to reach garages until early 2011, with only 500 units being produced. Read More
Lexus HB Concept 2WD pedal-assist, carbon-fiber racing bike
By Gizmag Team
09:48 October 22, 2009 PDT
Designed totally inside Lexus by Lexus designers, this sleek electric pedal assist bicycle is among the many hidden gems to be unearthed at the 41st Tokyo motor show. Sporting carbon fiber everything – including the battery cover – the Lexus HB Concept has a 2WD system that uses a smaller electric motor on the front wheel and a larger pedal assist motor at the crank. Head on through to the video to learn more. Read More
Carbon fiber seat post provides greater cycling comfort
By Jeff Salton
22:04 October 21, 2009 PDT
Carbon fiber composite materials (CFRP’s – or carbon fiber reinforced plastics) permeate society in many objects we now take for granted. Vehicles, airplanes and protective equipment all benefit from the material’s light weight and strength. Recently, bicycles have been taking advantage of CFRP technology where reducing weight can mean the difference between winning and losing – even a tiny reduction can be a big deal when Olympic gold medals are at stake. Fraunhofer researchers in Germany will present a spring-loaded bicycle seat post made of CFRP’s at the Composites Europe trade show in Stuttgart on October 27-29. However, for some cyclists, winning isn't everything. It's comfort that comes in at number one. Read More
The Cruzbike Silvio - form and function in a front wheel drive
By Mick Webb
22:05 October 4, 2009 PDT
For many, the words “recumbent bicycle” conjure the image of a strange-looking vehicle with the rider set low to the ground achieving less than remarkable speeds. That perception could well become a thing of the past with the Cruzbike Silvio, the world’s only recumbent racing bike that is not only fully compatible with road bike components, but aims to eliminate many health problems associated with standard cycling. Read More
Mosquito Electric Bike by Toto Design
By Paul Ridden
17:15 September 24, 2009 PDT
With a very sturdy folded steel frame and elegant simple design, the Mosquito or Mücke electric bike is one good-looking machine. Its 48V lithium batteries only cost a few (European) cents to charge up and will give a range of about 60km (37 miles). The 0.8kW motor produces a top speed of around 50km/h (31mph) and the bike also has a removable center pole for instant accessibility. Read More
Brabus E V12 ‘one of ten’ unveiled at IAA 2009
By Darren Quick
21:05 September 16, 2009 PDT
German performance vehicle manufacturer Brabus has done it again with the “world’s most powerful high-performance sedan”. Brabus has a history of churning out high performance sedans, but the new Brabus E V12 'one of ten' unveiled at IAA 2009 outdoes all previous efforts. Dubbed the 'Black Baron', the car features a newly-developed SV12 R Biturbo 800 12-cylinder displacement engine boasting a rated power output of 800hp (788bhp), which is able to propel the car to a ridiculous top speed of more than 370kmh (230mph). Read More
The new 777 bhp NOVITEC TuLesto joins the supercar ranks
By Mike Hanlon
22:52 April 19, 2009 PDT
There are many fascinating performance automobiles money can buy, but few come within a limited edition of just eleven cars. At the heart of the new two-seater NOVITEC TuLesto is a V8 engine with dual superchargers and a rated power output of 777 hp / 571.8 kW. Thanks to its carbon fiber and aluminum construction the TuLesto coupe has an excellent power-to-weight ratio of just 1.62 kg/hp. The result is performance that very few super sports cars can match: the sprint from rest to 100 km/h takes less than 3.4 seconds, and the NOVITEC TuLesto reaches 300 km/h after just 22.6 seconds. Top speed is more than 350 kmh. Read More
Meccaniche Veloci teams with Brembo to create world's first carbon fiber wristwatch
By Mick Webb
16:24 April 16, 2009 PDT
For many years now the Formula 1 industry has championed the use of carbon fiber as a superior material for creating a competitive edge. With the current buzz surrounding the Moto GP and the Ducati carbon-framed Desmosedici GP9, it seems only timely that two other Italian companies should unveil the world's first carbon fiber encased wristwatch, the Quattro Valvole CCM. Read More
Terotech
- November 21, 2009 @ 19:38 UTC
