Concept

The world's largest automaker has been slow off the mark in the race to bring electric vehicles to market, but it is now playing catch up at a fearsome rate, and we'll see the first of its new range of electric vehicles two weeks from now at the Tokyo Motor Show. The first Toyota EV (top right) will be a four-seater based on the iQ with a range of 65 miles (100 km) and it will hit showrooms next year. It is one of several new cars set to be shown, including a smaller, cheaper plug-in hybrid named the Aqua (top left - on sale in Japan THIS year), a plug-in version of the Prius hybrid and a hydrogen fuel cell midsize sedan (bottom left) to go on sale in 2015. The most intriguing of its Tokyo exhibits is the (bottom right) Fun-Vii concept “where people, cars and society are linked”. All we know is that the two “i”s stand for interactive and internet. As many details as are known inside. Read More

Chicago-based STL Architects is hoping to impact the identity of Taichung City with its impressive Taiwan Tower concept. The designs have been submitted as part of the Taiwan Tower competition, where architects have been challenged to design a monument that would enhance the urban culture for Taichung citizens. STL's dramatic design would create a monument in the center of the city in the form of a circular tower. Read More

With a view to promoting innovation in the desktop printers industry, Artefact design studio has unveiled its See What You Print (or SWYP) concept printer, operated via a touchscreen interface. SWYP aims to simplify and accelerate the task of printing by combining features of simple photo editing and immediate printing in one unit, which enables users to see exactly what the printed page will look like. Read More

Volkswagen has once more produced a minimalist and frugal commuter vehicle for its home auto show in Frankfurt, and this one has us quite excited. NILS is an F1-inspired single-seat electric concept with an aluminum space frame, gull-wing doors and thanks to its extreme light weight (460 kg), small frontal area, it offers sports car performance at speeds up to 130 km/h from a small 25kW electric motor. The electric motor's 130 Nm of torque offers rapid acceleration and although the range is limited to just 65 kilometers (40 miles), it recharges from empty in just two hours from a conventional 230-volt electrical outlet. Read More

It's not often that a car has its first public showing nearly fifty years after it was built, but that's what happened at the recent Cholmondely Pageant of power when the newly-restored, one and only factory-built Low Drag Lightweight Jaguar E-Type was seen. The original crashed at very high speed testing at Montlhéry and was so badly damaged that it sat for 47 years before a complete restoration involving 7,000 hours of work and 90 per cent original parts yielded its magnificent original state. Great gallery showing the many moods of this priceless specimen of Jaguar DNA. Read More

Perhaps fearing that the brand is losing touch with "passionate drivers", Toyota is developing a new "affordable" sports car to fill the gap it left when it dropped the Supra and MR2 from its lineup. The FT-86 II concept, built on a Subaru platform under a partnership agreement, is a rear wheel drive coupe with smart styling that's clearly aimed at younger drivers. Toyota showed off the car in Melbourne, ahead of this weekend's Australian International Motor Show - and took the opportunity to give the press an advance look at the Prius C concept, Prius V, 2012 Hilux and all-new Yaris as well. Pics inside. Read More

Toyota will continue the growing trend among auto makers of announcing new models and concept cars at places other than auto shows by unveiling the GRMN Sports Concept II at the Nürburgring 24-hour race this weekend. The GRMN is a lightweight, petrol-electric hybrid convertible with 295 bhp. The 245 bhp V6 is located centrally and drives the rear wheels while the front wheels are electrically-powered to complete the sports-hybrid AWD system. Read More

Created by New Zealand-based designer Richard Clarkson, the Rotary Mechanical Smartphone is a one-of-a-kind device that has all the features of a regular smartphone, but it resembles a vintage rotary dial telephone. It represents an attempt at combining digital technologies and physical, mechanical systems, thus making cutting edge technology more tangible. The phone comes with two interchangeable brass dials (a rotary one and a numeric keypad), along with a copper body and a small LCD screen. Richard did not confine himself just to the concept, but actually built a prototype of his invention. Read More

Have you ever complained about too much complexity in today's mobile devices? If so, then Rimino might meet your needs. It is meant to be simple, intuitive and user-friendly. Designed by Sweden's Amid Moradganjeh in collaboration with Microsoft, the conceptual device is based on color E-Ink technology with an interface inspired by print posters, aimed at integrating technology and human nature. Read More