Hbyke future zone

The Top Ten Stories of 2009

2010-01-02T09:53:00.000-08:00

The Top Ten Stories of 2009

The top ten stories of the 2009. The most popular article was the exclusive presentation of the Lamborghini Insecta Concept, a virtual project created by Romanian designer Iulian Bumbu.


01. Lamborghini Insecta Concept - see: article \|


2. Audi Shark Concept see: article	3. Audi A'KIMONO LS 2.0 Concept see: article	4. Volvo SC90 Concept see: article

5. From Dream to Reality: Car Design made in Iran see: article	6. Plymouth RoadRunner Concept see: article	7. Audi Intelligent Emotion Project see: article

8. Corvette Stingray Concept see: article	9. US Air Force X-1 Mustang and Vapor Challenger see: article	10. Zenvo ST1 see: article

Lamborghini Insecta Concept

2010-01-02T09:52:00.001-08:00

Lamborghini Insecta Concept

The Lamborghini Insecta Concept is a design study of a 2-seater mid-engined supercar created by Romanian Iulian Bumbu. The design combines the brand's styling cues with elements inspired by insect exoskeletons.

As Iulian Bumbu explains "The idea was to create an extreme race-oriented supercar with a style that introduces softer and more organic lines and integrate them into the geometrical style of Lamborghini."

The main inspiration came from nature, and in particular from the exoskeletons found in insects (bugs). This kind of "armour" appearance is particularly visible in the back and top views.

"I tried to apply this tipe of organic movements and translate them into Lamborghini's style so that when you see the car, you can immediately recognize it as a Lambo."

The dimensions af the car are a length of 4,300 mm (the same as the Gallardo), a height of 1,000 mm and a width of 2,000 mm, with a wheelbase of 2,650 mm. The body structure and panels are made of carbon-fiber and the powertrain is the same adopted on the Gallardo.

About the Designer

Iulian Bumbu was born on 21 July 1981 in Bechet (Romania).

He received a Master Diploma in Car Design from Scuola Politecnica di Design Milano (2007-2008), and a degree from National University of Art Bucharest - Product Design Department (2004).

Among his professional experience are a three-months internship at Centro Stile Alfa Romeo (2008) and three years of experience as a 3d modeler and texture artist at AMC Studio.

Audi Shark Concept

2010-01-02T09:51:00.001-08:00

Audi Shark Concept

The Audi Shark is a futuristic flying concept vehicle with a streamlined design inspired by motorcycles and airplanes. It was designed by Kazim Doku and won the Desire Competition by Domus Academy.

The Shark Concept by Kazim Doku reinterprets the Audi's design language in a futuristic way. It placed first in the Desire Design Competition launched in 2008 by Italian Domus Academy.

The two-seater flying sportscar is inspired by the world of motorclycles and airplanes and offers its passengers "strong sensations and high levels of safety."

The streamlined design of the exterior offers a visual reference to the car's name and - in combination with the rear lower spoiler - gives the vehicle an "underwater" appearance.

Both the headlights and the tail lights are made by transparent tubes which integrate LED units. The interior features sporty seats integrated in the cockpit structure.

Audi A'KIMONO LS2.0 Concept

2010-01-02T09:49:00.002-08:00

Audi A'KIMONO LS2.0 Concept

The A'KIMONO LS2.0 Concept is a design study of a futuristic vehicle inspired by light sculptures which uses an artificial lighting system to make the exterior body surfaces visible at night, hence Automotive Lighting Sculpture. It was designed by Bulgarian Teodor Kyuchukov - Dorteo.

The project is based on the original A'kimono Concept which received the third prize at the Desire Design Contest 2007 organized by Domus Academy & Stile Bertone.

One year later, inspired by Walter De' Silva's words - "If you want to see the new Audi, just design it", Teodor Kyuchukov developed an evolution of the same concept, referred it to the Audi brand and named it A'KIMONO LS2.0.

Based on the "Automotive Lighting Sculpture" concept, the exterior surfaces integrate an artifical lighting system which makes the car's silhouette recognizable at night. This system makes use of hidden lighting, where the source is not visible.

This type of light follows the relief and the shape of the surfaces, offering a smooth and unobtrusive effect to the viewer. It is often used for the lighting of interiors, monuments, architectural buildings and sports facilities.

As Teodor Kyuchukov explains "Car manufacturers pay attention on the night vision of an interior. They often miss the fact that no matter how perfect and stylish the outlines are, the layout of the car stays invisible for the human eye during the night."

"The exterior illumination [...] strengthens the emotional impact of a vehicle during the dark part of the day and turns the car image from “incognito” to a sensuous piece of art."

The project was inspired by lighting designer Steven Scott, who recently presented the “Hermetic light” works, which make use of the high-quality performance of the LED technology.

"His main goal is to provoke people develop their own sense of seeing and perception. Applying various artistic methods and techniques allows creating individual lighting designs, through which the designer communicates with the audience."

The exterior design combines the formal language of the latest Audi models with the lines of the Japanese national costume - the kimono, which is used in the martial arts where it allows optimal movement of the human body.

"That physical freedom is a starting point for creative interpretation in the A’KIMONO LS2.0’s surface language. There the soft lines indicate the textile behavior of the kimono and slightly reminds the stylish outlook of Audi R8."

About the Designer

Teodor Kyuchukov is a PhD student at the University of Ruse "Angel Kanchev", Bulgaria, Department of Industrial Design. The project has been developed under the promotion of Prof. Cvetomir Konov and Prof. Dr. Radoslav Kyuchukov - University of Ruse, Bulgaria.

Volvo SC90 Concept

2010-01-02T09:49:00.001-08:00

Volvo SC90 Concept

The Volvo SC90 is a proposal for a futuristic premium sporty four-door coupe characterized by a sleek profile, sharp lines and convex-concave surfaces interplay. It was created by designer Nouphone J. Bansasine.

The SC90 was designed by Nouphone J. Bansasine during his internship at Volvo in Summer 2007. The brief was to create a new premium product line for the brand.

As Nouphone explains, "My proposal was based on the growing trend for premium 4 door coupes, taking the concept to the extreme by exploring and developing a premium 4 door sportscar for the year 2015."

This sportscar with 4 doors and 4 seats would become Volvo's new flagship model and drive the brand towards a more emotional direction.

The Volvo SC90 would compete in the premium sport sedan segment with such models ad the Porsche Panamera and the Aston Martin Rapide.

The main design element of the car is its profile, chracterized by convex and concave surfacing.

This gives the car a classic and simple silhouette with a "more complex and fresh second read."

Seen in side profile the main defining lines and secondary elements are strategically designed by angled profiles from 180 to 90 degree increment.

"Each week I had a status review with VMCC's Vice President, Design Director, Strategic Design Chief, Senior Designers, Business Manager, and Studio Engineers.

"The feedback and discussion was invaluable and helped me focus on the development the project."

Nouphone J. Bansasine also speaks about his internship experience and gives some advises to new design students:

"The internship program provided me with the most up to date equipment and facilities, as well as access to senior designer staff and engineering professionals which proved invaluable for my development.

"Experience like this comes once in a life time. What I have learned from school and my internship can be summed up by several words or phrases. In order to be a successful designer you need to remember you are part of a team, you must focus on your target customer.

"Also be prepared to compromise but not lose sight of your target and most importantly be prepared to work hard! It’s a constant challenge between design, packaging, safety and budget, and good communication skills are essential.

"Nothing can describe the feeling when I first unveiled my final design to VMCC staff. Three months of trials & tribulations coming down to that one moment.

"My thanks to ACCD and VMCC, especially my mentor Christopher Benjamin, who have guided me on this amazing journey and helped make me who I am today.

"I feel that I got everything I could ever have wanted out of the program and helped me develop a quality of portfolio I could never have envisioned before. I also had an amazing life journey.

About the Designer

Nouphone J. Bansasine has graduated from the Art Center College in the fall of 2007, and is currently employed as a designer for Volvo Car Corps Concept and Monitoring Center (VMCC) in Camarillo, CA.

Car Design made in Iran

2010-01-02T09:45:00.000-08:00

From Dream to Reality: Car Design made in Iran

An extensive report of the "From Dream to Reality" collective car design exhibition which took place in Teheran, Iran. It presented many projects and works of young Iranian designers, including some new projects specifically developed in teams.

The collective concept car design exhibition titled "From Dream to Reality" took place from 18 to 23 April 2009 at the Kamal Aldin Behzad Gallery in Teheran, Iran.

The purpose of the event was to present the works and showcase the abilities of young Iranians graduated in Industrial and Transportation Design.

As Farzad Barkhordary, one of the organizers of the event, explains: "Given the great distance existing between Iran, the auto industry and the graduates in Car Design and Industrial Design, one main target of the exhibition is to create a more logical relationship between university and industry."

The goal is to repeat the event every year, in order to showcase the developments in Iranian auto industry and design to automotive professionals and enthusiasts.

Participant designers included: Iman Maghsoudi, Farzad Barkhordary, Alireza Mohammdzade, Keyvan Naderi, Mohsen Jafari malek, Hossein Soleymani, Yaser Rashid Shomali, Mohammad Reza Shojaee, Hosein Amini-Yekta, Majid Razmi, Hamed Amini, Ali Reza Sahragard, Peyman Mardani, Amin Dahre Sobh, Mostafa Bonakdar, Kaveh Naser Bakht, Hesamaldin Jeddy, Mahdy Sadeghi Rad.

Among the works on display were free sketches, renderings and individual collections of university projects and other works.

In addition to this, three groups of designers organized in teams, each presenting a different project. Below we report the three projects and an extensive selection from the works on display, divided by author.

See also the related image gallery with over 100 pictures.

Local-Motos SUV Concept

Team members: Iman Maghsoudi, Farzad Barkhordary, Mohammad Reza Shojaee.

The first team worked on a mid-engine super car, capable of carrying sports gear - such as Jet-Ski and mountain bikes - through passages in rough routes. The design aims sport-oriented usage in Europe and U.S markets, for Local-Motors Company (LM brand).


Local-car wasMotors SUV Concept	Volvo Luxury Concept

Volvo Luxury Concept

Team members: Alireza Sahragard, Amin Dahre Sob, Yaser Rashi Shomali, Peyman Mardani.

The second team worked on the Volvo brand to design a luxury car.

Mini Concept

Team members: Keyvan Nader, Mohsen Ja'afari Malek, Kave Naser Bakht, Yaser Rashid Shomali.

The third team faces problems such as traffic and pollution, and looked for new solutions. Initially focused on mini vehicels, the research resulted in three different projects, developed for Audi, Skoda and Renault.

Audi D7 Concept


Audi D7 by by Kave Naser Bakht

D7 is a super sports concept car with an electric engine in front. Among the features areare the charging crack on the nose and light belts around the car which integrate the headlights and taillights while forming the shape typical of Audi's head lamps and grilles, thus making the car easily recognizable at night.

Renault Degan Concept


Renault Degan by Yaser Rashid Shomali

Skoda Concept

Mohsen Jafari Malek designed a multi-functional and convertible mini car based from Skoda products and brand design language.


Skoda Concept by Mohsen Jafari Malek

Image Gallery

The exhibition also included many sketches and renderings created by Iranian young designers. Below we report a selection:

Farzad Barkhordary

Iman Maghsoudi



iBite Concept - a micro-recreational design for beach usage, winner of the Hawaii Motors Competition


Digital renderings for the Local-Motors brand entity


Renault R1 Electric Super Sport Car Concept by Iman Maghsoudi

Hossein Amini Yekta



Jaguar CXJ Luxury Retro Design Car by Hossein Amini Yekta

Hossein Soleymani



Concept for Mercedes-Benz Retro Design Car

Keyvan Naderi


Ford iBuddy Multi-Function Concept


Renault Megane

Majid Razmi




The Miura-inspired Aggressive Hunter by Majid Razmi

Mahdi Sadeghi Rad

Others


Concept Solar Hybrid BMW by Mostafa Bonakdar	Alfa Concept by Alireza Sahragard	BMW 4 Series by Mohammadreza Shojaie

For more information about the exhibition and in order to contact the organizers, visit www.barkhordary.com.

Plymouth Road Runner Concept

2010-01-02T09:43:00.000-08:00

Plymouth Road Runner Concept

The Road Runner Concept is a design study of a riedition of the Plymouth Road Runner muscle car. It is inspired by the 1971 model and adopts a modern design lanugage while maintaining the character of the original car. It was created by Austrian Michael Leonhard.

The Road Runner Concept was first shown in 2008 on the cover of Mopar Enthusiast magazine to illustrate a possible return of the Plymouth brand.

The study was created by Austrian independent artist Michael Leonhard.

The design takes inspiration from the Road Runners of the years '71 and '72 and adds modernized and futuristic shapes, while keeping the character of the original car. The typical muscle car stance is enhanced by the wheels - 20 inches at the front, 22 inches at the rear.

The powetrain could adopt a 5.7 up to 7.0 liter engine coupled with six-speed manual or automatic gearboxes.

Below we report Michael Leonhard's description of the design process.

"The front looks dramatic and mean thanks to a headlight section made of tinted glass. Headlights only become visible when they are turned on.

"The same goes for the Roadrunner Logo in the center that is now illuminated. The big grille opening provides plenty of air for the radiator. The hemi-powered monster gets rid of hot air the other way round through the typical hood scoops.

"The side view is characterized by a dramatically dynamic shape with a low roof line, high belt line, square-molded wheel-arches and big magnesium five spoke wheels (22 inch rear, 20 inch front) combined with red line tires.

The powerful looks continue on the rear with a big diffusor for improved road grip and a dual exhaust system.

"The taillights are styled to match the headlights and become visible when turned on. To a big part the roof is made of glass except the A-pillars made of aluminium.

The C-pillar becomes a dominating design element on the roof section and carries the typical interrupted Roadrunner grafics. The color of choice for the body is Curious Yellow and Triple Black."

Additional information is available on Autoblog.com.

About the Plymouth Road Runner (1968-1980)

1971 Plymouth Road Runner

The Plymouth Road Runner was a muscle car built by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation between 1968 and 1980.

In 1968, although Plymouth already had a performance car in the GTX, designers decided to go back to the drawing board and reincarnate the original muscle car concept.

Plymouth wanted a car able to run 14-second times in the quarter mile (402 m) and sell for less than US$3000. Both goals were met, and the low-cost muscle car hit the street.

In 1970, with the Plymouth Superbird, Plymouth unveils a NASCAR-like car for use on normal roads.

Like the Dodge Daytona, it has a high rear spoiler and aerodynamically shaped, elongated front nose section, and can reach just under 200 mph (more than 300 km/h).


1st generation Plymouth Road Runner (Source: autogaleria.pl)	Plymouth Road Runner Superbird (Source: autocult.com)

For more information on the Plymouth Road Runner, visit the page on Wikipedia.

Audi Intelligent Motion Project

2010-01-02T09:42:00.000-08:00

Audi Intelligent Motion Project

The “Intelligent Emotion” project was promoted by Audi in cooperation with Munich University of Applied Science. Design students were asked to create visionary ideas for the mobility of the future - from hybrid supercars to lightweight interior concepts.

Under the title “Intelligent Emotion,” students at Munich University of Applied Sciences, aided by Audi, have developed visionary ideas for the mobility of the future – from a hybrid supercar to an alternative concept for lightweight design of interiors. The results are presented in eleven future-oriented concept studies.

“The next generation of employees is our future,” says Wolfgang Egger, Head of Audi Group Design. “That’s why sponsoring design students is one of our high priorities. With the “Intelligent Emotion” project we have obviously inspired them to find new and creative approaches for the future of personal transportation.”

The project was headed by Dr. Othmar Wickenheiser, Professor of Transportation Design at Munich University of Applied Sciences.

Wolfgang Egger and Stefan Sielaff, Head of Audi Design, mentored the project.

The objective of the design project was to present Audi as a sporty premium brand as well as a pioneer in technology and design.

Seat concept study by Maximilian Kandler

The balance between innovation and brand recognition was to be represented in a product with great emotional appeal that also conforms to the requirements of society.

The results are impressive,” says Wolfgang Egger. “The students have addressed the subject of mobility in the future with very well-conceived and lucidly presented approaches.

"Each concept, each model, contains at least one idea or feature that we could certainly conceive of as being included in a future production vehicle.”

During the creative process, Audi designers supported the students. "After all, they too are constantly pursuing innovative ideas to reinforce Audi's status as a leading brand in automobile design."

“What sets a good designer apart is the very special ability of conceptualizing the future and visualizing it in images,” says Stefan Sielaff, Head of Audi Design.

“Current developments such as alternative engine concepts or increased efficiency of our vehicles also call for answers from the designers. We find it fascinating how students approach such challenges – above and beyond the technical and regulatory requirements that the design of production cars has to meet.”

As Egger explains: “Emotion as a driving force must go hand in hand with responsibility as regulator. The students’ assignment was to develop esthetic approaches that reflect the new ecological, technical and social issues while also portraying an Audi as an attractive, sporty automobile. The results are of very high creative quality and provide plenty of substance for intensive discussions.”

The project results have been published as a book – with commentary by Audi’s chief designers. Published by Heel Verlag and titled "Audi Design Projekt", the book is available at booksellers for €29.90.

Below we report a selection of the projects.

Audi Concept by Maximilian Mandl

Audi Concept by Niels Steinhoff

Audi Concept by Sylvain Wehnert

Audi Concept by Fabian Weinert

Audi Interior Concept by Maximilian Kandler

Corvette Stingray Concept

2010-01-02T09:39:00.000-08:00

Corvette Stingray Concept

GM has unveiled the Corvette Stingray Concept, the one-off dream car inspired by the 1959 Stingray race car and the Corvette heritage that will be featured in the upcoming summer blockbuster movie Transformers II.

At the 2009 Chicago Auto Show GM has unveiled the Corvette Stingray Concept, already previewed in the past months under the name of "Vision Concept" and "Centennial Concept".

The car will be among the characters of the upcoming "Transformers II: Revenge of the Fallen", where it will "act" as the four-wheels counterpart of Sideswipe.

The sleek concept was "dreamed up" by the Corvette designers at GM, who were influenced by the original Stingray race car, introduced in 1959.

The Concept also draws on Corvette heritage cues from other generations and brings them together in a futuristic shape that "seems to be equal parts racecar and space ship".

“SIDESWIPE represents an exercise in exploration for the Corvette,” said Ed Welburn, vice president of GM Global Design.

“By giving my creative team the freedom to design no-holds-barred vision concepts, it helps them push boundaries and look at projects from different perspectives.”

Transformers II: Revenge of the Fallen

The Chevrolet stand at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show (Friday through Feb. 22) features five Chevrolet-based characters – including four all-new characters – featured in the new from the upcoming DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures release, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”, which is set to open in the United States on June 26.

The four new movie characters are:

SIDESWIPE – a stylized Corvette vision concept vehicle
SKIDS and MUDFLAP – twin AUTOBOTS® based on Chevy’s Beat (a concept that will go into production as the Chevy Spark in 2011) and Trax concepts
JOLT – an AUTOBOT based on the upcoming Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle

BUMBLEBEE, the heroic AUTOBOT based on Chevrolet’s Camaro concept from the first “Transformers” movie, returns with a high-performance attitude. Joining the vehicles on stage will be BUMBLEBEE in his AUTOBOT form, standing almost 17 feet (5.2 meters) tall and 13 feet (4 meters) wide.

Ed Peper, GM North America vice president, Chevrolet said “‘Transformers’ gives us a great opportunity to connect with young people on their terms, with a dynamic, environmentally friendly image. The new characters represent the change going on in Chevy showrooms."

Directed by Michael Bay, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” sees the AUTOBOTS confront a new threat from DECEPTICONS bent on avenging their earlier defeat on Earth.

The new AUTOBOT characters in their current Chevy-based form square off against new, tougher foes determined to rule the universe.

The cast includes - among the others - Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox and John Turturro who already starred in the first movie.

“‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’ goes way beyond the first film in terms of robot action and excitement,” said LeeAnne Stables, executive vice president of worldwide marketing partnerships at Paramount Pictures, the distributor of the film.

“The new AUTOBOTS add to the storytelling, and these Chevy vehicles went with our filmmakers to locations all around the world.”

Along with the Camaro that’s reprising its role in the new film, the other Chevy models to be seen on the big screen are new to movie-goers.

The Beat and Trax-based characters, SKIDS and MUDFLAP, remain faithful to their concept designs introduced at the 2007 New York Auto Show – although each wears new paint and other exterior accessories.

And while they may be small cars, when they turn into fighting AUTOBOTS®, they pack a big punch.

The other new AUTOBOT, JOLT, appears in the production form of Chevy’s 2011 Volt extended-range electric vehicle.

BUMBLEBEE, the yellow Camaro, is based on the new, 2010 production model and will showcase new wheels and SS-model performance cues.

For more information visit www.autobotsrollout.com and the Transformers II page at IMDB.

US Air Force X-1 Mustang and Vapor Challenger

2010-01-02T09:38:00.000-08:00

US Air Force X-1 Mustang and Vapor Challenger

The US Air Force in cooperation with Californian Galpin Auto Sports have built the X-1 Ford Mustang and the Vapor Dodge Challenger, two extreme high-tech concept cars that will be featured in the 2009 Super Car Tour mobile recruiting initiative.

Galpin Auto Sports in partnership with the United States Air Force have created two customized vehicles for the 2009 Super Car Tour – a new U.S. Air Force recruiting initiative.

The white Ford Mustang ‘X-1’ and black Dodge Challenger ‘VAPOR’ are Air Force-inspired designs that will travel across the country this year as part of a mobile marketing campaign to inform young people on the career opportunities available within the Air Force.

The Air Force looked to Galpin Auto Sports to create two unique hyper-styled vehicles with the most technologically advanced features available.

The vehicles are a combination of form, function and futuristic entertainment all fueled together.

The 2009 Super Car Tour will primarily visit high schools and a variety of Air Force sponsored events including the DUB magazine auto show, Hot Import Nights, Battle of the Imports, Formula Drift, International Hot Rod Association and local community events.

For more informtion - including several "making-of" videos, visit www.airforce.com.

X-1 Mustang Concept

Representing the muscle of the Air Force, the ‘X-1’ Mustang is a heavenly matte-pearlescent painted supercar with a jet cockpit that includes a single-driver ejection seat in center of vehicle, short shifter, flight stick, and advanced instrumentation panel.

The ‘X-1’ also has a concealed motorized steering wheel, custom foot pedals, GPS transponder and the innovative dash is equipped with a touch screen monitor and sensor pack that displays night and thermal vision.

The 4.6 liter engine includes 3-valve Ford Racing heads, cold air intake, hot rod cams, and long tube headers creating 500hp and is maintained by a custom Ford Racing Tuning Program.

The Vertical doors feature interior panel fabrication to complete the ‘jet-like’ feel of the ‘X-1’, which will appear on the East Coast portion of the Air Force recruiting tour.

Challenger 'Vapor' Concept

The stealth-black Air Force Challenger ‘Vapor’ features a biometric access to open the Vertical doors, a custom Stealth body kit with Jet enhancements and a carbon fiber exterior trim.

Other exterior components include one-off carbon fiber wheels, a custom stealth exhaust mode that allows the vehicle to run in complete silence or you can open up the headers to facilitate the aggressive sound of the engine, shaker hood, radar-absorbing paint, proximity sensors, and a 360-degree camera with ¼ mile range.

The interior of the ‘Vapor’ is complete with aircraft style controls, a passenger side steering wheel, GPS tracking, night and thermal vision via a film on the front windshield, and the most technologically-advanced computer system with remote control UAV-type access from anywhere in the world utilizing the internet.

The ‘Vapor’ also comes with two custom flight helmets in line with the Air Force theme of the vehicle.

About Galpin Auto Sports

Galpin Auto Sports, located in Van Nuys, Southern California, is widely known for its corporate and one-off vehicle designs, through its involvement with various movies and TV projects, including the 2008 “Knight Rider” series’ KITT car, the upcoming movie car in the thriller “The Red Mist” and the acting-home base of MTV’s “Pimp My Ride”.

For more information visit www.galpinautosports.com.

Zenvo ST1

2010-01-02T09:34:00.000-08:00

Zenvo ST1

The ST1 is a prototype of a supercar created by Danish company Zenvo. It features an aggressive racing-like design, is powered by a 7.0 liter V8 engine and can reach a top speed of 375 km/h. It will be hand built in a limited series of 15 units.

Created by Danish company Zenvo, the ST1 is powered by a 7.0 liter V8 engine with more than 1,100 hp and a max torque of 1430Nm. These impressive figures allow for a top speed exceeding 375 km/h and a projected 0-100 km/h time of 3 seconds.

The research and development of the concept started in 2004. The final prototype has now been completed and the car has entered it’s last stages of performance testing, where according to Zenvo it has achieved a 0-100 km/h time of 3.2 seconds and a 0-200 km/h time of 8.9 seconds. Zenvo plans to start a limited series production of 15 units within 2009.

Design

The design of the ST1 was developed by Hermann & Brandt Design studio. The brief was to design a sportscar with an aggressive mix of typical supercar styling cues and race car elements.

Started with the first rough sketches in August 2006, the final design was approved in February 2008.

The design of the car is made from free flowing accelerating lines creating the shape of the wheel arches, the roof line, side line and the lower side air intake.

The sharp lines are connected by muscular organic surfacing creating dramatic reflections. Contrasting the general surfacing the design features a race car inspired lower carbon splitter.

The front is designed around the hexagonal trademark Zenvo grille flanked by the large front air intakes used for brakes and engine cooling. The intakes are raked back to minimize drag and at the same time making the side impression of the car more compact.

The theme of the front is repeated in the rear which is designed around the big diffuser necessary for high speed stability. As on the front the center volume is flanked by large air exits extracting hot engine air as well as housing the exhaust and rear lights.

The rear spoiler mandatory for a car capable of extreme high speeds is partly integrated in the rear wing. It has a unique aerodynamic design following the raked shape of the rear end.

For more informatio visit Zenvo's official website.

Seat Brisa and Duna Concepts

2009-05-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

Seat Brisa and Duna Concepts

Seat Brisa and Duna are two compact electric sportscars powered by Nano Photovoltaic Cells integrated in a translucent elastomer shell. The author is Spanish design student Miguel-Angel Iranzo Sanchez.

The Seat Brisa and Seat Duna are two compact electric sportscars designed to provide old-fashioned fun in a eco-friendly way.

Speaking on the projects, Miguel-Angel Iranzo Sanchez explains: "They were designed on a quite passionate way, each in less than a week, trying to retain the freshness of the first raw sketches, without overthinking them much. I wanted them to look spontaneous, as if they were designed almost by chance."

Seat Brisa

The Seat Brisa is a nimble sports car study. As sail boats are propelled by the wind, the Seat Brisa is propelled by the sun. Nano Photovoltaic Cells within its translucent elastomere shell translate power to a rear wheel mounted motor.

Aesthetically, the Brisa (breeze in Spanish) tries to convey lightness (with its thin waist), harmony with nature (with its plywood floorpan) and emotion (with its dramatic surfacing).

Seat Duna

The Seat Duna is an electric beach buggy designed to provide old-fashioned fun in an eco way. Based on the Volkswagen Up! platform, the Seat Duna is propelled by an electric motor fed by Nano Photovoltaic Cells scattered throughout its translucent elastomere shell.

"With its lightweight mesh seats, laminated cedar rocker panels inspired by vintage surfboards, and bright colors, the Seat Duna is a quite extrovert car."

About the Designer

Born on 14 January 1986 in Requena, Spain, Miguel-Angel Iranzo Sanchez has a Degree in Graphic Design (EASD Valencia) and is currently completing a Master in Transportation Design at the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia.

Among the received awards are a finalist placement at the L'Argus 7th Design Competition (2009), and at the Car Design News / Autodesk / Sabic Plastics Design Contest 2008.

In 2007 he won the 10th Nissan / Autopista / UPV Design Contest and in 2006 he placed third at the 5th L'Argus European Design Competition.

Saab Fashionista Concept

2009-05-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

The Saab Fashionista is a design study of a premium four-seat mid-engined coupe based on the Chevrolet Volt. The design takes inspiration from sci-fi, the fashion world and Raymond Loewy's MAYA principle. It was created by French design student Mayeul Walser.

The Saab Fashionista is a proposal for an up-market, four-seat, mid-engined coupe which could be built on GM's hybrid platform as used in the Chevrolet Volt.

At 4,450mm (175 inches) long, 1,800mm (70.8 inches) wide, and 1,250mm (49 inches) high the Fashionista and Volt have almost identical dimensions - although the Fashionista's roofline sits slightly lower.

Mayeul Walser comments: "The styling inspiration for the Saab Fashionista comes from a variety of different sources including futuristic sci-fi technology and Chanel's fashion collection from K. Lagerfeld.

"In combining these different influences the overall design philosophy of the concept referrers to Raymond Loewy's principle of MAYA (Most Advanced Yet Acceptable)"

This design style essentially means that the Fashionista has been created to appear futuristic and forward thinking while also remaining within the boundaries which most people will readily accept.

The overall design is soft and sleek, and in the same time there is some sharped lines providing a dynamic stance.

Access to the interior of the Saab Fashionista concept is through unique two part doors.

The top part swings upward in manner similar to gullwing doors, while the lower section moves out and then back.

About the Designer

Mayeul Walser is a 23 year old French car design student currently attending a Masters degree in Transport Design at Creapole-ESDI in Paris.

He is currently seeking an internship for July to December of 2009.

Opel/RCA Design Competition: the results

2009-05-22T21:12:00.000-07:00

GreenGT 2011 Le Mans Racer

Tags: concept cars, greengt

Swiss company GreenGT has unveiled a prototype of an electric Le Mans racer for 2011 that could preview a production version. The design was created by design students from the CCi du Valenciennois, France.

To showcase its technological capabilities, Switzerland-based GreenGT has created a prototype of an electric racing car that could compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2011.

According to the first official information, the Sportscar could also enter a limited production, with the only difference between the standard and the racing version being the onboard software.

The sportscar has a fibergass body mounted on a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis. The powertrain - which adopts two 100-kw electric motors - features a 350 to 400 hp power output and a torque of about 2,000 Nm.

Estimated performances are a 0-60 mph time under 4 seconds and a top speed limited to 171 mph (275 km/h).

The design was created by a team of students from the CCi du Valenciennois (France):

Baptiste Viry ( Designer, 5th year)
Thomas Clavet (Designer, 5th year)
Julien Sarreméjean (Designer, 3rd year)
Romuald Lemoine (Digital designer, 2nd year)
Mathieu Bouis (Digital designer, 1st year)

(Source: GreenGT via AutoblogGreen)

L'argus 8th Design Competition

2009-05-22T20:59:00.000-07:00

French magazine L’argus de l’automobile has launched its 8th European Design Competition, with the brief "Less is more: travelling in the era of simplicity". The contest is open to European design students and the submission deadline is 11 December 2009.

Link Concept, winner of the 7th edition

French magazine L’argus de l’automobile has launched its 8th European Design Competition, open to students attending design colleges within the European Union and Switzerland (automotive and industrial design, fine arts, architecture…).

This edition's brief is "Less is more: travelling in the era of simplicity". To answer this question, students have to propose the simplest solution to the greatest number of needs that mobility involved in modern society.

They will have to focus on optimization of the whole chain, from design of the vehicle to its use, integrating the concept of “always less”: less useless materials, less functionalities and equipment, less energy, less wasting of time, less pollution, less environmental impact.

"After more than 50 years of uninterrupted growth in terms of performance, weight, power, size, and also price, the growth curve of the car is currently experiencing its first inflections.

The Scorpion concept, 2nd winner of the 7th edition

"This is the opportunity for students to give free rein to their imagination in designing innovative and modest vehicles."

Participants can submit their project from 1st June to 11 December 2009.

During the award ceremony that will take place on 20 January 2010 evening the winner will receive 3 000 € and an internship at the partner Design centre.

The competition is sponsored by Citroën, which already supported the 4th et 6th editions, and which will offer an internship to the winner within its Design department.

Prizes

The winner will receive a sum of 3,000 €, as well as an internship within the style department of French car manufacturer Citroën.

Tube concept 3rd prize winner in the 7th edition

The designer of the project in 2nd place will win 1,500 € and the designer in 3rd place 500 €.

Every project short-listed for the final will be exhibited during the award ceremony on 20 January 2010.

Submitted entries must include 4 plates:

1 context plate with the project explanations and the guided commentary ;
1 sketch plate ;
2 drawing plates, including:
- Views from different angles (exterior, interior and focusing on certain functions) ;
- Captions (chosen materials, labels of the interior lay out, the vehicle architecture, the ergonomic design, the dimensions, the specific functions, etc.).

About L'Argus Design Competition

307 students were registered last year and, among the prize list, the most prestigious design schools implicated in supporting the candidates: ENSAAMA Olivier de Serres, Créapole, Créasud Bordeaux, IUP d’Évry, Ecole de Design Nantes-Atlantique and Ecole de Condé de Lyon are some of the main contributors.

Damien Grossemy, Thibaut Dereymacker and Maxime Dimarcq, students at ISD Valencienne, won the 1st price with their project “link”.

Others European schools are increasingly involved: they represent 45% of the inscriptions in 2008 (vs 37% in 2007), particularly from Coventry School of Arts and Design, University of Northumbria and Istituto d'Arte Applicata e Design.

Originally devoted to the specific segment of utility vehicles, L’argus Competition opened up in 2008 to themes related to the social use of transport, and mobility in the wider sense. The 8th edition confirms this trend, with a theme that directly reflects the current state of affairs.

(Source: L'Argus)

Suzuki’s Kizashi concept

2009-05-06T07:51:00.000-07:00

Suzuki’s Kizashi concept

1) Suzuki unveiled a new concept car named ‘kizashi’ at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show. This car is sure to cause fever to Honda and Toyota, ya, suzuki’s new concept is not a small car but a smart mid size sedan. The Kizashi – a name meaning ‘prelude’ or ‘foretaste’ – suggests what form Suzuki’s future will take. The D-segment initiative- the kizashi revealed in Frankfurt represents the beginning of the third phase of the world strategy. The main objective of this phase is status. The first phase of the new world strategy was implemented with the focus on ‘Sporty’, a philosophy that resulted in great success with the launch of Swift, Grand Vitara and SX4. The new Splash represents the second phase for Suzuki.

2) Suzuki which was founded in 1909 is regarded as the best small car maker all over the world. But despite the small car sucess, Suzuki has not been able to continue many of the customers to stay with the automaker when purchasing subsequent, larger cars. Suzuki feels obliged to respond to increasing expectations and is convinced that it’s essential to offer a wider product range in order to accommodate customers’ diverse lifestyles. Consequently, Suzuki has decided to expand its lineup to cover all segments from A to D in the next few years. Suzuki’s first-ever D-segment car ‘kizashi’ will stand at the top of the range. Suzuki’s new plan will be reflected in its Indian line-up too.

3) Suzuki which already sources larger cars from General Motors will now make its own D segment car through its kizashi concept. Suzuki targets an uncompromised combination of affordability and emotional appeal with the new kizashi. Suzuki which has already given a sporty hatchback -the Swift Sport plans to carry the same for the D-segment. At the same time, kizashi will ensure the cabin roominess that is essential in the D-segment

4) Though the Suzuki’s kizashi concept is powered by a new 2.0-liter turbo diesel, Suzuki plans to use a hybrid arrangement (an internal combustion engine provides the main propulsion, and an electric motor provides assistance whenever extra power is needed) to achieve environmental compatibility. Kizashi’s dynamic performance will be enhanced all-wheel drive (AWD) a technology that Suzuki has refined over many years.

5) A production version of the Kizashi is slated to appear in 2008, with worldwide sales to start in 2009. Being the Suzuki’s prime market, India will get the kizashi at the same time. In Indian context, Maruti may strap its 1.6L SX4 engine or a 2.0L vitara engine into the kizashi. Suzuki says its Kizashi is planned as the automaker’s future competitor to the Accord and Camry. But Indian news agencies says the ‘big car’(kizashi) from the Maruti Suzuki will compete with the likes of Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and skoda octavia which comes in a price bracket of Rs 10-12 lakh. Anyway, Maruti Suzuki is not just for your small car needs!

Download Car and Bike Wallpapers

NASA concept car

2009-04-07T00:08:00.000-07:00

The NASA concept car (which, as far as we can tell, has nothing to do with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, though it looks like astronauts are driving it) has some pretty radical features that are immediately appealing. It has a sleek hood rather than doors — keeping the passengers more stable and safe — and dynamic wheels that'll let you pull off hairpin turns, allow the car to move perpendicularly in a snap, and even spin in place. Oh, how we wish a vehicle like this would come out already so we wouldn't have to smash off any more bumpers. And some protection up top for those heads poking out would be nice, too. It was designed by Czech students Marek Kedzierski and Michal Vlček, studying at the Tomas Bata University in Zlín.

BMW ZX-6 Concept

2009-04-06T23:58:00.001-07:00

Transportation Of The Future - BMW ZX-6 Concept

In the past we presented you some impressive cars, motorcycles and other machines which could transport us in the future. Here is another intriguing car concept that was designed by two students of the IED (Istituto Europeo di Design) in Turin. The concept was created in collaboration with BMW and it consists of “Designing the BMW of 2015.”

It’s called BMW ZX-6 and it was designed by Jai Ho Yoo and Lukas Vanek to fulfill all the wishes and the lifestyle of a person. You may think that it looks like a toy, but this is how modern cars will look and the students let their imagination run wild.

In the picture above you can see the BMW Vela Concept designed by Andrea Corona, Alex Mastinu and Yim Sumi. Although it didn’t receive too many praises, I think that it’s really cool and it should be taken into consideration.

The next concept is called BMW Africa and it was inspired by the African lifestyle. The idea of the designers was to create a car that decomposes itself depending on the needs of a person. BMW Africa was envisioned by Raphael Laurent and Mihai Panaitescu, and the concept was appreciated by the IED commission.

The last concept that was welcomed by the “audience” is called BMW SNUG Concept and it’s destined for the people who want simple and fun things in a “chaotic, confusing, grey and polluted” future. SNUG was designed by David Raffai, Kevin Schlaepfer, Andrea Torchia and Alberto Usai, and it would surely bring joy into our lives because “we risk becoming automatons, slaves to money and personal success.”

Hyundai Blue-Will Concept

2009-03-31T07:08:00.000-07:00

Hyundai has revealed the first pictures and information on its Blue-Will Concept, a plug-in hybrid vehicle featuring a parallel powertrain with a 1.6 liter diesel unit and CVT transmission, extensive use of recycled materials, solar panels. It will debut at the Seoul Motor Show.

The Hyundai Blue-Will Concept is powered by an all-aluminium Gasoline Direct Injected 1.6-litre engine.

The unit is coupled to a Continuously Variable Transmission and a 100kw electric motor which is at the heart of its parallel hybrid drive architecture.

The Blue-Will has a five-door hatchback body style with an original design defined by the intersecting character lines on the sides and by the the A and C pillars, which become part of the roof center structure leaving a glass area above the doors.

Electric power is stored in a Lithium Ion Polymer battery pack, bundled with the fuel tank under the rear seat to maximise luggage space.

Recycled PET soft drink bottles were used to make the material for the headlamp bezels while use has also been made of bio-plastics: PLA for the interior while PA11 was specified for the engine cover.

These materials are made from plants extract rather than fossil fuels and are bio-degradable.

The glass area of the panoramic roof integrates dye-sensitized solar cells which can generate power for the batteries from the sun without impeding visibility.

The Blue-Will Concept will debut at the Seoul Motor Show which opens on April 2nd 2009.

(Source: Hyundai)

Mercedes-Benz F-Cell Roadster Concept

2009-03-31T07:01:00.000-07:00

The F-Cell Roadster Concept is design study of a fuel cell vehicle created by 150 trainees at Mercedes-Benz. It combines innovative technologies and solution with large spoked wheels inspired by the 1886 Benz Car.

The F-Cell Roadster Concept was created by the trainees of Daimler AG at the Sindelfingen Mercedes-Benz.

For about a year, more than 150 trainees and dual education system students worked on the overall concept, development, assembly, and completion of the F-CELL Roadster.

This project involved junior employees from the fields of automotive mechatronics, model-building, electronics, coating technology, manufacturing mechanics, product design, and interior appointments.

The prime objective of the project was to integrate the topic of alternative drive systems into training with hands-on experience.

"This project impressively demonstrates that the topic of sustainable mobility has become an integral part of our vocational training," said Human Resources Board member and Labor Relations Manager Günther Fleig.

"I am delighted to see how much initiative and creativity the young people have put into this project."

The F-CELL Roadster combines state-of-the-art technologies with the history of vehicle construction. As an allusion to the Benz Patent Motor Car from 1886, the vehicle is fitted with large spoked wheels.

Moreover, the F-CELL Roadster incorporates stylistic elements from diverse eras of automotive history, such as the carbon-fiber bucket seats with hand-stitched leather covers and the distinctively styled fiberglass front section, based on the component from the Formula One racing bolides.

The F-CELL Roadster is controlled with drive-by-wire technology, and a joystick takes the place of a conventional steering wheel.

The vehicle is powered by the emission-free fuel cell system located at the rear.

With a power rating of 1.2 kW the F-CELL Roadster reaches a top speed of 25 km/h and has an operating range of up to 350 km.

(Source: Mercedes-Benz)

Rally Fighter Interior Design Competition: the winners

2009-03-31T06:11:00.000-07:00

Local Motors has announced the winners of the Rally Fighter Interior Design Competition. The first three prizes were won respectively by Mihai Panaitescu, Artem Popkov and Anthony Collard.

Started back in February, the Rally Fighter Interior Competition is the first interior design contest organized by Local Motors.

The brief was to design a global aesthetic for the first Local Motors production car, the Rally Fighter, designed by Sangho Kim and targeted to American Southwest market.

The grand winner of the contest is Romanian Mihai Panaitescu, who already placed first in the Boston Motors Competition with his “Boston Bullet”, and second in Chicago Motors Competition, and earned the first prize of $2,000.

Mihai’s InteriorConcept features an attractive minimalist aesthetic which includes only the necessary features. It is defined by Local Motors as "difficult but appropriate for a true rally vehicle."

The concept is characterized by the adoption of aluminum panels and other visual links between the interior and exterior, like the door handle shape, which creates an overall pleasing and flight-inspired interior.

The most outstanding feature is the center console, which seems to be floating on wings between the two front seats. The design will set the global tone for the Rally Fighter’s interior.

Russian designer Artem Popkov placed second and earned the $400 prize with his 4CE Project, featuring "a clean and confident design language which lends itself well to the military-style interior."

While simple, this interior is able to incorporate the drivers’ existing, but not built-in, technology, like iPhones, GPS, etc.

Anthony Collard placed third with his Navy Blue project and earned the $200 prize.

This design invigorates a sense of adventure and conquest with a standout orange roll cage, a true cockpit style dashboard, and unobtrusive back seats, which are molded directly into the car’s body.

For more information visit Local Motors.

(Source: Local Motors)

Obama Rolls In An Armored Cadillac Stagecoach

2009-02-18T07:02:00.000-08:00

General Motors has once again built the First Limo, which isn't so much a car as an armored personnel carrier wrapped in Cadillac bodywork. It is code-named "Stagecoach" but given its weight, wheelbase and bunker-like level of protection, Caddy One has been nicknamed "the Beast."

The limo that carries President Obama down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House today is the latest in a long line of Cadillacs to join the First Fleet over the years. Although GM and the Secret Service jealously guard the vehicle's specs and secrets, you can bet Obama's ride is the toughest, most sophisticated car anywhere. Think of it as the road-going equivalent to Air Force One.

"Although many of the vehicle's security enhancements cannot be discussed, it is safe to say that this car's security and coded communications systems make it the most technologically advanced protection vehicle in the world," Nicholas Trotta, assistant director for the Secret Service Office of Protective Operations, said in a statement (.pdf).

GM had even less to say, noting "one of the specifications is we don't talk about the specifications." But spokesman David Caldwell says the redesigned car "is a fresh, more modern, more expensive" version of the Cadillac DTS that has carried President Bush since his second inauguration in 2005. Obama's car, he says, is "a little bit more vibrant, if you will."

Even if no one's got anything to say about what's under all that armor, there are some things widely believed to be known about Caddy One's security measures.

The car is one of a small fleet of what is believed to be no more than 25 presidential limos General Motors built for the Obama administration, according to the Detroit News. Although presidential limos have a lifespan of about a decade, the Commander in Chief gets a new one about every four years. Hand-me-downs are used to carry the vice president and visiting heads of state.

GM says the car occupies the "same footprint" as the current presidential ride, but it is a little taller and the windows a little bigger to improve visibility. Limo One is believed to weigh between seven and eight tons, and spy shots suggest it rides on a GM medium-duty truck chassis propelled by a diesel engine. The body is sheathed in military-grade armor as much as 8 inches thick on the doors (each of which weighs as much as the cabin door on a Boeing 747, Motor Authority says). The armor reportedly is a mix of dual-hardness steel, aluminum, titanium and ceramic. The windows are ballistic glass said to be 5 inches thick, and Dan Neil of the Los Angeles Times says there's probably a woven Kevlar mat covering the floorboard to protect the car from blasts. The cabin is believed to feature a sealed air recirculation system to protect its occupants from chemical attacks.

"I think he will be surprised about how when he's in the limo, it's a cocoon," Joe Funk, a retired Secret Service agent who served as President Clinton's driver, told CNN. "The everyday noises will be gone, and he will be totally isolated in this protective envelope.

Still, despite being at least as secure as a hardened missile silo, GM says Caddy One features the same hand-sewn leather interior you'd find in the CTS at your local dealership, and supposedly it's got a 10-disc CD player. And, of course, it's packed with the latest communications technology.

"I think he will be surprised at the communication capabilities, how the phones, the satellites, the Internet - everything is at his fingertips," Funk said. "So at one end, you are totally removed from society. The other side of the coin is that he can have any communications worldwide at a moment's touch."

Obama's limo is the latest in long line of presidential cars Cadillac has built in the 100 years since Congress approved funding for a presidential motor pool. President Wilson rode in a Caddy during a parade marking the end of World War I. President Coolidge sported a lavish 1928 Cadillac Town Car, which was among the first Caddys parked at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. It featured a 341 cubic inch engine and a robust (for the time) 90 horsepower.

In 1938, the US government received two Cadillac convertibles, each 21.5 feet long and weighing nearly 8,000 pounds. They were dubbed the "Queen Elizabeth" and the "Queen Mary" after the ocean liners. Each featured back-up generators, two-way radios and an arsenal of weapons. They served presidents Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower and were replaced by the Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Mary II, which remained in service until 1968.

Cadillac returned to the White House in 1983, when President Reagan rode around in a Fleetwood famous for being the last equipped with the Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 3-speed automatic transmission. President Clinton rode in a Fleetwood Brougham powered by a 454 cubic inch (7.4 liter) V8.

The largest collection of presidential limos is held by the Henry Ford Museum, but President Bush's limo will not appear in it. The Secret Service has since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, required that presidential limos be destroyed upon retirement to preserve their secrets.

GYM Concept Car (Generates Powered By Your Exercises)

2008-10-27T11:36:00.001-07:00

The future is coming and in the future, the cars powered by fossil fuels will be forgotten therefore designers will have to come up with new ideas for new types of fuel. While hybrid and solar-powered cars seem to have an advantage, the GYM concept car comes with a new and revolutionary idea: a car which harnesses the energy from your workout.

You might be wondering if you can generate enough energy to power your car, but the thing is that the GYM concept will feature an electrical engine and batteries which will be charged thanks to you. You will be able to do that via a plug-in socket which will be connected to your exercise equipment.

The GYM concept will be an one-seated car and will be made of lightweight materials like molded magnesium alloy and carbon-fiber. The design resembles a fighter aircraft from World War 2 and maybe with all this exercises you are getting ready for war. Just kidding here. Unlike many other concepts, I hope that the GYM car will become a reality in the future.

GYM Concept Car (Generates Powered By Your Exercises)

2008-10-27T11:36:00.000-07:00

Versa-Quatic Concept Car

2008-10-27T11:35:00.001-07:00

Versa-Quatic

Here is a useful concept car. Why useful? Because you will have to move your body a lot in order to drive it. This concept was inspired by marine life and it was designed by Christopher Lavelanet and being a car of the future, it will be eco-friendly.

Th car is called Versa-Quatic and it’s two-seater. The driver will have to seat in bike-like position and he will use its upper and lower body to turn, accelerate or break the car. It seems like we will have a lot of work to do, but this is great as we will drive and exercise in the same time.

Well, the car will be eco-friendly thanks to the electrical engine and to the battery pack that will make the Versa-Quatic energy efficient. Once again, I have to say that this car is only a concept and that it may never see the sunlight. However, the eco-friendly technology is already here, the design looks great and I can’t see why this car wouldn’t enter on the market in the next decade.

RCA Green Concept Cars

2008-10-27T11:34:00.001-07:00

The Royal College of Art turns 40 years of existence next year and their fame will be honored by the graduates of their vehicle design program who are one the best in the world. As everything in the future should be green, they decided to design green and sustainable concepts for the cars of the future.

Although the cars are very futuristic and they look like they will destroy the environment, all the concepts will feature energy efficient engines with few emission and also they will be made of glass which will allow them to be very aerodynamic.

RCA unveiled these cutting-edge cars that look like rockets and one of them is kind of a combination between a motorcycle and a sidecar. One of the best designs is the Airflow concept which was envisioned by Pierre Sabas and it will feature an exterior made of glass, ultra-weight materials and an electric engine.

Another impressive concept car is Nuaero which was designed by Jon Radbrink and it will be based on airfoils for aerodynamics, also a venturi-tunnel, and an underbody inspired by a catamaran.

Other designs include Sergio Loureiro Da Silva’s Pheonix, Nereus concept by Ceri Yorath, a concept car from Ilaria Sacco, Joonas Vartola’s really attractive Iomega, Noah concept by Jung Hoon Rhee, Enigma concept by Paul Howse (one of my favorites) and a concept car from Yunwoo Jeong.

I was about to forget about a design by Arturo Peralta Nogueras which consists of a car that runs on algae and which uses evolving solid hologram technology in order to adapt to the environment and passengers. Check out the photos tell us which one is your favorite!

RCA via Wallpaper

peugeot 360 (wheel less)

2008-10-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

I think that you have already noticed that we love to show you concept cars that represent the transportation of the future and if those cars are environmentally-friendly then it gets even better. Here is another futuristic concept called Peugeot 360 which sports spheres instead of wheels. These spheres are destined to provide maximum agility in traffic which means that you will not have to worry in tight spaces.

The Peugeot 360 concept was envisioned by Andrei Franca and will be powered by an electric engine. Actually, it will feature an engine for each of the three spheres which will be synchronized thanks to a board computer. The will be controlled through a joystick which provides the ability of 360 degrees turns as it moves around its axis.

Unfortunately, the Peugeot 360 has only three seats, two in front and one in the back therefore you will not be able to scare too much friends when you will perform some “dangerous” twists and turns. An interesting fact about this concept Peugeot is that the rear-view mirror will be a LCD monitor. Well, I can’t wait to see this on the roads with all its state-of-the-art technologies.

peugeot's concept car (solar powered)

2008-10-27T11:25:00.000-07:00

It seems like Peugeot is thinking about the future and their designers are creating many great concept cars which will be also environmentally-friendly. After the Wheel-less Peugeot 360, another green car of the future is the Peugeot Shoo which has a shape like a triangle.

The design was inspired by a boat and it’s very aerodynamic thanks to this fluid shape. The Shoo concept will feature a roof entirely made of solar panels which will harness energy and then send it to the electrical engine. Probably the most important thing of this car will be the pendular system as you can see from the pictures, it’s very likely that you will feel butterflies in the stomach.

Toyota’s Lightweight 1/X Concept

2008-10-27T11:24:00.000-07:00

It seems like every other day now that a car company announces a new concept that is redefining what it means to be an environmentally friendly vehicle. However, when Toyota says it, we tend to take a closer look. It was Toyota, after all, that created the Prius, the standard to which all subsequent hybrid vehicles are measured. The Toyota 1/x concept, which recently appeared at the Chicago Auto Show, is Toyota’s latest attempt at redefining what a green vehicle means. And to them, it is all about making it weigh less.

The name 1/X refers to the reduced amount of weight, emissions and fuel consumption that the vehicle has compared to that of other similar vehicles in its class. It is made from a carbon fiber reinforced plastic frame, that is quite strong but much lighter than conventional framing system. The shape of the vehicle is a result of a desire by Toyota’s designers to create a smaller space, that would have a feeling of openness. It has the same amount of space as a Prius, yet weighs about a third.

The roof is transparent, heat and noise insulating, and made from a bio-plastic derived from kenaf and ramie plants. The seats of the vehicle are extremely light, yet, according to Toyota, quite comfortable. The entire front of the vehicle is clad in an LED lighting system that provides a soft glow, illuminating the entire front surface of the vehicle. And, due to the light weight of the vehicle, the 1/X’s wheels are smaller and thinner than those of a regular vehicle. They have even reduced the amount of water splashed by the tires when traveling on wet surface.

The 1/x is meant to operate at a fuel efficiency that is double that of the Prius. It comes with a plug-in hybrid unit and a small fuel-engine. This design, combined with the lightness of the car means that it can travel for over 600 miles on a four-gallon tank of fuel. Overall, a pretty impressive technology package from Toyota.

+Toyota 1/X Concept Makes North American Debut At 2008 Chicago Auto Show

CLEVER Project CNG Concept

2008-10-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

If you read last week’s Transportation Tuesday, you might be doing a double take - after all, we are featuring another ultra-thin, super cool looking, three wheel vehicle. Last week was the electric Smera. This week’s sleek ride is the distinguished CLEVER concept - a 3 feet wide vehicle that runs on compressed natural gas and is perfect for urban driving.

The CLEVER was designed by the Technical University of Berlin, which together with a number of partners, including BMW, wanted to develop a type of vehicle that would be suitable for urban use. The result was a low emissions, three wheeled, two person vehicle that can tilt around corners, and look quite stylish doing it.

The CLEVER, which stands for compact low emission vehicle for urban transport, is 3 meters long and 1 meter wide. It weighs less than 400kg, and combined with the fact that it is powered by natural gas, will give you around 60g/km (compared to 100 g/km for a small vehicle). The top speed is 100kph, and it has an acceleration of 0-60kph in about 7 seconds.

Unlike the Smera, the CLEVER is unlikely to go into production any time soon, as it was intended to be more of an exploratory model, rather than a full solution. We’re definitely hoping that some of the research in this design shows up in some form or another soon.

+ CLEVER Project

Toyota Hi-CT

2008-10-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

Odd-looking doesn’t even begin to describe this hybrid concept vehicle, but the Toyota Hi-CT is a reflection of what a cool and enjoyable vehicle should look like, according to Toyota’s team of young Japanese and European designers. The Hi-CT evolved from the theme of “unbalanced” - the concept behind the entire design of the front-centered proportions. Wanting something that would make you stop and take a good look, Toyota has succeeded. And the young team of designers behind the Hi-CT have given this cool and enjoyable vehicle some very green aces up its sleeve.

The Hi-CT is a plug-in hybrid with a 1.5L motor and uses lithium-ion batteries, which are located underneath the floor of the vehicle in order to maximize the interior space of the car. While it looks quite boxy and big, it is in fact quite small. The entire vehicle is 3.3 meters long, 1.6 meters wide and 1.7 meters high. It is, effectively, a cube on wheels. Due to the tiny size, it can only carry two persons. However, being a “lifestyle” car, there’s enough space inside it for everything that an active user or two could need. The rear trunk can be modified so that surfboards, bicycles and camping equipment can be carried around for those days where you need to get out to nature.

The car certainly looks a little out of the ordinary, but not in an unappealing way and especially not with its green credo to back up its unfamiliar form. If nothing else, this once again proves how by thinking outside the constraints of the gas engine, car manufacturers have certainly started to think outside the box for their car designs as well.

+ Toyota Hi-CT

Super Slim Lumeneo Smera EV

2008-10-27T11:16:00.002-07:00

Super Slim Lumeneo Smera EV

With oil prices at a record high, it comes as no surprise to find alternative vehicles such as the Lumeneo Smeracatching the eye of car enthusiasts everywhere. The Smera is a two seat, four wheel electric vehicle that is narrow enough to maneuver as a motorcycle. We’ve heard of small vehicles, but the Smera is taking thin to a new transportation extreme.

The Smera is 2.4 metres (8 feet) long, and 80 cm (less than 3 feet) wide. It can hit a top speed of 80mph, and will take you 93 miles on one charge. The vehicle is quite narrow, and handles more like a motorcycle than a car, tilting around curves rather than turning. The wheels are powered by dual electric 20hp motors, which according to the manufacturers, will last you for 200,000 km. It is powered by a 144 volt lithium ion battery, which can be charged in a few hours.

It is certainly a small vehicle, and a powerful one for its size. Here’s hoping that this vehicle, which at the moment is but a concept, does make it into production by 2009. The expected cost will be between 20-30,000 Euros.

+ Lumeneo Smera

2008-10-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

TRANSPORTATION TUESDAY: Super Slim Lumeneo Smera EV

+ Lumeneo Smera

fuel-cell cars

2008-10-23T04:20:00.000-07:00

Fuel cells generate electrical power quietly and efficiently, without pollution. Unlike power sources that use fossil fuels, the by-products from an operating fuel cell are heat and water. But how does it do this?
a fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device. A fuel cell converts the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water, and in the process it produces electricity.

The other electrochemical device that we are all familiar with is the battery. A battery has all of its chemicals stored inside, and it converts those chemicals into electricity too. This means that a battery eventually "goes dead" and you either throw it away or recharge it.

With a fuel cell, chemicals constantly flow into the cell so it never goes dead -- as long as there is a flow of chemicals into the cell, the electricity flows out of the cell. Most fuel cells in use today use hydrogen and oxygen as the chemicals.

World’s Tiniest Fuel Cell Vehicle

Hydrocar, Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies, tiny fuel cell car, hydrogen fuel cell car, hydrogen toy car, fuel cell toy car, green gadgets, eco friendly gadgets, geek gadgets, fuel cell vehicle, greener gadgets

If last week’s Transportation Tuesday article on the world’s smallest solar vehicle wasn’t your cup of tea (after all solar is so last year), then hopefully this week’s entry will be more to your taste. The Hydrocar is a pint-sized vehicle that is powered entirely by a hydrogen fuel cell. It would make an excellent office racer or a fun educational vehicle for children - check out it’s kid-friendly angle over at inhabitots!

Ozone, fuel cell-powered, cylinder-shaped vehicle

Ozone is definitely beyond our imagination. The cylinder-shaped vehicle has taken a big leap in the design of conventional automobile. When you first look at Ozone, you’ll have guessed that it’s just a concept. In fact, it is!

It’s just a concept car presented by Istanbul designer Özkan Koral for Peugeot. Since Ozone is the future car, it’s also been designed in mind not to consume oil. Instead it’ll be powered by hydrogen fuel cell. The Ozone has got tow big wheels which each is independently powered by electric motors.

There isn’t any conventional steering found in the Ozone. To control the Ozone, all depends on a joystick. Its only door is at the front, which rotates underneath to open up and let the passengers and driver get down. I suppose Ozone only rotates its two wheels when it’s running instead of rotating the entire cylinder. The passengers inside will just remain static when the Ozone runs. Or else it’ll be great pains and all sort of dizziness while traveling with the Ozone car. Anyway, it’s simply just a concept which might take years to get it materialized and accepted by the people.

Ozone,Peugeot concept car,hydrogen fuel-cell-powered car

Honda FCX Clarity Fuel Cell Vehicle Lease Program Begins with First Customer Delivery

Zero-emissions vehicle now on the roads of Southern California
TORRANCE, Calif., U.S.A., July 25, 2008– American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced that Ron Yerxa and Annette Ballester took delivery of their hydrogen fuel cell-powered FCX Clarity on Friday, July 25, 2008 at Honda of Santa Monica, one of three dealerships in Southern California that are part of the first fuel cell vehicle dealership network. Yerxa and Ballester are the world's first FCX Clarity customers and the first of approximately 200 customers who will lease the vehicle in the United States and Japan over the next three years, with the vast majority of vehicles being leased in Southern California.

"The FCX Clarity lease program is one more step toward meeting the societal goals of climate stability, renewable energy supplies and zero-emissions transportation," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda. "With this key step, we are advancing toward the goal of broader commercialization," Mendel added. "Establishing a dedicated sales network and service infrastructure provides customers with the best balance of convenience and the highest level of satisfaction."

Significant advances over Honda's previous generation FCX include a 25 percent increase in combined fuel economy to 72 miles/kg-H2* (74 mpg GGE ) and a greater than 30 percent increase in driving range up to 280 miles*. The FCX Clarity is a next-generation, hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle. Propelled by an electric motor that runs on electricity generated in the fuel cell, the vehicle's only emission is water, and its fuel efficiency is three times that of a modern gasoline-powered automobile.

Honda Shows Off FCX Fuel Cell Concept Car

Honda FCX Fuel Cell Car
We've written a lot about the Honda FCX hydrogen-powered car (see links at the end of this post). So far we only could show you computer renderings of the car, but now Honda has shown a working version of the next-generation FCX (to see the 2005 version, see this) doing about 100 mph (160 kph) on a test track. "The company says it plans limited marketing in Japan and the US for the vehicle starting in 2008." That's faster than the "3-4 years" announced in early 2006, so presumably things are going better than planned on the technical side of things.

According to Reuters:

Honda also showed off a prototype of its next-generation fuel cell vehicle which runs on a newly developed compact and more powerful fuel cell stack.
The new stack is designed to allow the hydrogen and water formed during electricity generation to flow vertically instead of horizontally, making the component 20 percent smaller and 30 percent lighter than the previous version.

Honda's new FCX fuel-cell car now has a driving range of 570 km (354 miles) -- a 30 percent improvement from the 2005 model -- a maximum speed of 160 km (100 miles) per hour and can be driven in temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius (86 F).

Honda plans to begin marketing the car in limited numbers in 2008 in Japan and the United States.

Honda said it also developed a flexible fuel vehicle (FFV) system that can operate on any ethanol-to-gasoline ratio between 20 percent and 100 percent. That car will be sold in Brazil, the biggest market for ethanol-based vehicles, later this year.

"Way out in the future, the ultimate green car will be fuel cell vehicles," Fukui said. "But in the meantime, you need a wide range of green technology to meet varying local needs and fuel supply."

For more technical specifications, see this.

We wish that Honda was spending more energy on electric cars and plug-in hybrids (if they are, they're keeping quiet about it), but since there probably won't be a single silver bullet technology to solve our transportation problems and it's impossible to predict what kind of breakthroughs will happen in the next 5-10 years, it's still good to see companies making steady progress with fuel cell hydrogen cars. A lot of that expertise can be used in electric cars anyway.

Toyota's Fine-N Hybrid/Fuel Cell Concept Car

While every other car company is racing to match the Prius' ICE/battery hybrid design, Toyota has the next best thing in it's sights: a fuel cell/battery hybrid with drive-by-wire on all four wheels. Yes...we know its only a concept car. But it seems like only a few years ago that people said that very same thing about Prius. And, a TreeHugger can dream can't he? For some cool trade show jargon have look below the fold.

The Fine-N is a fuel cell hybrid concept vehicle designed to shape the future of motoring. Advances in fuel cell hybrid system technology promise to bring the future motorists more than just environmental benefits, a new freedom of vehicle form liberated from the usual power train layout ..

The Fine-N's overall package consist of a low-flat floor with the length of a Corolla, but with a cabin even more spacious than the luxurious sedan Lexus LS430. The vehicle employs four in-wheel motors in an innovative "cabin on wheels" configuration. Key to the fresh proportions of this ground-hugging, long-wheelbase-to-length design is Toyota's fuel cell hybrid technology, which allows freedom from conventional power train layout constraints so that individually electric-powered wheels can be positioned nearly at the vehicle's four corners. With a spacious interior cabin, a cockpit fit for your driving environment, interactive controls and gauges, and a large multi-information display, and a video camera, the Fine-N is truly designed with focus on driving requirements.

As a pioneer in making practical fuel cell hybrid vehicles (FCHV), Toyota now shows the way to an even more advanced fuel cell hybrid system... Electric power from the Toyota FC Stack and a lithium ion battery drives a motor to power the vehicle, delivering acceleration on a par with a gasoline engine vehicle.

Honda PUYO concept car from Tokyo Auto Show

Honda is an doubtless leader in concept cars creation. At the Tokyo Motor Show 2007, Honda presented the Honda PUYO concept car. This car looks not like a car at all, a kind of a small bus! But, this car is full of advantages: it is aimed to convey nice and friendly impression and to be fun, safe and bright, what is more environmentally-friendly car based on fuel cell technology.

The motto of Honda cars looked like this: “For the endless joy of mobility on our earth”. So, Honda designers were aimed to make environmentally and driver friendly car and at the same time funny car (this car is a pleasant one for both diver and people around).

Exterior design So, while designing PUYO, manufacturers followed these aims: to make car cornerless, car with the maximum spaciousness, make a car of great real-world safety. Also, the body of the car is a luminescent one.

Interior design This car is made and aimed for you to feel yourself comfortable. It gives a “silky feel” and feeling of clearness. Driving becomes a real pleasure. A joystick is put instead of a steering wheel.

Honda PUYO - general impression

PUYO is something that conveys warmth and friendliness, also, it take care about people round and makes them laugh. The body of the Honda PUYO is made from special material (like gel), thus, the safety is high and lights shining through the gel body are so cute. The design is minimalist but still ultra-efficient.

UK University Demonstrates ENV, World’s First Hydrogen Powered Motorbike

Earlier this week, a team of scientists at Loughborough University demonstrated the ENV, the world’s first ever hydrogen-powered motorbike (video).

Instead of a standard fuel tank, the ENV (short for Emissions Neutral Vehicle) contains an onboard fuel cell that can be filled with hydrogen in just three minutes. The cell then converts the hydrogen to electricity, enabling speeds of over 50 mph, and a range of 100 miles, with no emissions except warm air and water.

Mercedes-Benz unveil new F600 fuel cell concept

With the growing demand for cleaner technology, car manufacturers are increasingly looking at concepts like fuel cell to make their future cars more eco-friendly. And Mercedes have become the latest automobile giants to step into the game. Presenting a fuel cell version of their diminutive B-class in Europe, the company has unveiled their latest venture, the “Mercedes F600 HyGenius” fuel cell concept.

With a smaller, more powerful and more efficient fuel cell stack hidden in the F600’s “sandwich floor”, the car instantly ranks high on the green meter. Running on a hydrogen tank, a drive motor, and a lithium ion battery, the system gives the equivalent of 115 hp, performing on demand just like any other production, a quality which might just make this eco-initiative a reality in the near future.

Ford Airstream Plug-In Hydrogen Fuel Cell Concept

Ford is playing to our space-age side with their futuristic crossover concept, the Airstream.

Ford designers looked to the iconic design of the Airstream trailers and the optimistic future of 2001: A Space Odyssey to create this plug-in hydrogen fuel cell concept vehicle unveiled at the 2007 North American International Auto show on Sunday.

The Ford Airstream concept is powered by a plug-in hydrogen hybrid fuel-cell system called HySeries Drive. Interestingly, the hydrogen fuel cell is not the main power source. The Airstream runs on an electric motor powered by lithium-ion batteries which are charged by plugging them in a standard wall socket, and the fuel cell simply acts as an on-board “generator” to recharge the batteries when needed while in transit.

In pure electric mode the Airstream Concept can travel 25 miles before the fuel cell begins to operate to recharge the 336-volt lithium-ion battery pack. After that the hydrogen-power cell kicks in and can take the vehicle up to an additional 280 miles.

The fuel cell on the HySeries Drive system has a few advantages over others: It weighs about half what any current fuel cell does, so it will be more efficient on the vehicle it powers, and it costs significantly less to make. Also, current fuel cells don’t do well when the mercury dips below freezing, but the HySeries fuel cell can operate in the dead of winter.

While the Airstream will never be made, the HySeries Drive technology is currently on the road in a Ford Edge prototype, which was created with partial funding from the U. S. Department of Energy. Is it reasonable to expect to see it available to consumers in the future? Who knows. Ford seems more in love with the actual design of the concept than the technology. In fact, I suspect the hydrogen technology may merely be a way to make their futuristic concept even more kitchy (space ships are supposed to run on hydrogen, right?)

When I see HySeries Drive at the dealership, maybe then I’ll be excited. As I always feel about concept vehicles: “If you think the style and technology are so great, go ahead and make something you can sell me.”

Pininfarina Brings their Award Winning Design to the Fuel Cell

Pininfarina, the famed Italian automotive designer, revealed its latest concept car at the Geneva Motor Show today. The revolutionary new car is called the Sintesi, and it features Nuvera’s new Quadrivium drive, which combines the high efficiency of fuel cells with the ability to operate on both conventional and biofuels.

When Pininfarina approached us with the ambitious challenge of making a high performance power train using ecologically benign technology, Nuvera engineers changed direction away from conventional technologies and embraced a radical new fuel cell concept. The result was four distributed wheel power modules, which allowed the car itself to be designed around the passengers, rather than the power train. The Sintesi brings together the cutting edge design approach of Pininfarina with our cutting edge technology, to provide a concept car as innovative in its look as it is in operation.

Hydrogen car

2008-10-23T03:37:00.000-07:00

A hydrogen vehicle is a vehicle that uses hydrogen as its on-board fuel for motive power.
The term may refer to a personal transportation vehicle, such as an automobile, or any other vehicle that uses hydrogen in a similar fashion, such as an aircraft. The power plants of such vehicles convert the chemical energy of hydrogen to mechanical energy (torque) in one of two methods: combustion
In combustion, the hydrogen is burned in engines in fundamentally the same method as petrol cars.
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Mercedes Hydrogen concept car

Mercedes Hydrogen Concept Car

Hydrogen Fueled Toy Car A Cool Gift Idea for Tech-Obsessed Kids of All Ages

Not so long ago I had the chance to check out a couple of cool gifts for kids this holiday season, and the Hydrogen Car availablethrough Discovery was definitely one of them. Similar to the H-Racer, it combines a cool, futuristic look with fuel cell technology to teach kids of all ages about the benefits of clean technology development.

And while the car automatically avoids obstacles after bumping into them, the one real drawback is that it doesn’t go tremendously fast. So I suspect the eco-geek on your list may well enjoy it more than the kid who’s looking for the fastest machine in existence.

Also, there’s no way to control where it’s headed, and the tank of Hydrogen doesn’t last terribly long either.

But, the truth is as I said above… The average eco-geek will love it. And with Christmas just around the corner, it may make a really fun, educational, unique gift for that technology-obsessed kid on your list.

And alternatively, it may be something they’d like to pick up for themselves with some of their Christmas loot when the day is done. Let’s face reality, as the pockets of parents and grandparents across America empty for Christmas, it’s quite often the kids who are the one’s left holding a tidy stash to spend on a cool toy like this one the day after.

World's Smallest Hydrogen Fuel Cell Toy Car Is Cool-Looking, Expensive And Silly

Resembling the Audi Will Smith drove in "iRobot," the world's smallest hydrogen powered toy car uses hydrogen for fuel employing the same technology that auto companies are toying with to develop zero-emission vehicles. Like most alternative fuel cars it's more pricey than regular toy cars, and refueling takes about 10 minutes. If the price of batteries makes you see red then and traveling in a straight line for 325 feet for three minutes sounds like fun, then this is the car for you. That's right, no steering and no remote control in this model. To add to the silliness of this car, the fueling station uses a little solar panel as a catalyst for electrolysis or two AA batteries (not included.)

The Giugiaro Vadho hydrogen concept car is created by Italdesign, the Giugiaro Vadho embodies a futuristic aeronautic spirit rarely seen in any automobile. Tthe Giugiaro Vadho is powered by the same V-12 engine as the BMW Hydrogen 7 and uses BMW’s 7-speed SMG transmission.

The Giugiarò Vadho is a tandem two-seater, with both driver and rear passenger residing on the left side of the vehicle. At the both left side and the right side contains the hydrogen ICE power train which can be switched depending upon the country in which is being driven.

The Giugiarò Vadho interior design has futuristic ergonomically designed seats which contains two joysticks on the driver’s armrests and drive-by-wire technology that will make the gaming enthusiast feel right at home. The joysticks move back and forth on the armrest to assist the driver on curves and other challenging driving conditions.

BMW's HYDROGEN CAR

BMW

The H2R concept car uses liquid hydrogen fuel. BMW plans to develop a production car with a hydrogen combustion engine.

L.A. Auto Show

BMW stresses hydrogen as performance fuel

By John McCormick / Autos Insider

LOS ANGELES -- Riding high on the back of a record sales year in 2004, BMW has underscored its belief in hydrogen as a future performance fuel.

At the Los Angeles Auto Show, BMW presented the speed-record setting H2R liquid hydrogen car in North America for the first time.

"BMW is the world leader in the development of hydrogen cars with internal combustion engines," said Tom Purves, chairman and CEO of BMW Group (U.S.). "We believe that in the output range above 140 horsepower, there is still no other clean, practical alternative to hydrogen.

"The H2R concept car is more than a mere exercise. We will offer customers a production car with a hydrogen combustion engine during the production period of the current BMW 7 series."

Ahead of the 2005 launch of a new generation 3 Series, BMW unveiled a competition package version of its M3 performance sedan.

With 19-inch wheels, quicker steering and other modifications, this special M3 will cost an extra $4,000

The cars running on compressed air

2008-10-23T02:41:00.001-07:00

Tata OneCAT

An engineer has promised that within a year he will start selling a car that runs on compressed air, producing no emissions at all in town.

The OneCAT will be a five-seater with a fibre-glass body, weighing just 350kg and could cost just over £2,500.

It will be driven by compressed air stored in carbon-fibre tanks built into the chassis.

The tanks can be filled with air from a compressor in just three minutes - much quicker than a battery car.

Alternatively, it can be plugged into the mains for four hours and an on-board compressor will do the job.

For long journeys the compressed air driving the pistons can be boosted by a fuel burner which heats the air so it expands and increases the pressure on the pistons. The burner will use all kinds of liquid fuel.

The designers say on long journeys the car will do the equivalent of 120mpg. In town, running on air, it will be cheaper than that.

"The first buyers will be people who care about the environment," says French inventor Guy Negre.

"It also has to be economical."

Major savings

Mr Negre has been promising for more than a decade to be on the verge of a breakthrough. Independent observers are more convinced this time because he recently secured backing from the giant Indian conglomerate Tata to put the finishing touches to the engine.

The compressed air is stored in carbon-fibre tanks

Tata is the only big firm he'll license to sell the car - and they are limited to India. For the rest of the world he hopes to persuade hundreds of investors to set up their own factories, making the car from 80% locally-sourced materials.

"This will be a major saving in total emissions," he says.

"Imagine we will be able to save all those components travelling the world and all those transporters."

He wants each local factory to sell its own cars to cut out the middle man and he aims for 1% of global sales - about 680,000 per year.

Terry Spall from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers says: "I really hope he succeeds. It is a really brave experiment in producing a sustainable car."

But he said he was interested to see how the car would fare with safety tests and how much it would appeal to a public conditioned to expect luxury fittings adding to the weight of the vehicle.

Mr Negre says there's no issue with safety - if the air-car crashes the air tanks won't shatter - they will split with a very loud bang. "The biggest risk is to the ears."

videos ( on this technology can be found on YouTube

MDI's AIRpod Is a Minute Air-Powered Car

Europe-based company MDI Corporation already promised a six-seater compressed air-powered car for the US come 2010. Here's another vehicle from the brand, although it's far from the family-sized vehicle the US will get. The AIRpod is a minute car by MDI powered by compressed air that's slated for a Europe release on 2009. The vehicle can seat three (non-claustrophobic) people, with one forced to sit facing backwards (that someone would probably have to be immune to motion sickness).

The AIRpod has a maximum range of 130 miles (220 kilometers) and a top speed of 40 miles per hour (70 kph), making it suitable for city driving which is probably the company's aim in the first place. Using compressed air as a power source means huge amounts of air are compressed into a small tank that would have to be released slowly to move the car's pistons. As curious as it might look like, the AIRpod is expected to be really efficient and of course, since it runs on air instead of fossil fuels, it's also environmentally-friendly.

Tata OneCAT (the car running on compressed air)

2008-10-23T02:41:00.000-07:00

An engineer has promised that within a year he will start selling a car that runs on compressed air, producing no emissions at all in town.

The OneCAT will be a five-seater with a fibre-glass body, weighing just 350kg and could cost just over £2,500.

It will be driven by compressed air stored in carbon-fibre tanks built into the chassis.

The tanks can be filled with air from a compressor in just three minutes - much quicker than a battery car.

Alternatively, it can be plugged into the mains for four hours and an on-board compressor will do the job.

The designers say on long journeys the car will do the equivalent of 120mpg. In town, running on air, it will be cheaper than that.

"The first buyers will be people who care about the environment," says French inventor Guy Negre.

"It also has to be economical."

Major savings

The compressed air is stored in carbon-fibre tanks

"This will be a major saving in total emissions," he says.

"Imagine we will be able to save all those components travelling the world and all those transporters."

He wants each local factory to sell its own cars to cut out the middle man and he aims for 1% of global sales - about 680,000 per year.

Terry Spall from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers says: "I really hope he succeeds. It is a really brave experiment in producing a sustainable car."

But he said he was interested to see how the car would fare with safety tests and how much it would appeal to a public conditioned to expect luxury fittings adding to the weight of the vehicle.

Mr Negre says there's no issue with safety - if the air-car crashes the air tanks won't shatter - they will split with a very loud bang. "The biggest risk is to the ears."

A variety of videos (of varying quality) on this technology can be found on YouTube

Peugeot Competition kicks other Concept Car

2008-10-07T04:30:00.000-07:00

If you come from the future confused and lost in this world this might be your missing vehicle. Straight out of ~~year 2020~~ the Peugeot competition this RD concept car is everything you want; speed, comfort, space, and even cool. It operates mainly through articulation meaning you can talk to it and it will give you feedback on road conditions, traffic, and route information, etc. It can compact itself so you can maneuver better around high trafficked areas so you can get to your destination faster. Let’s hope this isn’t just for show. [Tuvie via SpeedFlux]

Peugeot Loop Concept Car futuristic

2008-10-07T04:29:00.001-07:00

Did you happen to enjoy the previous Peugeot concept cars? Well we have one more concept car to explore. And what do you know, it’s another Peugeot concept meant to explore the future for us. It’s the Loop concept car.

Loop is a family car. A welcomed secondary power source is a solar panel which can run on the entire length of the body. The primary power source will be a rechargeable lithium battery. The car’s body is eco-friendly, whatever that means since the materials used to make it aren’t specified at all.

I said the Loop is a Hi-tech car. The passenger windows have embedded within a concept camera. A touch interface is also available. You can take pictures of the surroundings whenever you will feel like it. Hopefully the we’re going to have nice natural views to admire in the future too.

Inside there are two rows of seats with semi circular bags near them. Inside you will have space for storage, entertainment and more.

Peugeot Delta Concept Car

2008-10-07T04:28:00.001-07:00

Peugeot Delta concept was designed by Ben Eden and this concept was an entrant into the 2008 Peugeot Design Contest. Peugeot Delta is a four-door, four-seat compact car which draws styling cues from waves moving across the surface of the sea.

Peugeot Delta concept is constructed from lightweight materials, in order to further improve fuel efficiency and boost its performance. The body of Peugeot Delta concept is formed from aluminium, while the door panels and grey colored wheel arch extensions are made from fiberglass.

Peugeot Delta concept are powered by two hydrogen fuel cells that positioned at the front and rear of the vehicle to help create a balanced weight distribution.

The glass roof of the Peugeot Delta helps flood the interior with light, and can be switched from transparent to opaque and back again at the flick of a switch. The roof also incorporates subtle wavy neon lights which underline the wave influence and provide a light source for the interior. Access to the Peugeot Delta concept is through remotely operated upward swinging doors. The mechanism which powers this extravagant entry method is housed in the ‘wave’ part of the body work.

Inside the Peugeot Delta concept the passengers are met with rotating seats which aid entry and exit of the vehicle. The rear seats can also be removed to increase cargo space. The steering wheel features an innovative touch-screen LCD display which is mounted in the centre and displays vital driving information. This unit is fixed and does not rotate with the steering wheel - for obvious reasons! The LCD screen can be turned off and the gauges that lie behind it used on their own to maintain a more relaxing atmosphere.

Stylight Peugeot concept car

2008-10-07T04:26:00.000-07:00

Did you miss the car concept column? Well, it seems I can’t quite turn it into a daily column as there aren’t too many concepts worthy of our attention. Anyway, here’s a new one that emerged as one of the best entries in the latest Peugeot design competition.

Peugeot Stylight was designed by Ognyan Bozhilov from Bulgaria. Accroding to DVice, the designer describes his concept as a three-seater hybrid, mid-engine car with a heavy, sleek body reminiscent of old '30s lead-sleds. The car combines retro features with cutting edge futuristic shapes.

The three-seater puts the driver in the front-center seat and two other passengers can ride in the back. The driver is treated with all sorts of onboard gadgets and the visibility is enhanced via a big windshield and side-view windows.The concept car already comes pimped up with two spinning 10-spoke rims mounted under a glowing Peugeot logo for the front tires.

The Stylight concept only has one tail light, which is installed with responsive LED lights that appear brighter each time you press the brakes. The headlights along with the sharp-edged hood confer a rather aggressive look to the vehicle. The engine is, of course, eco-fiendly, combining biofuels and electricity.

Peugeot Design Contest 2007- Winners

2008-10-07T04:25:00.000-07:00

Design is first and foremost a story of passion, which we have had at heart over the six years of sharing. With the 4th edition of the Peugeot Design Contest, the adventure continues. It is the free expression of tomorrow's talents and imagination is its motor. Car design fans, take up again the challenge offered to skill and talent.

Here are the 10 winning entries from Peugeot Design Contest choosed from among the 30 pre-selected entries.

Flux - Mihai Panaitescu, Italy

My intention was to design a vehicle that pleases it's occupants in every way. It's versatility combined with it's sportiness and the ability to use it in different environments are in my opinion some of the vehicle's strong points. Either as an explorer of sandy beaches, sweeping mountain roads, or simply commuting in the city, the Flux concept embodies a vehicle that is made to please. It's dynamic shape and open air cockpit make it lively and fun to drive as the occupants are always in contact with their surroundings. The name Flux was inspired by the continuous change and flow of our daily lives during work and play.

LiiON - Christian Sano, Romania

Taking the pleasure of driving to the next level? Easy! Concept Liion was designed to fit everyone's mood. I used a different design approach by combining car and motorcycle design from start. The main design lines flow from front to end to make the car aerodynamic, fast. The lion which is present in all Peugeot cars can be seen here, too: the front grill is its mouth, the headlights are its eyes, the Peugeot badge suggest a nose, and the motorcycle like rear resembles a lion's tail.

CUB - Ka Dan, Chine

The cub is no longer crude and rash, manner less, it is a new kind of representative of ideas. What is the simple line that sketches the contour of the cub, and it transmits the type beauty of PEUGEOT. The design of the front wheel is passionate and powerful; enable the cub to fly sticking to the ground. And the rear adopts close design which is not only reducing the air resistance but represent rhythmic even more. The motive force from clean energy, for the cub belongs to a part of our bright environment. It is no longer runs simply, the cub is breathing the taste of the air, feeling the airflow skim over its own top, bottom and both sides cheerfully.

MiawoO - Noumid Bendifallah, France The idea of my concept is a sporty looking car which is powered by electricity (e-motion). The main feature is the combination of concave and convex surfaces like for example the concave surface which surrounds the whole front and ends in the door silhouettes. To underline the dynamic look of the car, I defined the sideview by a sharp crease line which flows from the headlights, into the doors and continues with the rear lights. The headlights, rear lights and the rims are melting into the body so the whole car looks like one unit.

e-motion - Dario Gagula

The idea of my concept is a sporty looking car which is powered by electricity (e-motion). The main feature is the combination of concave and convex surfaces like for example the concave surface which surrounds the whole front and ends in the door silhouettes. To underline the dynamic look of the car, I defined the sideview by a sharp crease line which flows from the headlights, into the doors and continues with the rear lights.

PLAIRE - James Ma, USA

Inspired by open wheel hot rods of the 50's combined with the sporty roadsters of today, this hybrid vehicle is designed to capture the spirit of driving pleasure with the efficiency of a modern compact.

910 - Ertug Yenydemyr, Turkey

Peugeot 910 is an atracting attention car with its simple and smart designing. It has the future lines with the brands classical features like dynamism, rashness and aesthetic. 910's ceiling is designed transparent to see the outworld extra with "maximum sight" principle. They used a material that infects the sunlights at least rank.

ALLSCAPE - Gustavo Ferrero, Venezuela

Peugeot ALLSCAPE HD (Hibryd) is designed to be a cutting edge concept for a new generation of sportive car enthusiasts that are looking for extreme power. A generation that sees in ecology, not a boring difficult-to-do task. but an absolutely normal way to enjoy technology and nature as part of a single unity. The biggest effort of the past generation is only the beginning of a new way to see life and adventure. Our relation with this planet is about to become more pleasurable, exciting and fulfilling as we push down the accelerator to go faster, and really see the great outdoors.

SPEEDLITE - Nemanja Lalcic, Serbia

DESIGN CONCEPT: The FUTURE, inspired by life emotions , mankind. The man is pushing the limits of his own capacity from the beginings of mankind. We togeather were searching the shape and personality of this car . Our point of view on cars i emotional. We are not comparising cars of today , we are thinking without limits . The shape is born in most free way possible. The car body contains the ideas that were influenting car design through history. As one of missions of this year concours is pleasure of living and enjoying the car we created the glass bowl above the people inside. The Glass bowl arrives from '70s and imagining the future life in glass shell . Giving the feeling of protection and in the same time seenig outside as factor of free feeling. The fear of closed space in todays sports cars is obvious because of small space and big A,B columns. In our case we tempt to give the passengers emotion to enjoy the space and interact with road that runs around the car. Also the inspiration arrives from fight-aeroplanes that have agressive shape and are driven in tandem (2 passegers in line). The main volume is glass bowl and around it are runing fluid shapes that are also doing function of protecting cage. The lower part of the car is made of carbon fiber, it has more technical touch but without disturbing the main design of the car.

N Jooy - Wesley Saikawa, Brazil

Inspired by old Formula One cars, Peugeot N Jooy is projected to give the driver a powerfull feeling of driving a car. Therefore, there is only one seat, the pleasure is just for yourself, then enjoy it. With an organic shape, the car looks harmonic because of its soft lines and smooth surface, representing the nature and its assimetrical forms, exploring the colors giving a joy, strong, fast and agressive appearence.