Concept

Ford Airstream Concept

[youtube ezt452INjPg]

With the launch of the FG Falcon tomorrow we thought it only fitting to to check out a ford concept car today to see what the future may hold for the brand. The Ford Airstream Concept uses a plug-in hydrogen hybrid fuel cell to deliver 41 miles per gallon which is pretty good news if it ever makes its way into a production car, what we hope never does make its way into tomorrow’s Ford’s is the LCD display of an open fire, I mean what were they thinking. Sure concept cars are suppose to be way out there, but a display of open fire! Perhaps they thought it was more environmentally friendly than the real open fires we will be using in our cars of the future.

Rinspeed sQuba

[youtube EgnSljm-lgY]

Rinspeed are a car design company based in Switzerland that you may know from their concept cars that they regular develop. First there was the Presto that transformed into half the size and then they made the Splash that turned into a boat, now they have created the sQuba, the diving car inspired by the Bond diving car in The Spy Who Loved Me. Unlike the movie this squba diving car is the real deal, it also produces zero emissions thanks to its electric motor that gives it a top speed of 120kl/h on land and 3kl/h up to a depth of 10m under water. Because this car is a convertible and not designed to be a closed in submarine it is also fitted out with squba tanks, the face masks and squba controls are located between the seats headrest for you to pop on when you want to take a dip. Although this car is a concept and will never make it to production it makes us ask the question would you buy a car to give you a drive through under sea experience or would you rather get out of the car to go swimming with the fishes? 

Read more

Drive with the fishes

squba.gif

If you have ever wanted to go for a drive under the sea the sQuba is the car for you. This aquatic vehicle is going to be on display at the Geneva Motorshow which starts on the 6th of March. The car can actually drive underwater up to about 10 metres. Designed by Rinspeed who are from Switzerland and have made quiet a few interesting show cars over the years, the vehicle can also be used on land as a car. The car uses two Sea Bob jet drives and have special louvers which control the water intake to help the vehicle drive through water. The little sports car looking vehicle was designed to be open top for safety concerns as it was thought opening the doors underwater might cause a problem and the open design also assisted buoyancy. We are not sure how much or when we might be able to have one but we are sure there are plenty of people who would love a novel vehicle like this.

The World’s most expensive Fiat 500

[youtube K4j58dHMJP4]

This blinged out Fiat 500 has just been put display at a luxury show in Rome called the Scrigno, Tesori d’Italia. It features a special 24 k gold paintwork on the exterior and tyres, rich leather from various animals, Swarovski crystals stuck to the handbreak and gearlever as well as cashmere floor mats. We like the Fiat 500 and don’t mind a bit of gold but we really are not sure if the two should come together, I mean could you imagine taking this thing down to the local supermarket carpark? Also at 60,000 euro you could get a lot more car that wont depreciate 5000 euro every time you scrub the tyres against a gutter.  

Read more

Audi R8 Diesel Supercar

audi-r8.gif

In a motoring first Audi has shown its R8 V12 supercar in turbo diesel form. The engine pumps out a whopping 500hp with 1000 nm of torque. Using an engine closely releated to the Audi R10 Le Mans winning vehicles the car is a true super car. Top speed is well over 300 kph and it can do 0-100 in 4.2 seconds. The engine was built at the Gyor plant in Hungary nd it looks that the TDI V12 will go into production for this amazing vehicle. The engine already fulfills all the Euro 6 emission standards which wont be in effect until 2014. One intresting styling feature on the vehicle is red illuminated LED’s in the engine bay so the engine can be seen through the window all lit up at night. How cool is that!

For more Information:

Audi official press release for the R8 V12 TDI

Read more

Saab Aero-X concept

saab-aero-x.gif

Saab premiered its Saab Aero-X concept at the Paris Motor Show. This 2.8 litre twin turbocharged V6 produces 400hp and an impressive 0 to 100km in 2.9 seconds and runs on pure ethonol. The 7 speed manual transmission is controlled by paddles mounted on the steering wheel and the gages are all use LED techology displaying on clear acrylic panels. The body is made of carbon fiber and as you can see from our photo the gullwing like doors are conected to the windscreen making a cockpit canopy. Saab have been quoted as saying something very similar may reach production, and expecially after the great reaction it got in Pairs chances are looking pretty good word is it will probably based on a shortened Epsilon 2 platform.

Verve in Detroit

ford-verve.gif

Just a few weeks after the 3 door Ford Verve concept stunned crowds at the Frankfurt Motor Show, it and a stylish 4 door version has taken centre stage at the Ford stand at Detroit’s American International Motor Show this week. With the rising fuel prices and the global warming problems Ford think this small, practical and stylish type of car might just be the next big growth segment in the industry. Industry figures predict 38 million units of this size car will be sold worldwide by 2012 and if this lovely little Verve is any indication of what Ford has in mind they will be after a pretty big slice of the business. Ford have built the Verve concept to showcases the style, technology, premium materials and more substantial content that will set it apart from other offerings when Ford’s new small cars go on sale in North America in 2010.

Read more

Toyota A-Bat

[youtube vjcxHbF4xeo]

Toyota have a very interesting concept vehicle on their stand at the Detroit motorshow this week, the A-bat, it is part pick up truck and part car. The vehcile featues a lot of recyclable materials including metals and wood. The seats, center console and dashboard use both carbon fiber and aluminum, while the door trim, armrests and seat cushions are made of a tough light weight materials. A-BAT also uses a Hybrid Synergy Drive system similar to what Toyota use in its Highlander vehicle. One interesting feature is solar panels built into the dash which charge a removable power pack which can run AC/DC power.

Read more