Automotive
The 1/X Concept: Toyota to focus on sustainability at 40th Tokyo Motor Show
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October 17, 2007 Toyota has revealed a raft of new concept vehicles based around cutting-edge sustainability technology that the company will showcase at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. Among them is the 1/X (pronounced "one-Xth"), a light-weight (420kg) hybrid vehicle pitched as “redefining what it means to be environmentally considerate”. The 1/X matches the interior space of the Prius, but is only one-third the weight and aims to double its fuel efficiency. Gizmag will be on the ground to bring you the latest from the Show when it gets underway on October 26th. In the meantime visit our highlights page for more previews of what’s in store. Read More
GEO2 Technologies' advanced diesel filtration technology
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October 16, 2007 Clean transportation technology is and will remain a critically important issue, with the ongoing development of fuel cells and hybrid technology growing strongly in recent years. The health risks associated with particulate matter, and tightening government regulations on pollutants give more immediate and practical implications to another alternative - the concept of “clean diesel” . This encompasses the use of diesel powered vehicles, which achieve up to 30% greater fuel efficiency than their gasoline powered counterparts, but also boast low-emissions through the use of advanced filtration. Read More
Unique 1963 Ford Thunderbird “Italien” concept car goes under the hammer
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October 15, 2007 A one-off 1963 Ford Thunderbird “Italien” concept car is to be sold at auction with No Reserve. Barrett-Jackson has announced the rare sale as part of the company’s 37th Annual Collector Car Event in January 2008. Read More
Nissan’s ingenious NV200 Van Concept
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One of the challenges in writing stories for an emerging technology magazine is to avoid continuously using the word ingenious, but the NV200 to be shown by Nissan at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show is exactly that. The shell of a vehicle is by necessity an exoskeleton, which means that access to van-like vehicles is typically from the inside, but this new design takes a totally different approach. Combining a mobile office and van in one unique package, designers have incorporated a sliding removable pod that makes the NV200 one out of the box – literally – and although inspired by the very specific requirements of one customer, the basic concept has serious potential for all manner of different applications. Read More
Major companies reveal their visions for the cars of 2057
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As part of the LA Auto Show Design Challenge, several major manufacturers have submitted blue-sky design concepts showing where they feel automotive design will go in the next 50 years. From Nissan's friendly family assistant to Mercedes’ liquid-metal convertible and Toyota's pollution-chewing roller/strider, the submissions are an exciting and thought-provoking look at where the next half a century will take us in personal and family mobility. Read More
A1GP World Cup of Motorsport and Ferrari announce landmark partnership
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October 12, 2007 In one of those rare deals which promises great benefits for both parties, the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport and Ferrari have reached a long term agreement for the supply of engines as well as to design chassis and consult on manufacture for new cars. Read More
Hybrid-electric Lexus SUV concept shows off new styling direction
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October 12, 2007 The Lexus LF-Xh hybrid concept will be unveiled at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. Featuring a high-output electric motor supplementing a V6 petrol engine, it also drops some hints about the company’s new styling direction. Read More
Lancer Evo X to debut as course car at Rally Japan
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October 11, 2007 Mitsubishi Motors’ latest addition to the Lancer Evolution line, the Lancer Evolution X, will be hitting the FIA World Rally Championship as a Course Car for Rally Japan. Mitsubishi, in association with Ralliart, have made extensive changes to the 4WD sedan, including the integration of a roll cage into the body of the car, and the installation of custom built components for the running gear and brakes. Read More
71,000 celebrate the 60th anniversary of the VW van
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October 10, 2007 Hanover, Germany played host to 71,000 visitors last weekend to celebrate 60 years of Volkswagen vans. Over 5,000 Transporter vans and campers were on display from the original ‘split-screen’ T1 to current fifth-generation models. Read More
BMW reveal details of new M3 Saloon
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October 10, 2007 Thirteen years after the launch of the original M3 Saloon, BMW has announced details of a new version of its high-performance range in a 4-door body-shell. While four generations of M3 have been built, this is only the second time an M3 Saloon has been offered and with its ability to produce 420hp at 8,300rpm and 400Nm of torque at 3,900rpm, the Saloon matches the performance of the latest M3 Coupé. Read More
Honda's out-of-the-box PUYO concept
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October 10, 2007 Honda will be showing an array of interesting concept automobiles and new technologies at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show but none of them comes close to the fascinating PUYO. The PUYO is a fuel cell vehicle which designed with out-of-box thinking to provide fun for both the vehicle owner and people around them as well. The PUYO has a soft “gel body”, can turn 360 degrees while at standstill, and it’s all glass above the waistline. Read More
Nissan's Pivo 2 concept – your robotic automotive friend
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October 8, 2007 Nissan’s Pivo concept was the most popular concept car of all time on this site, so we’re expecting a similar reaction to the Pivo 2, an advanced electric concept car that will debut at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. Powered by advanced compact Lithium-ion batteries, Pivo 2 employs ‘by-wire’ technologies for braking and steering and features a 360 degree turning cabin and 90 degree turning wheels that makes reversing a thing of the past. The second generation Pivo also uses a Robotic Agent to create a unique owner-vehicle relationship that is akin to that of a friend.
The Mazda Taiki concept car
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October 4, 2007 Mazda is set to continue its stunning array of concept cars over recent years with the first images appearing of the Mazda Taiki concept car which will be shown at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show later this month. The company will also unveil the new Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid, a series of future-oriented powertrains, and a variety of environmental and safety technologies at the show. Read More
Prestige edition MX-5 hits Japanese market
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October 3, 2007 Mazda has released a blinged-up MX-5 for its domestic Japanese market. Known in Japan as the Mazda Roadster Prestige Edition, the suave convertible gets heated leather seats, 17-inch aluminium alloy wheels, fog lights, Dynamic Stability Control as well as several other baubles and trinkets. Read More
Nissan's all-new Skyline Coupe
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October 3, 2007 Nissan has introduced its all-new Skyline coupe in Japan, and the specification, design and driving performance of the new grand touring coupe put it in a category normally reserved for machinery with a price tag several factors greater than the Skyline Coupe 370 GT Type SP which goes on sale in Japan for less than US$40,000. Read More
America’s only 180mph rolling-road wind tunnel
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October 1, 2007 The Windshear rolling-road wind tunnel in North Carolina will be one of the fastest and most advanced facilities in the world, and the only in America capable of 180mph (around 300kph) testing. The US$40 million complex will be an excellent resource for Formula One, NASCAR and most other racing teams – but interestingly, street-legal supercars like the Bugatti Veyron at the forefront of high-speed aerodynamic design still have nowhere to test their 250+mph models. Read More
Suzuki unveils radical mobility concepts
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Suzuki has announced several radical prototype vehicles to be shown at next month’s Tokyo Motor Show. Remarkably, there will be a second generation Kizashi show car based on the machine shown at Frankfurt just three weeks ago. In addition, there’s an interesting sustainable mobility concept called the Pixy which houses another more personal electric vehicle concept known as the SSC. On top of that there’s a motorcycle modelled after an aircraft (Biplane), a fuel cell motorcycle (crosscage), a four-seater minivan with two power sliding doors (Palette) . Read More
UK Porsche driver receives record 172mph speeding ticket
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September 27, 2007 The road is not a racetrack - but if it was, Britain would have a new national champion. Londoner Tim Brady is now serving a 10-week jail sentence after being clocked at a record 172mph (277 kmh) in a Porsche (not pictured) he borrowed from his employer – that’s 16mph faster than the previous four-wheeled record holder. Read More
New Nissan GT-R set for Tokyo launch
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September 27, 2007 Nissan has begun the pre-launch build-up for its new, high performance GT-R sports car ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show on October 24. Japan will be the first to get the GT-R (previous models were known as the Skyline GT-R) in December with an expected price of 7.8 million yen (US$67,500). Read More
Running costs of US$1400 a mile!
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September 26, 2007 This car might well be one of the most expensive automobiles to have ever been owned with running costs, including depreciation, insurance, registration, garaging ad infinitum, currently standing at well over UKP 700 (US$1400) a mile. Costing around UKP250,000 to build, it has covered just 348 miles in the past 22 years and its value is now estimated around UKP30,000 – meaning it has cost UKP 632 (US$1264) per mile in depreciation alone! The car, which took eight Aston Martin Lagonda craftsmen two years to design and three years to construct, is going to auction next week. Read More
KTM to build X-Bow roadster assembly plant
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KTM has announced plans to build a new assembly plant for the production of its first car – the 700kg, 300 bhp carbon fibre X-Bow roadster.
Back in April Gizmag reported on the company’s intention to out-source production of 1,000 units per year, but the hugely positive reaction to the X-Bow along with the successful introduction of its first generation of sports quads onto the US market has prompted the decision to create its own “four-wheel centre of excellence” assembly facility. Read More
High-performance Volvo S80 concept on show at SEMA 2007
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September 24, 2007 German motorsport company Heico Sportiv has done some serious tweaking to the Volvo S80 T6 to produce a customized 260kW concept designed to showcase the potential of the standard AWD model. The high-performance concept will be on display at the 2007 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) automotive tradeshow beginning on October 30 in Las Vegas. Read More
SSC Ultimate Aero sets new “World Fastest Production Car” record
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September 24, 2007 Shelby Supercars (SSC) has reported a world record 257mph run in speed testing of its 1183bhp, twin-turbo V8 Ultimate Aero TT. The first pass was recorded at 257.41mph (414.31kmh) and the second pass was recorded at 254.88mph (410.24kmh) in testing on a temporarily-closed two lane stretch of public highway in the company’s home state of Washington for an average top speed of 256.15mph. Read More
Three-wheeled Can-Am Spyder enters production phase
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The first 2008 Can-Am™ Spyder™ roadster has rolled off the assembly line in Valcourt, Québec. Gizmag readers will be familiar with the uniquely designed three-wheeler which has generated massive interest since being unveiled earlier this year. Lying somewhere between a motorcycle and a convertible sports car, the first production models of the 990cc, Y- shaped Spyder roadster (two wheels in the front, one in the rear) will be delivered to dealerships across North America next month with International markets to take delivery at the beginning of 2008. Read More
One supercar, hold the paint job: Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang
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September 20, 2007 Ah, the Bugatti Veyron – the supercar to end all supercars.
The one million Euro, 400 km/h (248.5 mph) machine laid claim to the title of the fastest, most powerful and most expensive street-legal production car in the world in 2005. But more than that, it’s an engineering achievement of epic proportions, a 1000-horsepower, aluminum and carbon-fiber celebration of the pinnacles of speed, power and aerodynamics that are possible when no expense is spared. The sheer genius and artistry of its construction are highlighted by the limited edition Veyron Pur Sang unveiled at Frankfurt, the first supercar ever released without a paint job. The raw beauty of the Pur Sang’s perfectly shaped materials is even more striking and inspiring than the gorgeous paint jobs on the standard production models. Read More
BMW concept X6 ActiveHybrid
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September 17, 2007 BMW has showcased two innovative new systems in the guise BMW Concept X6 Sport Activity Coupé at the 62nd International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt. As well as being the first vehicle to be fitted with a unique stabilization system known as Dynamic Performance Control, the concept incorporates BMW's ActiveHybrid system – a combination of a combustion engine and two high-performance electric motors aimed at delivering greater efficiency over a wider speed range than conventional hybrid designs. Read More
The other Ferrari Limousine
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September 14, 2007 We wuz wrong! We wrote earlier this week about the world's first stretched Ferrari, and we've since had several readers (thanks to Bill Siegfried and Peter Yu) who wrote to inform us of another stretched Ferrari that resides in the USA. It turns out the original world's first stretched Ferrari can be hired for the princely sum of US$400 an hour from Ali Baba Limousines in Philadelphia PA. Ali Baba specializes in exotic limos - the stable includes stretched versions of some serious automotive unobtanium, including Jaguar, Rolls Royce, Mercedes Benz, Range Rover, Hummer, and getting into "oh, how could they" territory a stretched Porsche Cayenne, a stretched Excalibur, and, heaven forbid, a stretched 1952 MG (sob!). Read More
GM debuts fourth-generation Hydrogen fuel cell car
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September 14, 2007 General Motors have released details on stage four of their HydroGen fuel cell vehicle development program. Over the next 18 months, over 100 fuel-cell powered HydroGen4 vehicles will be tested internationally in a range of driving environments and conditions. The question remains though, is Hydrogen likely to become a viable alternative to petrol? Read More
Ferrari crams unprecedented F1 technology into new 430 Scuderia
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When Ferrari pulls the covers off a new model, the world stops to look – especially when it’s an up-spec version of an already phenomenal car that’s been lightened, pumped up with a dose of steroids and packed to the gills with barely-filtered technology fresh from the garage of the oldest and most successful Formula One team in the paddock. Here it is: the brand new and much-anticipated Ferrari 430 Scuderia supercar. Read More
Mercedes Benz researchers investigate driving moods
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September 13, 2007 The next time a TV commercial tells you that a car enhances your driving pleasure it may not just be a matter of purely subjective opinion. Mercedes Benz are working on a system that measures emotion while driving in an endeavor to bring some scientific analysis to the issue. In an attempt to understand what makes for an enjoyable driving experience experts from the Fraunhofer Institute in Rostock, Munich Technical University and Mercedes Customer Research have collaborated in a unique pilot study which involved testing various methods for measuring drivers' emotions. Read More
Mazda develops plant-derived biofabric suitable for vehicle interiors
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September 12, 2007 The world’s first biofabric made with 100 percent plant-derived fibers and suitable for use in vehicle interiors has been developed by Mazda. The durable biofabric does not contain any oil-based materials and is resistant to abrasion and damage from sunlight, in addition to being flame retardant. Mazda plans to use the fabric for the seat covers and door trims in the its new Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid that will be exhibited at the Tokyo Motor Show in October. Read More
Nissan’s Mixim Concept Car in detail
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September 13, 2007 According to Nissan research, teenagers have fallen out of love with the car – they see it as an oily, noisy throwback to the last century. Rather than drive across town to meet friends, they live in a virtual world where the internet is their vehicle of choice. Nissan, however, believes the Mixim show concept will ‘refresh’ their opinions. The futuristic electric coupe concept has a central driving position, a cloverleaf ‘three plus one’ seating layout, scissor doors, an F1-style wheel and controls, lightweight construction and plenty of power … and it’s all electric. Click here to see more highlights from the 62nd International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt. Read More
Toyota iQ small car design concept
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September 12, 2007 Since time (automotive time that is) began, luxury has also by default meant big. Big meant more interior space, more power, more features, more cost and more prestige. As the world comes to terms with doing more with less, that trend seems set for a reversal – small in the future will no longer mean frugal, meagre and penny-pinching and that’s the key message Toyota is hoping to convey with the iQ concept car. Large cars don’t make a lot of sense on the crowded streets of Rome, Paris and London, so the iQ packs luxury features into a small form factor. Read More
Shades of the classic Beetle - Volkswagen’s up! concept
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September 12, 2007 Designed to showcase Volkswagen’s vision for future small, efficient, city-going vehicles, the 3.45 meter long up! concept car features a new drivetrain and rear engined layout reminiscent of the original Beetle. Read More
Sortimo’s passenger seat organiser with swivel laptop stand
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September 12, 2007 Sortimo have made a business out of configuring work vehicles for effective storage and usability – like these click-in, click-out van racks for tools and equipment. Their latest utility device is a passenger-seat organizer for travelling sales agents and the like that gives you access to your laptop, files and samples whilst lashing securely and locking into the car, and easily mounting on a trolley for portability. Read More
