Automotive
Chrysler reveals V8 powered 'Firepower' concept
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November 21, 2004 The Chrysler-branded 'Firepower' concept pushes beyond the sports car realm by blending expressive detail and engineering into its long-nosed design and low-slung silhouette. The sleek new concept seeks to uphold the Chrysler brand standards of elegance, refinement and affordability in a "grand tourer" that lays down the challenge to General Motors' Corvette. The Dodge Viper-based, 425-horsepower concept will be among the highlights at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January 2005. Read More
BMW release new M3 Coupe Competition Package
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November 25, 2004 BMW Australia
has released the new BMW M3 Coupe Competition Package option for the iconic M3 Coupe. Drawing a myriad of components from the AUD $210,000 M3 CSL, the new BMW M3 Competition Package option delivers increased responsiveness and agility, M Track Mode dynamic control, optimised suspension settings, a quicker steering rack, M3 CSL-style 19-inch light alloy wheels with beefed-up brakes and a unique BMW-Williams F1-inspired Interlagos Blue metallic paint to transform your M3 Coupe into the ultimate racing vehicle. Read More
Holden and CSIRO research powertrain technologies
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November 24, 2004 Holden has announced an Australian based joint research program with CSIRO to explore future global powertrain technologies. The program will contribute to parent company General Motors' mission to design and develop hybrid and hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles.
Holden Chairman and Managing Director, Denny Mooney, announced the joint program at the GM 'Road To Hydrogen' seminar in Sydney, where participants were able to drive Hy-wire, the latest hydrogen fuel cell concept vehicle from GM which could revolutionise the way future cars are developed. Read More
Automotive advertising shifts gear
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November 21, 2004 The success of a new advertising campaign from Citroën marks not only a coup for the company in the promotion of its latest model - the C4 - but a more general trend in automobile advertising that aims to grab the attention of an ad-weary public using an off-beat, creative edge. This trend (most notably demonstrated by the Honda Accord Euro 'Cog' television commercial of 2003) sees the C4 promoted by sophisticated animation in the form of a dancing robot. By generating a ‘wow’ factor rather than presenting the consumer with ‘just another car on the road’, Citroën has also benefited from widespread distribution of the ad via viral email networks . Read More
Honda survey reveals what children want from cars
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November 21, 2004 Adults may dismiss flying cars as the stuff of science fiction, but for children, according to a new survey released by Honda, only a flying car will do. Gizmag readers, of course, know that such vehicles are already in development
and that by the time many of the children surveyed here are old enough to drive, flying cars will be a common sight. Read More
LOEB ENDS 2004 ON THE WINNER'S PODIUM!
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November 14, 2004 Citroën's Sebastien Loeb started the 2004 season by winning the Monte Carlo Rally and he has finished it the same way, winning the Telstra Rally Australia at the weekend (11-14 November 2004).
The victory takes his season total to six wins, matching the world record set by fellow Frenchman Didier Auriol exactly ten years ago and provides a perfect end to the season that saw Loeb win the World Championship Drivers' title and Citroën take its second successive manufacturers title with the Citroën Xsara WRC. Read More
AVIC-N2 next gen car navigation/multimedia system
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November 8, 2004 The AVIC-N2 from Pioneer may be the most advanced in-car navigation and entertainment system on the market. The motorized, 6.5" touch screen display puts everything at your fingertips, including memory navigation (with route guidance, electronic mapping and points of interest), DVD video, multimedia audio/video, a rear camera and even a virtual dashboard to monitor your vehicle's performance all in one device for approximately US $2,200. The screen even folds away, allowing the driver to follow voice prompts to their final destination once they have the hang of it. Read More
Scion unveils the xB mobile DJ vehicle
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November 8, 2004
The rise of specialist automobiles for niche markets continues with a showing of the Scion xB DJ vehicle at the SEMA conference in Las Vegas recently. The Scion xB DJ is a concept car packed to the brim with audio/video and navigation equipment from Pioneer Electronics and aimed at the hip and booming dance music crowd. Read More
Morgan Motors offers a piece of motoring history
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November 5, 2004 Morgan Motors has begun manufacturing the popular +4 model again after nearly four years absence. Like all hand-built Morgan automobiles, there is a 12 month delivery period, but if you can't wait there's also a chance to buy the historic Morgan Aero 8 GTN Le Mans car which raced in the Le Mans and Spa Francorchamps 24 hour events and the Sebring 12 Hour in the US when it goes up for auction on ebaymotors.co.uk on November 15. Read More
Volvo unleashes 650 horsepower XC90 Power Utility Vehicle
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November 5, 2004 Volvo has unveiled plans for an all new powerhouse model. The XC90 Power Utility Vehicle, is powered by the company's new V8 planned to produce 650 horsepower, sports a six-speed automatic "Geartronic" transmission and a computer-controlled all-wheel-drive system. Volvo once had a dowdy image thanks to championing safety long before it was fashionable. In recent times, a string of innovative and socially astute concept cars has done a lot to reinvigorate the company's brand. The introduction of the diabolically fast XC90 Power Utility Vehicle is no doubt designed to bolster the Swedish car manufacturer's image and attract new enthusiasts. Read More
Rinspeed 'chops' the Porsche Cayenne
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November 2, 2004 The latest creation of the Swiss design powerhouse and tuner Rinspeed is the Porsche Cayenne-based Chopster, inspired by the mostly American cult to lower the roof line ('chop') on even the most unlikely vehicles. And the Cayenne, one of the best looking multi-purpose machines on the market, is an unlikely vehicle to mess with. Read More
Toyota's new Porte small car with a single electric door
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October 29, 2004 No sooner had we written up the newly announced Peugeot 1007 with its clever sliding doors and space efficient design, than Toyota actually put a very similar vehicle on the showroom floor in Japan.
The new Porte is a compact car with a wireless remote-controlled electric sliding door on the passenger side - slightly different from the two-door Peugeot, but with the same reconfigurable seating concept. Read More
KITT and Magnum's Ferrari 308GTS for sale on EBay
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October 29, 2004 Celebrity, movie and television star cars have featured prominently in Gizmag recently, with the Batmobile going onto the auction block just a few weeks back. Now two more famous hero cars of 1980s television have gone under the hammer - the David Hasselhoff-driven KITT from the Knight Rider TV series and the original Ferrari 308 GTS driven by Tom Selleck in the smash-hit detective show, Magnum, P.I. Read More
Nissan Caravan Box In Box
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October 29, 2004 After mass production comes mass customisation and the Tokyo Motor Show shows the development of specialised, sliver-thin, vertical-market offerings is already well underway.
The Nissan Caravan Box In Box was created around a the concept of adding "merchandising capability to the traditional vehicle functions of mobility and transport."
The Caravan Box In Box is designed so that all of the display boxes it contains can easily be pulled out from either the back door or the sliding side door and opened for displaying goods. Read More
Mitsubishi FUSO Concept
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October 29, 2004 Mitsubishi showed a radical concept truck at the recent Tokyo Motor Show, exhibited as a concept known simply as FUSO, which is a bit confusing given that the company's entire truck brand, which began all the way back in 1932, is also named FUSO.
The Fuso was one of a number of exhibits designed to promote and focus upon the future of the company and is described by Mitsubishi as "a concept truck that proposes an entirely new style of commercial transport."
Given the company's well publicised quality problems, we suspect the focus has been moved to future new products, replenishment of the entire range as quickly as possible, and things have shifted quickly in recent months, even in the land of the shortest concept-to-showroom times in the industry. Read More
The New BMW 3 Series
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October 29, 2004 BMW has released details of its all-new BMW 3 Series. To be shown for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show next March, the E90 3 Series is will go on sale in mid-2005.
The E90 3 Series adds an armoury of impressive, innovative improvements for engine, chassis, safety technology as well as driving comfort.
Three new engines.
The new BMW 3 Series comes with three engine options: two all-new six-cylinder engines and an optimised iteration of the famous 2.0-litre four-cylinder slots into the 320i entry model Read More
H2H: The Hydrogen-Powered HUMMER
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October 29, 2004 General Motors has adapted a HUMMER H2 SUT to run on hydrogen, and will share it with the office of the Governor of California (aka Arnold Schwarzenegger). The HUMMER H2H will assist efforts to learn more about hydrogen storage and refueling infrastructure development.
"The H2H is a bold experiment that along with the Hydrogen Highway Network will help California demonstrate the economic and technical viability of hydrogen," said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. "Californians invent the future and the H2H shows that a vehicle of today can run on the fuel of tomorrow." Read More
THE ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN: The Race of Champions
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October 29, 2004 Since 1988 The Race of Champions has invited the best in all the world motorsport series to compete in a unique event where the competitors all drive a range of identical cars in different conditions.
The event has been dominated by rally drivers, with their all-round abilities on different surfaces and ability to quickly adapt to new cars - this year though, the event has attracted reigning Formula One Champion Michael Schumacher. Read More
The electric land speed record
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October 29, 2004 The Ohio State University's electric vehicle, the Buckeye Bullet, has broken the electric vehicle land speed record, raising the bar to more than 300 miles per hour on the Bonneville Salt flat last week.
Over several days the car set an official world record of 271.7mph, an official US record of 314.95mph (different rules), and became the fastest electric vehicle ever at 321.8mph. Read More
Miniature classic sports cars for the connoisseur
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October 29, 2004 A range of miniature classic sports cars has hit the market that combines elegance and detail with environmentally friendly emissions.
Zoospeed has released a line of hand-made, exclusive reproductions of classic English sports cars and BMW has unveiled the pedal-powered MINI Cabrio ahead of the full-size versions due on sale very early in 2005.
Both are aimed at serious collectors to cherish replicas of the larger counterparts as well as enjoy the working models as classic toys.
Zoospeed make exclusive, miniaturized classic sports cars hand-made with unsurpassed quality in Europe by the finest craftsmen and engineers.
The company's limited-edition replicas of Porsches and Jaguars are faithful reproductions of their larger counterparts and are built with precision and a meticulous attention to detail. Read More
The Airstream Skydeck lifts the lid on mobile homes
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October 29, 2004 Mobile homes have come a long way since the days of the humble caravan. With the SkyDeck motorhome from Airstream you really can take it all with you - and sleep under the stars with the SkyDeck's unique, full-sized roof patio.
Much like the slide-out revolutionized the motorhome industry throughout the 1990s by providing customers with more available living area, the SkyDeck almost doubles the square footage of a motor coach with it's rooftop patio. Accessed via an inside hardwood staircase and safely enclosed within a perimeter railing, the SkyDeck lets you enjoy entertaining and other outdoor activities with an unobstructed, panoramic view. Surprisingly, the SkyDeck patio adds just 10 inches of height to a standard coach, allowing the Airstream motorhome to retain a low profile. Read More
The NIDO by Pininfarina rethinks automobile design
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October 23, 2004 Italian automobile manufacturer Pininfarina has been investing in car research and development programs for over thirty years, tackling environmental issues, alternative energy sources, fuel consumption and more efficient vehicle construction. Now Pininfarina have gone back to the drawing board to rethink the car design process and revolutionise safety in small automobiles. The result has been the innovative Nido, (Italian for 'nest') which provides an ergonomic protective inner sled shell and creature comforts in a striking two seater prototype. Read More
Spain experiments with autonomous vehicles
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The Citroen C3 Pluriel is already an intelligent design, but Spain's Council of Scientific Investigation (CSIC) has made it event smarter by endowing the C3 Pluriel with the ability to drive itself!
As part of its work on automated driving systems, the CSIC has installed in a Citroen C3 Pluriel all the latest technology developed under the Autopia programme which is developing systems to enable cars to drive themselves on freeways or when there are traffic jams, relieving their owners of the drudgery of freeway and stop-start driving, as well as enhancing road usage and safety. Read More
Mercedes Benz to celebrate 50 years of Mercedes Sports
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Oct 19, 2004
Mercedes-Benz is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the legendary SL-Class sports car by introducing an exclusive special model, the "Edition 50."
The SL-Class was first presented to the public in 1954 at the International Motor Sports Show in New York (February 6 - 14, 1954).
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and 190 SL sports cars were designed at the instigation of the American importer Maximilian Hoffman who had been urging the company to come up with light and dashing sports cars for his customers. Read More
PALV hoping to lead personal transportation revolution
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14 October 2004 What happens if you cross a gyrocopter with a car and a motorbike? The PALV is the answer, a personal air and land concept vehicle designed to solve the increasing congestion in our cities and highways. On the ground, the slimline, aerodynamic 3-wheel vehicle is as comfortable as a luxury car, yet has the agility of a motorbike, thanks to its patented cutting-edge 'tilting' system. The single rotor and propeller are folded away until the PALV is ready to fly. Read More
Motorcyclist booked for 205mph on Honda RC51
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October 14, 2004 On September 19 this year, Minnesota (USA) motorcyclist Samuel Armstrong Tilley set what is believed to be a world record for speeding on public roads. No doubt people have gone faster on public roads, but Tilley had the misfortune to do so without noticing the police plane above him, and was officially clocked at 205.11mph by a handheld stopwatch.
The ticket has made news around the world, with many people proclaiming the speeding ticket must have been a mistake as motorcycles simply don't go that fast. Read More
Toyota shows some knockout concept vehicles
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October 16, 2004 Toyota has announced a striking and futuristic set of vehicles for specialty niches which it will display at the upcoming 38th Tokyo Motor show in Japan.
Under the theme "Ecology & Emotion", Toyota will display over a dozen concept vehicles that offer superior environmental performance and respond to social needs.
The pick of the crop involve three purpose-built solutions for outdoor Djs, go-kart racers and a design that facilitates mobility for the elderly and disabled without the need for a carer. Read More
Toyota unveils dual mode hybrid fuel transport
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A futuristic, eco-friendly transit system will be prototyped by Toyota as part of the on-site transportation for the 2005 World Expo in Aichi, Japan. The new system aims to show nature's wisdom and examples of a new global society in action. The ' Toyota Z-Capsule' is a dual mode train/bus fuel cell hybrid that offers an amazing step forward in the evolution of motor vehicles. Read More
Volvo Offers a Personal Solution to Sustainable Mobility
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Spurred by the growing need to tackle congestion and pollution issues, Volvo Car Corporation has developed a radically new approach to sustainable mobility with the striking 3CC concept. The futuristic Volvo 3CC personal transportation vehicle was unveiled today at the Shanghai Michelin Challenge Bibendum event.
The Volvo 3CC is a sleek, aerodynamic car designed to carry up to three adults, or two adults and two children, utilizing a unique two-plus-one seating arrangement which provides comfort and space comparable to a larger car. Read More
Challenge Bibendum showcases clean car technology
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The 6th annual Challenge Bibendum opened today in Shanghai, the first time the landmark sustainable automobile competition has visited Asia. The three-day event is designed to promote sustainable road mobility and has brought together the most influential players in the global automotive industry. Read More
Venturi Fetish to be world's first production electric sportcar
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The Venturi Fetish concept-car was first unveiled at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show, and went on to be one of the stars of the 2002 Paris Motor Show and 2003 Detroit Motor Show - an electric sportcar concept of French design. Buoyed by public enthusiasm and the brand's 20th anniversary, Venturi has tak... Read More
The Torana Legend Lives Again
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Australian International Motor Show, 7 October 2004 - Holden today revived a famous Australian nameplate when it took the covers off a sensational showcar called Torana TT36. Holden drew on General Motors' global resources to build the hot pink Torana TT36, which is powered by an experimental 280kW (375 horsepower) twin turbo 3.6 litre Alloytec V6 engine, sports a glass roof and showcases bold directional design themes. Read More
Citroen announces home refueling initiative for C3 GAZ
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Drivers of the Citroën C3 Gaz Naturel may never have to visit a petrol
station again, with Citroën joining forces with France's national gas
distribution company to enable owners to install their own gas re-filling
compressors in their homes. Read More
Bose Redefines Automobile Suspension Systems
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Bose Corporation is best known for creating high quality audio products, and if asked to piece together your ideal car, its 11-speaker sound system would certainly be a contender to feature within. But the suggestion that Bose's new suspension systems would feature without begs an explanation. In an ongoing research project that has spanned over twenty-four years Bose has created a unique electromagnetic suspension system for automobiles that is close to commercial release and is set to replace traditional shocks and springs with electronic actuators. Read More
Supercar performance for under UKP20,000
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It's had rave reviews from Formula 1 drivers, the most prestigious motoring journals in the world have lavished superlatives on the vehicle and in a recent track shoot-out, it wasted the world's fastest roadcars lapping more than three seconds a lap faster than a Porsche 911 GT3, a Noble M12R, a Pagani Zonda and a Lamborghini Murcielago. And it is road registerable! Whatsmore, you can put one on the road for under UKP20,000.
The secret to the Atom 2 is in the chassis and minimalist approach. As the company's literature says, "if you don't NEED it, it's not there." This approach has enabled the company to put a car on the road at a staggering 456 kilograms. There's no doors, no screen and no roof at that weight, but the pay-off comes when the standard Honda 2.0 litre i-VTEC engine starts pushing it around - acceleration is astounding, even when you've read the previously published stories. Read More
