Concept cars has given designers and car manufacturers the chance to make their wild imagination work in their car models and concepts. BMW has come up with something as strange as it is innovative -- a shape-shifting car covered with fabric. Yes, with cloth!
Instead of steel, aluminum or even carbon fiber, the GINA Light Visionary Model has a body of movable metal frame that enables the driver to change it's shape covered with a stretched fabric all over it. This model which actually runs and drives is an artistic work headed straight directly for the BMW Museum in Munich so the production will not be open and visible to all, but building a practical car wasn't the point.
Chris Bangle, head of design for BMW, says GINA allowed his team to "challenge existing principles and conventional processes."
"It is in the nature of such visions that they do not necessarily claim to be suitable for series production," company officials said in unveiling the car Tuesday. "Rather, they are intended to steer creativity and research into new directions."
Bangle and his team GINA which means, "Geometry and functions In 'N' Adaptions" - six years ago but kept it under, i mean keeps on wrapping it until Tuesday. BMW said, this model's skin is made of polyurethane-coated Lycra - is resilient, durable and water resistant. It's stretched over an aluminum frame controlled by electric and hydraulic actuators that allow the owner to change the body shape. Want some accesories like spoilers and fenders? Worry no more, "The drastic reinterpretation of familiar functionality and structure means that drivers have a completely new experience when they handle their car," BMW says.
GINA has just four panels - the front hood, two sides and the rear deck. The doors opens in jack-knife fashion and closed smoothly. Access in the hoods and engines are through the slit in front. The fabric is translucent so the taillights shine through, and small motors pull the fabric back to reveal the headlights.
The interiors are really great and innovative. The gauges and steering wheel are cool. And the headrest rises from the seat when the driver seated to make it easier to get in and out of the car.
BMW says GINA is built on a space frame that provides all the safety of a conventional car, but we suspect people - not to mention BMW's lawyers and government regulators - wouldn't embrace fabric bodies. Still, the company says GINA could influence the design of future Beemers.
This is the Peugeot RC concept, which will be unveiled at the Paris motor show this October.
The four-door, four-seat coupe introduces a new design face for the range, likely to be seen first in production on the new 607 and 407, due around 2010/11.
This model and concept looks better than the Peugeot 908 RC concept in design and proportionality. It’s a big improvement over today’s over-sized production grille, which dominates the face of all Peugeot models.
The RC also showcases new green technology in the form of a hybrid drivetrain that is claimed to have a potential maximum power output of 313bhp and emissions of just 109g/km.
Details are sketchy in this four-seat, four-door coupe concept. Peugeot said it has "highly innovative hybrid architecture" with the hp and zero emission features.
This was also called a laboratory of future ideas, which was stated at The Paris Motor Show, bringing together numerous stylistic, engineering and technological ideas in a single vehicle.
This concept is hybrid which contributes to the low-cost fuel consumption, diesel-used and the environmentalist part of all the manufacturers and still has it's gorgeous and great looking details. Which all car dealers and buyers are looking forward to and wants in a car.
Hope we can see this great-looking car on the roads in the future. But I'm still clueless on how much this will cost if this have all the features and specs of a great car. But I'll still be on it's side, great offers it has.
Autopartswarehouse have been spying the automotive world since they began. They're listing all the best and worst cars, from trucks to sedans. From simple ones to hybrids and from big rides to the small cars.
In the U.S. News. Affordable small cars has it's clear ranking of the manufacturers whose been struggling in the market. Honda would be the best one and the top two would be as follows, Toyota's Scion and the Mazda would round out the top five.
Top Five Affordable Small Cars
Honda Civic
The family car. It has all the convenience from the smooth ride to the comfortable interiors based on all the reviews, they all love the leather seats and a navigation system. However, some are put off by the outlandish two-level dashboard with digital speedometer.
Honda Fit
This compact five-door Fit has the soul of a sports car and the practicality of a wagon according to reviewers. Its fun-to-drive handling, nice appointments and flexible folding rear seat are highlights.
Honda Civic Hybrid
Honda's Green Civic hybrid already won a spot as a stand-alone model due to it's hybrid electric drivetrain. This model was praised because it is similar to the usual Civic's grown-up car manners and appearance. Reviewers say that it is most similar to the driving experience of a slow car.
Mazda Mazda 3
Mazda 3 wins over enthusiast drivers who enjoy its accurate, direct steering and well-controlled suspension. Lots of car enthusiasts love this model because of the appearance and functionality combined. But there's a negative part of it that side airbags don't come with every level of of equipment, and electronic stability control isn't available at all.
Scion xB
Love or hate this model, Scion xB combines plenty of space and low price tag. Added to it's great features are the fuel efficient performance and highly customizable, you will be definitely be approved by reviewers because this model is recommended.
Bottom Three Affordable Small Cars
Chevrolet Aveo
This is definitely a cheap car and nothing more to describe but cheap. Got underpowered engines that delivers gas mileage to this small and slow car. The seats and the steering are both negative and earned lots of criticism. Finally the Aveo's safety was also poor and didn't meet reviewers level.
Suzuki Reno
The Suzuki European styling gives this model a clean appearance and the interiors has a great space good for the car's tiny size. But the engine is too noisy and slurps down fuel. And this ain't right for small cars like them.
Suzuki Forenza
With Forenza, Suzuki promises a compact car with it's subcompact price. The negative part of this was the model is bigger from the rest of the affordable small cars, its appeal is considerably smaller -- at least according to reviewers. Some more negative parts that got criticism was the lack of power, poor handling and bad scores on some safety tests.
Most students are already planning to go back to school or already back in their own business. Whether it's just around town or across the country, parents do really think and these young minds that having their own car are a necessity aide from the books and pens they need for school.
"There are so many options these days, in both the new- and used-car realm, for safe, fun and affordable back-to-school rides," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com.
Of course, parents and their kids have different choices. Kids want fast and cool models but parents opt for the practical and the safest one, of course. In this article, we can give you all the option and car models, you can consider some of them and talk over it with your kids.
Top 10 New Cars
- 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
- 2008 Ford Focus
- 2008 Honda Fit
- 2008 Hyundai Tucson
- 2008 Mazda3
- 2008 Scion xB
- 2008 Subaru Impreza
- 2008 Suzuki SX4
- 2008 Toyota Matrix
- 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit
Top 10 Used Cars
- 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
- 2007 Dodge Caliber
- 2005 Ford Crown Victoria
- 2004 Ford Focus
- 2004 Honda Civic
- 2006 Hyundai Elantra
- 2004 Mazda Tribute
- 2004 Mazda3
- 2004 Nissan Altima
- 2004 Pontiac Vibe
Hey there parents and kids, choose the best and the most vehicle that can suit all your needs.
Back to school would be really great for your kids and for you as well because you don't have anything in mind.
The Phoenix Concept- is a two-seater futuristic and electric car that uses different energy regeneration sources to increase energy efficiency. The designer is RCA student Sergio Loureiro da Silva.
He made this concept based on the idea of reducing the use of energy by adopting alternate energy regeneration systems. And we all hope that all electric cars can apply this one and Autopartswarehouse can help them with the development of this idea.
As Sergio explains "Outside the car industry technologies have been developed in order to regenerate power,
like kinetic watches, wind turbine, geothermic energy absorption even a
sustainable dance floor is developed that regenerates the energy from
the bouncing of the floor.
He used this idea because as we can see, motorcycles do really saves electricity, gas and fuels in all possible way. That's why this car was like two single motorbikes attached to each other because in this design, he can brought up the idea of central kinetic axis that generates the power of the movement.
A wind turbine was attached in front to that generates the wind movement when slowing down the vehicle. And the rear wheels are designed to reduce the amount of pieces between the engine and the wheels to reduce friction too.
The suspension system was also designed to create a kinetic movement to create energy that makes the car move. As we can see, almost all of it's parts are designed to make some kinetic movement to lessen the energy or electric usage.
"Drivers that have lived in a virtual computer game word that want to drive a vehicle closer to a spaceship, something that can provide them with different sensations." The overall top shape is inspired from the wings of a bat ray, that glides through the water.
This is suited for car enthusiast that wants to drive a new concept car and to have something to learn. While driving you can look at some parts that produce the energy and see why is the car moving just using some kinetic movements. Hope I can see this on the roads soon.
Porsche has revealed it's Cayman S Sport, a special version with 300hp adapts the styles and borrowed some elements from 911 GT3 RS. It will go on sale in Autumn 2008.
This Cayman was originally seen in the market in November 2005.
This latest sports version was powered by 3.4-liter flat-six engine which develops over 300 bhp and combined with the engine concept of the Cayman S and the visuals of the iconic 911 GT3 RS.
In addition to this new sports car. Will add powerful engines, offers a high level of sports driving feature and different color combination.
The Design
The model of this Cayman S is striking like the 911 GTR RS colors like Green and Orange and proudly having the graphics of black in it's sides. Making the features strong and more detailed.
More colors will be available after the introduction this autumn like the Black, Guards Red, Speed Yellow and Carrara White, as well as Arctic Silver Metallic available at extra cost.
With it's black painted alloy wheels, which caught our attention, the exterior mirrors and air intake grilles, this sports car proudly displays it's right to be in the sports car section and being one of them in the road.
While in the interior part, the alcantara finish on the gear shift, the handbrake lever, and the rim of the steering wheel makes you real hot and want some more performance when inside this ride and having a great ambience.
Features
Over and above the feature of this Cayman of having 303 hp (223 kW) power unit. The sporting quality of this is futher emphasized by offering it's Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) which lowers the car by ten millimeters.
Bi-Xenon headlight, the Sports Chrono Package and the leather sports seats are those of it's great quality that enhances it's appeal and an sports exhaust and two tailpipes completes the picture.
This features differs and are limited to exclusive series and edition number were indicated on a plaque on the glove box.
Production of the Cayman S Sport will be limited to 700 units worldwide, and is priced from £49,890.
Sports car has different features and strong details, and this one especially from Porsche has really good offer and can be caught this autumn of 2008. And you can also tests and explore all the potentials of this new car by their Porsche Driving Experience course. A really must-have offer.
The Audi Locus Concept is a sporty coupe and is based on the organic design language made of curves and lines and came up this sleek and sexy. According to the Turkish author and designer Ugur Sahin.
The Concept
"The main characteristics of the design are the way its surface shapes are formed with a continuous flow from the front end until the back of the car" explains Ugur Sahin.
The concept and design came from Nature because as the author and designer can see, Nature has it's own contribution of curves and artistic flow of lines and defininitely hard to look for perfectly straight curved lines.
The main goal of this concept is to implement a design aspect into a car that creates fun, relaxation, energetic and vibrant feeling. As you can see, every detail is worth a stare.
The name of the model reflects the concept of curves: in mathematics, "Locus" is a collection of points which share a common property, usually forming a continuous figure such as a curve.
The Design
A curved shape edge that starts at the very front until the middle section, slightly bending down in the A pillar and rising up again until the rear and end wheels. That lines makes the details more sharp and seen. Those lines can be seen and applied to greenhouse and design of the windows.
The front has an aggressive and manly look with the traditional Audi grilles. The air intakes has the same design as the headlights to make a coherent feeling. The rear section has this sleek and organic details and still got curves. Tail lights are designed to have air outtakes underneath them to avoid unnecessary details. And as you can see it's really a parts of the concept, it's not like the other exhaust that you can see hanging underneath the car.
Another feature which I love and one of the details that really gives life to this concept is the roof. It connets both the windsheild and the rear windows into a single and continuous glass surface, with an air intake at the bottom of the rear window.
One of the best concept car I have seen! Autopartswarehouse will definitely love this design too and add some spice to the life of this car.
Entrepreneur David Brown owned Aston Martin in 1961 but after putting it back from the grave, he turned his attention to his another car company which is Lagonda and which is not known to many as he signed off on a new car, the Rapide. Lots of cars were already manufactured when this Rapide was made but it's name was slowly disappearing until 2006, until Aston unveiled it in the Detroit Auto Show and still recovering the model. Rumor has it that Aston CEO Ulrich Bez knew that his old employer, Porsche, was planning the four-door Panamera and that he wanted to beat the Germans to the production punch.
The four-door Rapide uses Aston Martin's VH platform like all the other models in the same company. And it's styling truly shows what the car is all about: A stretched DB9. We expect the finished car to be fitted with either its smaller sibling's 450-hp V-12 or the 510-hp version of that engine used in Aston's 190-mph DBS. And six-speed automatic transmission will be most likely be the standard gearbox.
And the interiors would be more likely with a Mercedes Benz CLS. Four adults should fit comfortably under a transparent roof panel but still have some room for luggages. The rear seats can be folded individually so you can juggle your passengers and your cargo and things. Plus, like the V8 Vantage, luggage loading will be that easy because Rapide sports has a rear hatch instead of a simple and conventional trunk.
Still, the news about where it should be built is a big question. Aston has partnered with Magna Steyr in Austria and plans to open a dedicated new facility in the city of Graz. The production will start in the late 2009 and planned to have 2000 car every year. This is mass production but as I can see, this car really has a potential of being one in the top. As a proof, this Aston Martin's four-door baby is one of the starts in the 2006 Detroit Car Show and reviews said it was way greater to other sports car. And Autopartswarehouse was supporting all the new cars in the future. So, let's wait and see until this new sports car is released.
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Cars rock! Updated: Nov 3, 2009
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On The Drivers Side Updated: Sep 16, 2009
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Volkswagen / Audi Group Updated: May 29, 2009
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