Super Concept Cars Blog

How much do you think you could fit into your car? With a little bit of industrial designing, quite a bit, it turns out. Designer Cornelius Comanns managed to turn a tiny three-wheeled car into a rolling home.

Called the “Bufalino,” the mini-RV seats two, has a fold-down bed, a stove, a basin that acts like a sink and a tank for water, fridge, and loads and loads of storage space. The only thing it’s missing is a shower — you have to wonder why that back couldn’t extend into some kind of ring of canvas where one could stand under an extending shower head.

Still, it looks perfect for a couple or someone flying solo to travel with plenty of gear. Check out more of the Bufalino.

General Motors (GM) together with its Chinese partner, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), presented the face of the automobile 20 years from now at the ongoing World Expo in Shanghai, China.

With the theme “Drive to 2030,” GM and SAIC are presenting their vision for urban transportation in the future wherein driving will be free from emission, accident, petroleum and congestion. It is a future in which driving will also be more enjoyable and more fashionable than ever before.

With the looming fuel crisis the world is facing, GM has come out with a possible solution to the problem with the EN-V concept car, which is an electric networked-vehicle.

The EN-V (pronounced ‘envy’) concept car is the main attraction at the GM-SAIC pavilion at the Shanghai Expo, which is on display until Oct. 31, 2010.

EN-V, or the Electric Networked-Vehicle, is a two-seater designed to answer concerns on traffic congestion, parking availability, and air quality in tomorrow’s cities. The EN-V is the giant automaker’s vision of mobility by the year 2030 — wherein each car will no longer run on fossil based fuels but instead, run solely on electrical power.

Three EN-V models were unveiled during the opening of the SAIC-GM Pavilion at the World Expo in Shanghai. The three variants, Jiao (Pride), Miao (Magic) and Xiao (Laugh), represent three different characteristics that emphasize the enjoyable nature of future transportation.

The egg-shaped car sits two people and runs on two wheels – similar to the popular personal transport device, the Segway. GM and SAIC partnered with Segway for the development of the chassis and electric drivetrain that takes ‘dynamic stabilization’ to a new level. Segway linked the chassis – that contained the electronics, sensors, motors and wheels to a rectangular section of the car that houses the batteries using an articulated slide mechanism. The section contains the equivalent of eight standard Segway batteries giving power to the unit for a longer time.

The Jiao, Miao and Xiao were designed by three GM design studios. The different bodies are mounted on the chassis through the battery section that serves as the mount point.

The EN-V is about five times as energy efficient as the average passenger car. It can travel at a speed of 38 kilometers per hour and can carry two passengers.

The maximum speed for the EN-V may look slow, but the average speed on city roads recorded at 20 kph makes the electric vehicle ideal. And with the slower average speed on city roads expected in the future, GM did away with heavy safety features such as bumpers and airbags to make the cars much lighter.

Using an elaborate system of digital maps, Global Positioning System, cameras and sensors, the EN-V offers drivers ‘autonomous driving’ and brings them to their destinations faster, cleaner and safer.

Its autonomous operating capability offers the promise of reducing traffic congestion by allowing EN-V to automatically select the fastest route based on real-time traffic information. The concept also leverages wireless communications to enable a “social network” that can be used by drivers and occupants to communicate with friends or business associates while on the go.

This combination of sensing technology, wireless communication and GPS-based navigation establishes a technology foundation, pieces of which could migrate from the EN-V concept and potentially lead the way to future advanced vehicle safety systems.

The ability to communicate with other vehicles and with the infrastructure could dramatically reduce the number of vehicle accidents. Using vehicle-based sensor and camera systems, EN-V can “sense” what’s around it, allowing the vehicle to react quickly to obstacles or changes in driving conditions. For example, if a pedestrian steps out in front of the vehicle, EN-V will decelerate to a slower and safer speed and stop sooner than today’s vehicles.

“The EN-V concept represents a major breakthrough in the research that GM has been doing to bring vehicle autonomy to life,” said Alan Taub, Global Vice President of GM Research and Development. “The building blocks that enable the autonomous capabilities found on the EN-V concept such as lane departure warning, blind zone detection and adaptive cruise control are being used in some GM vehicles on the road today.”

The car has been strictly designed for city driving. Having a small footprint, five EN-V’s can park in a spot designed for a conventional vehicle.

To date, GM has produced 14 working EN-V prototypes at a staggering cost of 1 billion Chinese Yuan. Expensive? Maybe, but not so much if you take into account the potential benefits will outweigh the cost.

Early or later everyone who drives a car face a dilemma “What is the best and the cheapest way to maintain and to fix my car?” Actually responsible drivers start thinking about this early in the stage of choosing the right car to drive. Whether you are buying a first car  or just want to trade your old vehicle for a new one, always think if you would be able to afford not only to pay its cost but insurance, maintenance and other unpredictable expenses that may occur. And the next but not less important thing to think about is where to get spare parts in a case if you need replacement for any reason. Of course you will want to find a compromise between a reasonable price and good quality. Sure you may take your car to the dealership services and get Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) car parts there. Or you may go to an independent auto parts store and buy aftermarket parts. Whatever you choose, you’d be better of if you are aware of all the pros and cons of these options to choose the car part that fits your situation best.

Sure if you know nothing about aftermarket brands and can afford a little extra bucks OEM car parts may be your best options. As these parts are made by the original car maker or authorized off-shore corporations, they will match properly and will be doubtless compatible with other parts in your car. Another advantage of OEM parts is that they should not affect your car insurance and warranty put on your vehicle. Moreover, new OEM car parts are always under warranty themselves. Thus you will be able to achieve better and longer performance of your car. Quite often refurbished or remanufactured OEM parts may be a good solution for you situation as well. But you should buy them only from a licensed supplier. That would guarantee that the parts had been tested. In a case when you cannot afford to buy new OEM car part you may consider used ones. In most cases they are removed from old written off vehicles. The caution here is that the quality of these parts limits any guarantee you may get from the supplier, and remember as these parts are usually well worn you really never know how long they will last.

As opposed to Original Equipment Manufacturer parts you may think about using aftermarket parts. This means that the parts are made by a producer other than the original car maker. To use aftermarket parts you should use well-known brand names or listen to the advice of trust-worthy mechanics.

Although aftermarket parts are attractive because of their lower price compared to OEM parts, their main disadvantage is that they often have more limited warranty and in many cases are of lesser quality. Even more, not all aftermarket parts are tested with all car models. So there is no guarantee they will really match your car. And it may be necessary to check if the aftermarket parts you are going to buy will meet the local laws, quality and performance regulations and the emission standards of your area. But for justice’ sake we should admit that the quality of aftermarket parts is not always bad, and as some companies specialize in a specific products their products may be even better and more expensive then OEM parts.

No doubt, it is up to you what car parts to buy in your particular situation. Only you know what fits your requirements and financial situation best. We will only recommend not to forget to buy car accessories and enjoy comfortable and safe riding.

Japanese automaker Mazda will soon roll out its new small Mazda CX-5 SUV, after having tempted the world with its Kazamai concept for a couple of years now. The new small SUV is to be based on the two-year-old Kazamai concept and is most probably due for a launch date during the end of 2011.

The new small Mazda CX-5 SUV will be rolled with features that have an inclination towards maximum fuel efficiency. The new model is expected to also sport a new set of Sky generation direct-injection engines and a light transmission. The car, in fact, will be the first production Mazda to be powered by the new generation of ultra-efficient Sky engines.

It will also come with regenerative braking and start/stop functionalities. To be at least 100kg lighter compared with rival models, the car might come in both three- and five-door versions.

Renault has provided a sneak preview of its new concept car, due to be unveiled at the Paris auto show at the end of September.

The bright red coupe is called DeZir. The name is pronounced something like “desire” — cue French accent — and the Z comes from zero, as in zero emissions, thanks to its electric drive. Renault and Nissan have committed to offering multiple models of electric vehicles, and this is one.

But the zigzag Z makes the word look Dutch — a sign perhaps of the influence of the French company’s new Dutch design chief, Laurens van den Acker, a veteran of Mazda and Ford. This is the first car to appear since Mr. van den Acker, 44, took over last year from the longtime design head Patrick Le Quément.

Renault says the car offers hints of the new face of Renault design and a first statement of the philosophy behind it. The front presents Renault’s diamond logo in a larger, chromed version, set inside a dark grille with horizontal accents. The rear is a cave of more inset horizontals, like a bizarre topographic map of some sort. There is no rear window; video cameras take its place.

The body is made of carbon-fiber. An electric motor is set midbody, and the batteries are installed behind the seat and cooled through side and front air inlets. Zero to 62 miles per hour is advertised at five seconds. Range is listed at around 100 miles.

The keynotes of the new look, visible in the DeZir’s swelling front fenders and rear haunches, are said to lie in three adjectives: simple, sensuous and warm.

The DeZir is a long way from the angular, oddball designs of Mr. Le Quément. He gave Renault the lovable small Twingo but also vehicles that looked as strange as their names sounded, like the Avantime two-door van and the Vel Satis sedan.

The DeZir supplies hints of Mr. van den Acker’s background: there is a touch of his first employer, Audi, in the bladelike side vent, which echoes the Audi R8. The swirly body shapes and scissor doors that open in opposite directions, said by the company to suggest “yin-yang style harmony,” remind us of the near mystic or Zen Nagare look from his days at Mazda.

But the company said that the car also represented “falling in love.” Call it French stereotype or core competence, falling in love is rendered in the exterior through sensual curves and passionate red paint, credited to the car’s lead exterior designer, Yann Jarsalle. “Love is a sentiment that lifts you, gives you wings,” said Stéphane Maïore, the lead interior designer.

But falling in love is only the first step. Renault’s news release said the company’s new design philosophy was about marking the stages of life: “This vision also builds on the bonds that are gradually forged between the brand and its customers at watershed moments of their lives, such as when they fall in love, start to explore the world, found a family, begin to work, take time to play and attain wisdom.”

With the company offering up the first step — falling in love — nearly three full months in advance of the company’s hometown car show, look for other “stages” to be shown at the Paris fair or before.

Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads

A few days ago we got the pleasure of seeing a cool Lamborghini concept called the Cnossusthat was designed by a couple of students with the permission of the company themselves. Today we got to see another cool Lamborghini concept study. The Lamborghini Navarra is the work of an American by the name of Adam Denning who is a designer for Lockheed Martin USA.

His car was created as a successor for the current Murcielago model: “I tried to imagine all the V12 flagships of the brand from the Miura to the Murcielago, and then create a car that would look like it not only belonged in this group, but that it was the result of these cars as well. I was very inspired by Michelangelo’s La Pietà. The way Mary’s garments flow down and fold over each other was the main inspiration for the Navarra’s overlapping surfaces and organic shapes.

Denning, who has a masters in Automotive Design from the Scuola Politecnica di Design in Milan, Italy, says the Navarra will use a carbon-fiber frame and carbon-fiber panels. The power behind the concept would be a powerful V12 engine producing between 650 and 700 bhp.

The auto world looks to concept cars for the bursts of inspiration that they provide. From the all-electric shape-shifting “Cell” to the adorably urban “Bug”, we’ve covered our fair share of futuristic eco vehicles here on Inhabitat. Most of these “concepts” have technological plans for their implementation, however if Michal Vlcek and Klavir have a feasible schematic for their totally plant-powered auto, they are keeping it under pretty tight wraps.

The designers note in their description that the car has a special kind of solar panel which assists the plants in their photosynthesis process. The plant’s photosynthesis then somehow powers an electric motor. The super sexy design is completely made of plastic — we’re hoping it is recycled — and the control system is made up of a joystick instead of a wheel. All questions aside, we’d love zipping around the streets of the city — or rolling country hills — surrounded by a leafy green interior.

According to  media reports, by the famous architect Daniel Garcia of Spain designed concept car pictures Audi A9 exposure, Dannierjia West is designed to A9 for the luxury sports car positioning, with a similar model as the current Audi design language. It is aimed at models like the Porsche Panamera and the Lamborghini Estoque.

Recent news from England has indicated that the Land Rover LRX Concept vehicle will be debuting in 2010 with full production starting in 2011, and considering the genius of this concept, it’s about time.  The LRX, which may end up being branded a Range Rover when it hit dealerships in early 2011, was first shown off at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2008 and represents an evolution for Land Rover.  The vehicle is much lighter than the company’s other SUVs, features a more efficient engine, and openly embraces the next generation of technology to the point where it fully integrates with an iPhone.

The official press release from Land Rover calls the LRX a “cross-coupe” which is, to be honest, a silly name.  Call it a compact crossover vehicle, or a two-door ute.  And yes, the LRX does have two doors, which is a break from the traditional Land Rover SUV design.  The essential design philosophy of the LRX is to take the idea of a premium or executive car (like a BMW or Jaguar sedan or coupe, for example) and imagine it with a 4×4 twist.

The powertrain offers another twist on the old Land Rover formula.  Due to the lighter weight of the LRX (and its presumably toned-down off-road abilities), a smaller engine is possible, and it looks like a 2.0-liter turbodiesel, a traditional V6 gasoline engine, and potentially a hybrid model could eventually see release.  Land Rover, a sister company of Jaguar, has access to the hybrid powertrain that the latter company has been developing for sometime, and considering the already prolific sharing between the two companies (the new Land Rover LR4 and Range Rover both use Jag’s V8), a Jaguar-developed hybrid drivetrain doesn’t seem very far fetched.  Exact power specifications have yet to be released but, considering the above mentioned goal of making the LRX similar to a premium or executive vehicle, the vehicle probably won’t lack in power.

While the exterior of the LRX is definitely appealing, it is the interior that truly represent a giant leap forward for the company.  Land Rover’s designers had to figure out a way to take a physically smaller space than they normally work with and make it seem spacious and comfortable.  One of the most obvious additions is that glass roof, which provides a tinted panorama of the sky and helps add to the feeling of vertical space in the cabin.  The seats are also specially designed to provide extra space.  While certainly evoking a space-age vibe, the seats are actually very thin, leading to extra leg room for passengers in the rear.  Also, a lot of the technological gadgets are cleverly integrated.  For example, a recessed pocket in the center console serves as an iPhone docking station, interior panels in the rear seat area open to reveal a chilling box for beverages, and an intuitive LCD display controls many of the vehicle’s functions, making myriad buttons unnecessary.

Definitely the most exciting thing about the LRX going into production is assurance from Land Rover that they will be sticking pretty close to the design of the LRX Concept.  All too often, a concept vehicle will get the greelight for production and all of the special features that made it a great concept will be stripped out to make it more appealing to the general market.  Thankfully, due to Land Rover’s rather specialized market niche, they do not need to compromise and can produce a compact SUV that truly looks to the future

Land Rover LRX Road Test,spy photos exposed again

Land Rover LRX Road Test, spy photos exposed again