RX Re-envisioned
The RXFE electric concept represents how a modern successor to the iconic rotary powered RX7 might take form. Four hub mounted electric motors work in tandem with the rotary engine forming a hybrid power drive. The RXFE’s facelift emphasizes hard lines and masculine detail but maintains the low profile of the two door 90s icon.
Designer:
———-
Posted: June 10th, 2011
at 7:22am by Troy Turner
Topics: Automotive, Car, Product Design, auto, vehicle
Futura Concept
I have always liked vehicles that look more animal than car- which is why I love this wild concept called the Futura 10. The Futura models itself after the Boxfish, a cute and cuddly sea creature (if you can imagine a cuddly gill-bearing scaled vertebrate) that somehow looks more alien than fish. Don’t let those soft lines fool you though, the Futura’s body, like the Boxfish, has great structural strength and proven aerodynamics.
Designer: Nathaniel Lucero
———-
Posted: April 27th, 2011
at 7:18am by Troy Turner
Topics: Automotive, Car, Product Design, Transportation, auto, automobile
Get Off The Road Wienermobile! The Highways Belong To Mr. Peanut Again
By Andrew Liszewski
It’s not the first Nutmobile that Planters, and presumably their CEO Mr. Peanut, have commissioned, but the company’s latest promotional tool will certainly be one of the greenest and gaudiest creations rolling about the country this year. Built on a 2011 Isuzu NPR box truck, with the box bit swapped for a giant fiberglass peanut reinforced with a steel frame, the new Nutmobile can hold up to 3 passengers plus Mr. Peanut himself should he need to make a public appearance. (I hear he’s actually a bit of a recluse though, and is rumored to have a cannibalistic addiction to peanuts.)
And while it doesn’t appear to be in competition with the Volt or anything, the new Nutmobile is a shining example of promotional eco-friendliness. The engine runs on a mix of biodiesel and regular diesel, the windshield is made from 100% recycled glass, the interior features wood flooring reclaimed from an 1840’s barn and the vehicle’s batteries are charged with a combination of solar panels and a wind turbine built into the roof of the cab. And I’m just going to assume/hope that like Powell Motor’s disastrous ‘The Homer’ the new Nutmobile is also equipped with rack and peanut steering.
[ The New York Times - A Green Makeover for Planters Nutmobile ] VIA [ Autoblog ]
Tonino Lamborghini Gardening Tools
By Andrew Liszewski
Porsche has been licensing out their name for a while now, resulting in everything from radios to toasters to pocket knives bearing their moniker, but Lamborghini has only just started doing the same. And while gardening tools might not have been at the top of everyone’s ‘what will bear the charging bull next?’ list, the company did start off building tractors after World War II. So it’s not that much of a stretch.
The collection includes grass trimmers, edgers, shrub shears, hedge trimmers and a chainsaw, all electric oddly enough, with some of the models even having rechargeable cordless options. The tools were designed and built by a German company called IKRAmogatec and surprisingly don’t appear to be jaw-droppingly expensive. The most expensive tool is the electric chainsaw which runs just over $200 (€154.99) while the cheapest is the basic electric trimmer which is ~$98 (€74.99).
[ Tonino Lamborghini Garden Tools ] VIA [ Design Milk ]
The Road Train: taking drafting to a whole new level
So we all know that drafting increases fuel efficiency. Heck, I even saw an episode of MythBusters where they proved that following a semi suicidally close will increase your mileage dramatically. Of course, drafting is dangerous, stupid, and the risk vs. reward just isn’t there. Well, what if it was? Scientists in Europe are working on a system that would make drafting safe. Get ready to ride the road train.
The concept is this: have one vehicle leading (the engine if you will) and the other cars following behind electronically tethered together. When a vehicle wants to leave, the driver disengages the system, pulls out of the line, and the car behind pulls forward and fills the empty spot. If someone new wants to join the line, they simple pull up behind the last vehicle and engage the system. They are currently testing a system to Europe to make this a reality, using sensors and professional drivers to drive the leader cars. Once you engage the system, automated controls would take over and you relinquish control completely until you reach your destination.
[via Treehugger]
