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Bugatti Veyron Lightning Wrap by CAM SHAFT for Gemballa

Of all the various custom Veyrons – none wear quite as dramatic a shell as this one for Gemballa Racing! While Gemballa is moving forward with a new website and new distribution for its tuning and limited-edition cars, the Gemballa Racing effort itself appears to be shelved at this point in time. No matter – the Veyron in this custom blue lightning foil wrap from CAM SHAFT is still a fine showpiece for the company. And can you blame them for not taking this beauty into a real race? Even a slight bump would be very costly to sort out… …

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Subaru VIZIV 2 Concept From Geneva Is Fug of the Year Award Winner

The nose and tail of the Viziv 2 concept from Subaru definitely go into the “What were they thinking” file. The design shown here is expected to preview the upcoming Tribeca replacement, which will be a jumbo Outback seating seven. But hopefully the production car looks… A.) nothing like the first B9 Tribeca B.) nothing like this. In fairness, the worst elements by far are the twin giant round light elements in the nose and tail. If you block those out, the car is not half bad. New lean surfaces and geometric shapes show a nice crispness. But the red …

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Superlux Style Battle – Photo Poll of Mansory Bentley versus Mansory Rolls-Royce

These two are both pretty outrageous– but if you had to pick your poison… which would it be? The refinements are actually pretty extensive. The Wraith with a matte-effect silver on the grille and upper body is actually pretty interesing in contrast to the super-metallic sheen of the painted surfaces. But neither will win you many Best Dressed honors in most respectable circles. Mansory Bentley versus Mansory Rolls-Royce          

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Official: Volkswagen Mid-size SUV Will Seat 7, Be Built in USA – Name TBD

After much dithering and time-wasting, VW has formally announced Chattanooga as the assembly location of the forthcoming 2016 Passat-based SUV. No new name or production images have been released – leading us to believe the production car will be close in form and spirit to the CrossBlue concept — which is pictured outside the VW Tennessee plant here. NEW MIDSIZE SUV FROM VOLKSWAGEN TO BE PRODUCED IN CHATTANOOGA Jul 14, 2014 Winterkorn: “This model will play a key role for Volkswagen’s presence in North America” Volkswagen Group of America to invest approximately $900 million in the project Second model to …

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OP_ED: Latest Mitsubishi Exterior Designs Are Bizarre and Alarming

Mitsubishi is doing great on a few fronts, and simply keeping its head above water on other fronts. In the realm of PHEV and battery-electric vehicles, the firm is on a great trajectory. The iMiEV has been a pretty large global seller over the last five years by EV standards, and the new Outlander is fully prepped for a PHEV drivetrain that is already on sale in Japan and the UK, along with a few other markets. The SUV and pickup truck model ranges are still relatively robust sellers, with modern diesel engines and a butch appeal in their style. …

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Amazing 1971 Alfa-Romeo Caimano and 1976 Alfa-Romeo Navajo Concepts

So many supercar concepts, so little time! These two really cool ideas that did not get made into production models. The Caimano is based on the small, rear-drive Alfasud platform – but with one key difference: the windshield is part of a one-piece canopy door that hinges upward — just like the coolest concepts seen from Ferrari in the 512 series. The Navajo, on the other hand, is crisp to the extreme. With a huge wing in back that makes it look more like a stunt airplane than a sports car. 1971 Alfa-Romeo Caimano       1976 Alfa-Romeo Navajo …

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Concept Flashback – 1969 Ferrari 512S Coupe Speciale by Pininfarina in Leopard Onesie at Marble Quarry

This car is RARE! Of course, many concept cars were one-off creations for a specific auto show or other event. And many more are not actual cars at all – they cannot roll on their own power whatsoever. But almost all of them are trotted out of the archives at some point after their initial show. If only to be sold at auction, they are almost always seen again at some point. This allows there to be more photos of the car than just one or two. Cars from the 1960s are almost nonexistent in photos from their original debut. …

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Concept Flashback – 1988 Peugeot OXIA Is T16 Mid-Engine Road Racer

    This car doubtlessly inspired the ONYX’s name and chassis layout, as well as perhaps the idea of previewing a new grille and nose on a hypercar before production hatchbacks. Pretty striking propoertions on the OXIA to this day, especially the hugely flared front and rear wheel-arches versus the trim cabin. This one is also more of an authentic hypercar – with 205 and 405 T16 rally-car running-gear under the rear canopy. Peugeot OXIA

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Concept Flashback – 2012 Peugeot ONYX Is Mixed-Media Hypercar Delight

The mixed-media description applies inside and out for the 2012 ONYX hypercar concept. It is a wonderful design, enhanced by the contrast flat-black and copper exterior. Inside, recyled news-print forms its padded surfaces. Try not to spill that Evian, or the cabin will become a chowder bowl… The ONYX hypercar design study did mosey up the Goodwood Hill in 2013 – but otherwise is a fantasy car only. There are wires hanging from its undercarriage in several photos. But if this is what it takes to get rid of the giant-mouth Peugeot production cars, so be it! Peugeot ONYX

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Design Talent Showcase – Jan Rosenthal 2023 Rolls-Royce Concept Wins Official RCA Contest

This is an oldie but a goodie. Not so old – 2012 — and previewing a Rolls-Royce for 2023. So it is a bit of Days of Future Past. Forgiveness Please if you have seen this already! Royal College of Art students submitted ideas for a 2023 Rolls-Royce back in 2012, with the winning design selected by Rolls-Royce executive leadership and designers themselves. The winning study is shown here in all its magnificence. Jan Rosenthal is the artist and elegantly combines many disparate ideas into one glamor-soaked luxury car. It is a four-door coupe with a SUV ride height. Very …

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QOROS Design Analysis – Qoros9 and Flagship Concepts Preview Exciting Future Models

QOROS is the German-led Chinese car firm that could change global perceptions about Chinese vehicles through sheer strength of engineering. The firm aims to deliver the best of European safety, handling, styling and quality standards to an affordable-produced model for the first time. Headed by Gert Hildebrand as design chief, Qoros is on firm footing to bring his MINI Cooper design expertise to all sorts of new segments. Here is Hildebrand with the Qoros Flagship model discussed below. QOROS Design Analysis – Qoros9 and Flagship Concepts Preview Exciting Future Models After many false starts by other brands, the Qoros 3 …

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Germany Is Mad for Car Wraps! Martini-style Racing Livery by CAM SHAFT for the Porsche 911 GT3

It is automotive wrap fest today! These Cam Shaft customs are very eye-popping. They bring some favorite and iconic racing liveries to life on Porsche 911s in a very well-executed way. The funny thing about Gulf colors, in particular, is a joke I heard while visiting the GT40 factory of Superformance Olhoff Racing in April. They quipped, “We have made more Gulf GT40’s than Gulf ever did!” Thanks to the latest tech in wrapping, a two-color paintwork effect is no longer the perview of Wraith of Maybach customers. It was previously so expensive and exclusive because it meant the car …

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FOSTLA.de Foliation Designs A Wild Mercedes-Benz CLS in Metallic Gold Matte

FOSTLA.de Foliation Designs A Wild Mercedes-Benz CLS in Metallic Gold Matte Learned a new word today… foliation Definition: the art of foil wrapping a surface, object or cherished Mercedes-Benz CLS. Etym: new Engdeutsch. The below description and intro for Fostla.de’s Porsche GT3 certainly applies to this incredibly intense CLS. It is on air-ride lowering springs and has a few other customizations noted below — but by far the most mind-warping element is the Bond Gold Matte Metallic wrap by Fostla. This is paired very tastefully with tinted lamps and a red accent bar in the fascias front and rear. The …

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FOSTLA.de Shows Artful Porsche 911 GT3 Foil Wrap Design and Execution

In the old days, changing a car’s color was only possible in one method: a full respray. This is not a good route for high-performance and high-dollar luxury machines for many reasons. Most of which comes down to the quality of body-shop paint versus factory paint. We have all seen a sad repainted car a few years last – dull, fading on the roof and hood from the sun, and sometimes even with bits of the original color shining through the poor-quality paintjob. In addition, much of the exterior on the car has to be disassembled to do a paintjob …

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Concept Flashback – 1979 Aston Martin Bulldog vs 2014 Aston Martin DP-100 Vision GranTurismo

Concept Flashback – 1979 Aston Martin Bulldog vs 2014 Aston Martin DP-100 Vision GranTurismo Aston took its future vision and threw it into fast-forward by the mid-1970s and early 1980s. The model range at the time was a mix of the Vantage and the Lagonda sedan – one looking and feeling like it was frozen in 1969, the other, 1999. So one very antiquated, and one ahead of its time. The 1980 Bulldog concept was ostensibly a range-topper; something to leapfrog the competition and bring the Vantage and supercar customer base into a bold and futuristic new decade. Alas, the …

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Past and Future Perfect – Rolls-Royce Is Evergreen in 111 RARE Photos + 2017 RR ALPINE RENDERING

Past and Future Perfect – Rolls-Royce Is Evergreen – 111 RARE Photos Celebrate 111-Year History FUTURE PERFECT? Yes, this tense in language certainly applies to Rolls-Royce in the coming years. Here is (one of) Lutz Valdeig‘s artist renderings of a 2017 Rolls-Royce Alpine SUV – with a name borrowed from RR’s Apline Trial glory.   Rolls-Royce is more successful than anyone might have guessed 15 or 30 years ago. At that time, the whisper was that The Best Car in the World might be losing its touch with modern times. BMW’s guiding principles of quality and advanced driving characteristics have …

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N Largo Ferrari F12 Widebody by NOVITEC ROSSO vs 599XX vs Factory F12

N Largo? That is the newest and hottest way to describe a widebody custom supercar – in this case the Novitec Rosso F12 Berlinetta. Have you ever seen something so amazingly sexy for the street? This F12 N Largo rivals the previous 599XX for visual and emotional drama. Here is the 599XX from the Corse Clienti program. Just look at it compared with the stock F12. All it is missing are a few number and sponsor stickers… and 100-percent of the world will be sure you just escaped from a GP racetrack…! The only thing missing from this fantasy is …

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NOVITEC ROSSO Adds Performance and Exclusivity to Ferrari 458 Italia and Spyder

NOVITEC ROSSO Ferrari 458 Italia and Spyder     All the greatest Novitec Ferrari upgrades detailed recently for the 458 Speciale are also offered for the 458 Italia and Spyder – which might be even more reason to think about some custom mods to your world-beating supercar. As one of the most fun and highly-praised sports cars of all time, the 458 Spyder and 458 Italia are technically perfect from the Maranello factory. But when has that ever stopped you before? NOVITEC ROSSO – Ferrari 458 Italia       A great way to feel the rush and be just …

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Paging Dr. Gerry McGovern – There Is A Ford Explorer Sport Here To See You

Paging Dr. Gerry McGovern – There Is A Ford Explorer Sport Here To See You This is tough news to deliver to you, Gerry McGovern, Land Rover’s head of design. When a car designed abroad is about the be released in the United States, looking just like a car we have all seen thousands of times for the previous few years. The Land Rover Discovery Vision Concept is one such machine. It might as well be an exact match for the Ford Explorer of 2009-present. When I had this white Explorer Sport last Fall, my neighbor already thought it was …

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Update1 – Land Rover Discovery Concept Previews 2016 LR4 Discovery and 2015 LR2 Disco Sport

Update1 – Land Rover Discovery Concept Previews 2016 LR4 Discovery and 2015 LR2 Disco Sport The sternness of the original article here (below) seems like overkill in the face of perhaps the best-ever set of new Range Rovers from JLR in the past year. The firm is moving quickly and has eager buyers lining up for every new model it releases. This strategy is set to continue for at least the next three years, during which time we will see the replacement for the LR2 Freelander first. Renamed the Discovery Sport, the LR2 badge will go away and it will …

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Updated – 2014 Nissan Sports Sedan Concept Is Almost-Exact 2015 MAXIMA 4DSC!

Updated 7.8.14 New photos and two new colors, white and titanium grey. Changed the color from orange on the computer, because the orange it a little overpowering. Without the bright autoshow color, the car looks … EVEN BETTER! Very, very promising indeed.   Previous update: Just updated this article with all the 2015 4DSC concept photos; sans the previous burnt photo error =] i think all the designers use Macs — and all the rest of us use PCs… ? ANYWAY Next Maxima is set to be just 0.3-inches taller than the GT-R. But will a manual box join the …

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1935 Bugatti Aerolithe – Digital Colorizer

Q: How color sensitive are the iconic shapes of the Bugatti Aerolithe? A: Very! Something about the wildly flexed panel shapes of the Bugatti’s fenders, combined with the sheer flat surfaces of the body-sides and the edges of the hood, combined with the riveted panels… A trilemma of surfaces for any paint to master! The original pistacchio green is accurate and lovely for the period, but how would the car look in other shades? Would its deep recesses and sunken cab melt away from the eye, or become even more prominent? You can be the judge for yourself… via the …

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Atlanta Dream Cars – 1935 Bugatti 57S Competition Coupe Aerolithe Wears Gorgeous Elektron Magnesium Panels

This Bugatti’s name really rolls off the tongue quite nicely – even without much car for the accents and the pronunciation. Perhaps that is because the principles of speed competitions, swoopy two-doors and lightweight, low-drag machines are so important today. Those last two really nail the brilliance of this one home. Light and smooth was the goal of this shape, in an era when most cars (and drivers!) would be terrified above 30-mph. This car could easily double that, and perhaps go on to about 75-mph before the tires and brakes became a serious liability. My apologies that these photos …

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Atlanta Dream Cars – 1951 General Motors LeSabre XP-8 Struck Gold With Yank Tank Ethos of 1950s

I usually formulate a rough outline of what I want to say about a car while cropping and straightening out the photos beforehand. In the case of this 1951 LeSabre, I wish you could have seen my face recoil in horror at all the tacky, gaudy details on this car up close. Thus, my theory was initially that the LeSabre showed General Motors the good and the bad of design. The good is that it can excite you in ways that will open wallets and checkbooks by the millions. The bad is that certain elements would need to be explained …

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NOVITEC ROSSO Ferrari 458 Speciale Adds 40HP and ICONEL Exhaust for Maximum Supercar Thrills/Chills

  NOVITEC ROSSO Ferrari 458 Speciale Adds 40HP and ICONEL Exhaust for Maximum Supercar Thrills/Chills   Wow! Did you watch the video above! The first ten seconds will shave you shaking with delight. You might be some of the first people to see this all-new machine from Germany’s Novitec Rosso – the legendary upfitter’s Ferrari division. The video definitely highlights the pings and zings of the titanium-alloy ICONEL exhaust system, and it is truly one of the world’s best. That is why the US Alfa 4C is rumored to have it as standard. But this is no four-banger, and not …

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Design Talent Showcase – ElTony Brings Sensual, Elemental Fire and Water to YOUR Car Wallpapers

Design Talent Showcase – El-Tony.com Wallpapers Few things on Earth are as powerful as Fire and Water. Together with Earth and Wind — they can even combine forces to make…. Captain Planet! But back down in the real world, El-Tony.com brings the heat and the rain the virtually any image. His designs are somewhat tribal, somewhat fantasy, and something geometric all in one. By adding these amazing graphics, Tony Kokhan‘s art can make any photo or image explode off your wall – and into your dreams. Cars are any easy and pleasurable bit of eye-candy, but anything is possible for …

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LaMASERATI by Mark Hostler – The Wildest Hypercar Concept Ever

Meet LaMASERATI by Mark Hostler – The Wildest Hypercar Concept Ever   Wow. This one really stopped me in my tracks today. Dubbed the LaMaserati concept by professionally-trained industrial designer Mark Hostler, the car is simply miraculous. Free-floating surfaces intersect, overlap and interplay in ways that beg to be touched. The floating wings and side buttress are perhaps the most breathtaking elements – unlike anything that any concept hypercar has ever attempted in real-life. The ultra-low nose is shaped for ground-effect aerodynamics at high speed, while the long-tail LED brake light slash will also reduce any turbulence or backpressure as …

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2015 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT Predictions: 4Matic AWD for 500HP Twin-Turbo V8 – Benchmarks Are 911T and GT-R

2015 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT Predictions: 4Matic AWD for 500HP Twin-Turbo V8 – Benchmarks Are 911T and GT-R The amount of renderings of the forthcoming AMG GT supercar is staggering. Luckily, none are quite as hack-y as my aborted effort to graft the AMG Vision Gran Turismo’s nose onto the current 2014 SLS! =] What happened to the draft renders posted to facebook.com/carrevsdaily last week? They just… kept getting worse and worse in Photoshop, so I looked to external sources. The best work so far comes from Car and Driver, of all places, with a really detailed and on-target rendering of …

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SRT Viper vs. Maserati Alfieri – Friends… Or Family? Overlay Transparency Analysis

SRT Viper vs. Maserati Alfieri – Friends… Or Family? Overlay Transparency Analysis A possible Alfieri-Viper connection has been nagging me since the similarities first appeared about a week after the Alfieri debuted in Geneva. Why did (and does) it seem so close to the Viper, without sharing almost anything recognizable — anywhere? Something about the overdrawn features and super-curved surfaces just strikes me as very similar between the two. But am I just speculating wildly (again)? Besides that, the rear ends seem quite familiar – with similar venting below each lamp and even a similar hatchback glass liftgate. But every …

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Concept Flashback – 2007 Nissan Round Box Is Leaf/Cube/iQ Roadster Mashup

Here is a fun one! Back in 2007, this little city run-about might have earned a photo or two in a small concepts section of our car magazines. At least, this is what I tell myself to justify not remembering it at all! The design is actually pretty appealing in its interpretation of a Scion iQ or Smart Fortwo competitor. The best aspect of the squat aesthetic and wide proportions, which become much slimmer moving from the wheel areas and up into the glasshouse. One element slid through to production almost intact on the Nissan Leaf EV — the headlights! …

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2014 Maserati Alfieri Concept Inside and Out via 82 New High-Res Photos

One thing was missing from the official debut of the Alfieri Maserati at Geneva this Spring: good photos of the car! Better late than never…! Here are 82 super-high-resolution photographs of the Alfieri. For a full run-down and analysis of the concept, cruise over to this full article linked below. That article makes some interesting points about the design, written on the day of its debut. Since then, the Alfieri has made me think “Viper” many times, but without firm evidence to prove a link. Something about the scale and proportions of the Alfieri seem to hint at a possible …

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Concept Flashback – 2008 Lamborghini Estoque – Binned In Favor of SUV, But Design Influences Huracan Dramatically

The Lamborghini Estoque from Paris 2008 created a flurry of media attention and even compelled some eager buyers to put down deposits on the car during the great auto show. Over the next year and a half, Lamborghini evaluated the concept’s production feasibility in detail – bouncing volume and pricing business plans back and forth to the Volkswagen Group board, exploring Panamera collaborations for the platform, and even building out a long-term front-engine GT car plan to accompany this gorgeous four-door to Lamborghini dealerships. This last bit – with a front-engine coupe and cabrio joining the business plan – made …

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2005 Ferrari Pininfarina Crowd-Sourced Design Contest Is Gift That Keeps on Giving

2005 Ferrari Pininfarina Crowd-Sourced Design Contest Is Gift That Keeps on Giving You know your brand has reached top-level icon status when you can ask the world to give your their best ideas, to possibly be used without credit, free of charge. That is exactly what Ferrari and styling lead Pininfarina did in 2005 to solicit ideas for a new hypercar flagship – something along the lines of the Enzo 2.0, or what we now know as LaFerrari eight years later in present-day. Do you recall the 2005 Ferrari and Pininfarina design contest? It was big news at the time …

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PART TWO: 2016 Audi S Q3 Rendering – Future 4.9-second Sport Compact Crossover

 2016 Audi S Q3 PART TWO… Mercedes-Benz seems relatively confident with the GLA45 AMG as the one engine upgrade to the GLA250 series, and the GLA45 AMG will make its way well past $55,000 with a few options packages. So what is the Audi of America counter-strategy? Not the full-blown RS Q3, but a car with nearly all the affordable performance and speed enhancements, but with the S Q3 label instead. This is a great alternative. Simply boosting the power levels of the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine in the top Q3 and adding standard quattro AWD will work wonders for the …

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Goodwood 2014 Galleries – PORSCHE Macan Turbo, Panamera S E-Hybrid, RS Spyder, 962 and 917

My huge crush on the Macan is an open secret. Great to see how wonderful it looks being pushed to the edge up the hill! Also including a cool photo I found recently of the 917 doing a jump test, plus that monster 16-cylinder 917 prototype from last week… 917 MACAN TURBO PANAMERA S E-HYBRID RS SPYDER GT1 LM Check out the tarts in the right of this photo testing the Lola Aston Martin… 962 and 935

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PART ONE! DODGE Hits 100-Year Anniversary of First Car in 1914 – Going Strong into 2015 and 2115

PART ONE: These posts are getting huge and are breaking the interwebs.  Here is part one – featuring the first 50 or so cars from Dodge below. Dodge is celebrating its 100-year anniversary today with the release of special-edition 2014 Challengers and Chargers, a new line of merchandise, and a bold outlook into the next 100 years of the Dodge Brothers legend of affordable power. Another bit of news from the 100th announcements is that SRT is being rolled back into the Dodge fold after a go at being a stand-alone brand. Below is the official announcement from dodge – …

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PART TWO! DODGE Hits 100-Year Anniversary of First Car in 1914 – Going Strong into 2015 and 2115

Dodge is celebrating its 100-year anniversary today with the release of special-edition 2014 Challengers and Chargers, a new line of merchandise, and a bold outlook into the next 100 years of the Dodge Brothers legend of affordable power. Another bit of news from the 100th announcements is that SRT is being rolled back into the Dodge fold after a go at being a stand-alone brand. Below is the official announcement from dodge – and you should also check out the new Dodge products page for some cool shirts, accessories and ways to show your Dodge/Life balance. http://www.life.dodge.com/dept_prod.asp?dept_id=316 Below are some …

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Update1 – Nissan NC2020 Vision Gran Turismo Makes Real-Life Debut at Goodwood FoS

I stand corrected!  Below are 20 high-res photos from Nissan at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. They are tagged “Goodwood’s Got Game” – and I am inclined to agree =]   Many of the cars that debuted at Goodwood are strangely unavailable from the manufacturers’ websites – as though a digital launch is enough and everyone can just keep selling Jukes when the NC2020 is around! Luckily for NC2020 or NSX fans, Facebook is a constantly-updating entity. Here are 71 new photos of the NC2020 via Gran Turismo.com and Nissan UK’s facebook page. They are not great quality, but there …

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Montreal Designer Maxime de Keiser Envisions Future Audi R10

Maxime de Keiser has some amazing ideas up his sleeve, and a vision to match. A futuristic, low and somewhat brutal aesthetic rules his style – which you might know from his DeTomaso Mangusta Legacy. He dubs this concept the Audi C8 and notes its inspiration from the Audi Type C of the 1930s, which is totally valid. But the interest for these eyes is two-fold: — we have no idea what the next R8 will look like; only that it is coming soon. Perhaps at Paris this Fall. — Truly, Mr. De Keisers’ ideas for this car seem like …

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FT-1 Digital Colorizer – 150 Shades of 2016 TOYOTA SUPRA TURBO

Toyota FT-1 Digital Colorizer The FT-1 Concept is the next Supra. It just is. Toyota has commissioned a second prototype in a new color, so we’ve helped render the stunning Detroit 2014 FT-1 concept in 100-plus other shades to help them pick. Sure, some are better than others. But totally changing the color of a car is not an easy thing to do! Nor is it a standard set of commands, even. Every photo is different in its needs. Surprising is the black – which looks amazing!  This is the color most of the final-gen Supra’s ended up after years …

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600HP MiEV Evolution III Mitsubishi Zaps Pikes Peak Clouds with 9-min, 8-sec One-Two Finish

600HP MiEV Evolution III Mitsubishi Zaps Pikes Peak Clouds Last year Mitsubishi had high hopes for the current-gen MiEV Evo to scorch the competition in the international Pikes Peak hillclimb, but left a bit disappointed. Knowing their intensive engineering focus as a company, we bet the team started to refine the car even further on the plane ride home. Enhancements began immediately and are actually remarkably comprehensive. They come down to two general areas of improvement: Mechanical changes seeking grip – increased grip more than ~60-percent with tires that went from 260-series widths all around to 330-series widths – better …

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Brabus VANISH Is SL Black Series V12 Pushing 800HP of Scary Pace and Menacing Style

Best name to match the actual car’s best-known characteristic? That would be the Brabus Vanish – a one-off upgrade to the Mercedes-Benz SL Black Series. It will literally disappear before your eyes — even for drivers of 911 Porsches on the Autobahn. The VANISH will simply be *gone* into the horizon before they even have a chance to downshift.   BRABUS Vanish – Interior BRABUS Vanish – Exterior

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2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante In the Flesh! ThisClose To Test Drive, But…

Thinking and writing about Aston Martin makes me kick myself in the tits again today for missing a chance to drive the 2014 Vanquish Volante last month at Road America. Alas, it was late in the day and the Vanquish had been very occupied by the 100 other journalists on hand. There was only one test drive left, and another hack got his paws on it first. Maybe next year…. Is what I have been saying since I saw my first DB7 at a resort in Michigan in 1995. I will get behind the wheel of an Aston Martin. Not …

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Aston Martin Zings Up Goodwood Hill (to its AMG Future) in Vantage S, Rapide S and Vanquish

Aston Martin is on firm footing for the first time in over a decade: with the Mercedes-Benz AMG partnership signed and sealed, the company is poised for an exciting next chapter. We are thrilled to see the resulting sportscars – they will bring the best of both worlds to Aston showrooms very soon indeed. It is a mutually-beneficial gig all around – this is no charity write-off for Mercedes-Benz. First and foremost, it will allow Daimler to increase its average transaction price overnight – which is a somewhat silly metric for success that is nonetheless highly considered by the influential …

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MASERATI Goes All-In At 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed with Alfieri, MC12 and A6GCS Berlinetta

The big guns were out in force from Maserati in England this weekend! Compared with the Trident – who has been visiting Goodwood since the track was on the official world racing calendar – all other OEMs might rightly be called ‘johnny-come-lately’s. The MC12 is wearing a special Centennial paintjob in dark grey with airbrushed heroes past in the paintwork, while the ever-popular A6GCS captures the collective mood of 2014 very, very well indeed. MASERATI HIGHLIGHTS AT GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED 2014 30/06/14 Maserati Alfieri Concept takes centre stage in the Stable Yard for Maserati’s centenary Maserati A6GCS named ‘best …

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Concept Flashback – 2000 Ferrari Rossa Concept Speedster Influences Corvette, NC2020 and F12 TRS

The year 2000 Ferrari Rossa concept is a perfect example of some trendy ideas aging poorly, and other genius ideas finally coming of age nearly 15 years later. The overall shape of the Rossa concept and its surfacing instantly date the machine, sure. It is too blob-like and too bubbly in every form angle to be competitive today. But there are a few items that are looking mighty up-to-date, even today in 2014: — the speedster windshield: still a huge fan of this style, and Ferrari fans are too. The 2014 F12 TRS uses a free-form top part of the …

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VirtualModels.org Before/After Mercedes-Benz 300S and SLS Bonneville Speed Special

This first one is a group effort … with the side profile by Sebastian Motsch and the front three-quarter angle by Car-Revs-Daily.com VirtualModels.org Mercedes-Benz 300S and SLS Bonneville Speed Special 1952 Mercedes-Benz 300S (W188) – Style Update Germany’s Sebastian Motsch is a very talented individual – a guy who loves cars so much that he spends some of his free time imagining the impossible cars we all dream about. The quality of his renders puts most magazines or websites to shame. These cars of his look like OEM vehicles that could be for sale tomorrow in dealer forecourts. All the …

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Concept Flashback – 1970 Volkswagen Porsche Tapiro by ItalDesign

A gullwing wedge sportscar for the masses! Before the 914, the closeness of the VW and Porsche teams was evolving fast. To think of the VW name on a futuristic design like this is unreal in 1970 — when the Beetle was just coming down from its all-time sales highs of the 1960s. Porsche was similarly retro at this time, with the 1966 911 being so modern that the 356 was kept in production for a few months to make sure the 911 was well-liked.   1970 Volkswagen Porsche Tapiro

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Meet the Original 1964 Ford GT40 Concept and 1965 GT40 Roadster Prototype

The GT40 was actually a pretty derivative design – with a chassis and overall structure partially borrowed from Lola. But the GT40 as it came from Lola was not a winner right away. While the Mark I GT40 is a bit more pure, and a lot more beautiful by many eyes — it was not a race-winner. The GT40 started winning races with the Mark II GT40 with its huge air scoops, front sill spats, and other aero mutations to the overall design. But still – it is hard to argue with the clean beauty of these initial concept prototypes. …

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Supercar Chic – Green is the New White?

New header graphic for the site today! It is pretty silly… but makes a fun statement, right?   Here are the base images, in case you are loving this green supercar trend as much as I am! They are not as good up close… but who is, right?  

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Maserati 100th Anniversary Celebrations in Italy! Museo Enzo Ferrari is Maser Mania All Summer

Maserati 100th Anniversary One thing is certain in the history of exotic cars: Maserati has made dozens of the best of the best. The firm is celebrating 100 years in 2014 and has a lovely exhibit in the Museo Enzo Ferrari all summer ahead of a grand gala in September. The reservations for attending the many events is today!  Ahh! Sorry for lack of notice to those who might want to attend. But even if you are not planning to bring your Maserati all the way to Italy for the homecoming – there are still dozens of fun things on …

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VirtualModels.org Makes Ferrari 412i Shooting Brake and Ferrari Pinin Concept Wagon!

Germany’s Sebastian Motsch is a very talented individual – a guy who loves cars so much that he spends some of his free time imagining the impossible cars we all dream about. The quality of his renders puts most magazines or websites to shame. These cars of his look like OEM vehicles that could be for sale tomorrow in dealer forecourts. All the photoshop conversions on his site, VirtualModels.org, take a basic car design and rev it to 10,000-rpm. Citroën CX Shooting Break Gullwing He likes off-roaders, streamliners, custom racers… you name it. There is even a Plymouth Voyager custom …

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Future Truck Rendering – 2016 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG Expected To Adopt Beijing Concept Coupe SUV Nose and Tail

 2016 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG Rendering While on a mad Photoshop bender today, here is another interpretation of a future Mercedes-Benz SUV – the upcoming M-Class refresh. The current ML63 AMG and the ML350 4Matic have fallen flat in the marketplace versus the evergreen sales of the BMW X5 and even the Audi Q7. With the arrival of the Porsche Macan and BMW X4 and X6 in the same year as the new X5 — the heat is really on the ML to pull its own weight. The ideas for a totally new Mercedes SUV nose and tail were quite prominent …

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Future Truck Rendering – 2016 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG Black Series

The G-Class Mercedes-Benz must be made until 2017 at the earliest to meet a contract with the German goverment and military. After that, the fate of this big beast is unknown and likely uncertain. So let’s send everyone’s favorite posh SUV workhorse out in style! A lowered roof, altered windowline, chopped tail section and lower ride height round out the changes in profile. Oh, and the spare tire is now inside the cabin. 2016 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG Black Series – rendering 2014 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG In front, a similar lower/wider strategy is utilized — with wider rubber and fender flares …

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Atlanta Dream Cars Showcase – 1959 Cadillac Cyclone XP-74 Is Rocket Nose and Tailfin Bliss

This 1959 Cadillac Cyclone is really a light-hearted take on the dream cars ethos. Here is a car with giant nose cones like a rocket, tail fins as well as aileron side stabilizers out back. Hidden lamps are so far from prominence that they slink under the hood nearly a foot behind the black rocket-bra-like protrusions ahead of the machine itself. Sexiness was key to this shape, which also has tail-lamps in a bright machined shroud — looking like they could also blast out hot propellent as they light up red under braking. 1959 Cadillac Cyclone XP-74 Of course, there …

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Creating The Porsche Sedan – 1988 Porsche 989 Panamera, 1991 Porsche 932, 1987 928 Studie and 1968 911 4-Door

Did the Panamera just pop out of thin air? Far from it. Porsche has been flirting with a four-door sedan for ages — going back to the first Auto Union P52 designs by Ferdinand Porsche, in fact, that had a central driving position and twin seats beside him. In later studies, the rear-engine design would be the biggest difficulty in bringing a four-door sedan to market. So when the 928 and its front-engine setup was present, the idea seemed like a natural fit. In fact, the 1988 Panamera concept that came a year later was a strong hint at future …

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Concept Flashback – 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo by Bertone

These ‘Concept Flashback’ articles are like brain candy for me. Hopefully you enjoy them too. This 1968 showcar may have been one of the first to really flirt with wedge and block themes in supercar design – ideas that would be adopted throughout the world’s best carmakers in the 1970s and beyond. As Bertone (pronounced Bear Tony) undergoes a restructuring now in 2014, it is nice to look back at some of the wilder times. This Carabo has more slotted surfaces than anything else on record. Even the headlights are covered in flaps that motored up to show the lighting …

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Ford Vision Gran Turismo May Recall the 1996 INDIGO Open-Wheel Supercar Concept

The Vision Gran Turismo debuts are coming fast and furious lately – with more than a dozen still to come. The Ford preview is especially intriguing because: a) it is unlike the others in recalling a Formula 3 car’s open suspension and open-wheel layout b) Ford makes nothing like this for the road, and probably would not dare to either. Not since the Plymouth Prowler and its V6 AutoStick ate all of our dreams. No open-wheel sports-car concept has even been prominent lately, sadly. Sure, there is the Nissan Bladeglider and Caterham is available in the US from Superformance — …

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Mercedes-Benz 2014 Goodwood Sculpture Is Huge But Not As Cool As The Floored Racecars!

Every year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed has a lead automaker sponsor – the brand pays extra for the best show space, the right to brand the entryways, and numerous other places to be top-of-mind with showgoers. 2014 is Mercedes-Benz – and the MB UK team is bringing an awesome fleet of cars to race up the hill. The statue over the Goodwood House is pretty intense due to its sheer scale, but is pretty boring overall – a tired concept, in my eyes. Giant twin arcs of white-painted steel meet in the middle with two Mercedes-Benz racecars perched atop the …

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Concept Flashback – 1991 Audi Quattro Spyder Provides Clean, Modern Design Roadmap for Struggling Brand

Before Audi was one of the biggest and most-impressive growth stories in premium car sales, there were years and years in the doldrums. Decades, one might even say, if you count the unreliable rotary-engined Audi’s that tarnished the marque in the 1970s in Europe. In America, ever a cash cow for all three German luxury brands,  the Consumer Reports unintended acceleration debacle combined with high prices and few models to see sales dip to just a few hundred units — total — by 1991. More than lavish concept cars as a prize or reward for a job well done — …

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2016 BMW Z4 Rendering – Vision Car_Revs_Daily Future-Proofs 328 Hommage Concept

PART FOUR! How to Make the Next BMW Z4 As Sexy As It Should Be. What a chain of articles… This is the last segment in this BMW Z4 Concept series – one that shows below how many more people like the modern Vision ConnectedDrive more than they like the 328 Hommage. The X-ed out lights do the 328 Hommage no favors, nor does the brown carbon-fiber. But regardless, they both have issues. So we took to photoshop to blend the best elements of both with a dash of future spice for good measure. This seems alot easier than it …

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JAGUAR Special Operations To Build F-TYPE Project 7 Speedster! 3.8s to 60MPH, 575HP, 250 Copies Max

JAGUAR Special Operations To Build F-TYPE Project 7 UPDATE1 JAGUAR Special Operations Will Build 250 Project 7 F-TYPE Speedsters What a thrilling announcement! Jaguar Special Operations has revealed that it is hard at work finalizing a production version of the Project 7 F-TYPE — and will produce 250 of them for sale around the world. This includes the US — or North America at least — but will have some revisions to the design to meet cabrio safety rules. This might mean a taller windshield, but the final US design remains secret. Performance figures are out of the bag though: …

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Update1 – Aston Martin DP-100 Vision Gran Turismo Is Mid-Engine Hyper Exotic With 800HP V12TT

UPDATE1 – High-Res Photos from Aston Martin now included. But first… the name.  DP? Ferrari has the FF — which we all are sure does not mean anything in sex slang. But now we have the DP? What is next in the hypercar naming lexicon?   A perfect example of wanting what we cannot have this morning from Aston Martin. The DP-100 Vision Gran Turismo broke cover today at Goodwood showing ultra-modern proportions and a mid-engine hypercar design study. Of course, Aston is famous for many things. But mid-engine cars? Not really one of those things….! But even so, many …

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Concept Flashback – 1978 Mercedes-Benz Auto 2000 Is Fastback Aero Limo

What if aerodynamics took a front-seat for the first time? What if we wanted to maintain all the comfort and luxury of a flagship Mercedes-Benz S-Class — while using half the fuel? Engine innovations were progressing rapidly through the 1970s, allowing huge guzzlers to drastically slash their fuel bills almost overnight. But aerodynamics were still a mystery. How to cut drag while enhancing creature comforts and road quietness? Streamline! The Mercedes-Benz Auto 2000 concepts first appeared in 1978, refined over three years, and re-appeared in public fort he 1981 auto show season. The look of a fastback limo was not …

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2014 Nissan NC2020 VGT In 12 New Photos Ahead of Goodwood Display Tomorrow

  Update2 – June 26, 2014 The concept model of the spell-binding Nissan NC2020 Vision Gran Turismo is set for display this weekend at the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed. Being up close and personal with the NC2020 VGT will be a visual feast for showgoers, to be sure! Ahead of seeing the NC2020 out in the sun of Lord March’s estate, Nissan has released another photo set of the car for those of us who are thousands of miles from Goodwood. Hopefully some real photos of the machine in the sunlight, on the grass from Nissan in the next …

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Concept Flashback – 2001 Peugeot Moonster Is Nuclear Fuel-Cell Lunar Lander

Nuclear fuel cell? That is pretty modern indeed! In fact, the Moonster has no detailed powertrain and is simply an object of pure fantasy. Even so, the craft is clearly designed for the most all-terrain of any surface — something like we might find on another planet. Here is an exclusive rendering of how the suspension might look extended – to give a higher ground clearance. Nuclear fuel-cells are generally the briefcase-sized reactors that keep many spacecraft in operation for years at a time. When paired with solar energy harvested via photovoltaic cells, the combination keeps our satellite television stations …

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Concept Flashback – 1997 Alfa Romeo Scighera is Mid-Engine Twin-Turbo V6 Hypercar

Whenever I want to learn about a concept car I’ve never seen before, the year is always the first place to start. It helps tell the environment in which the car was designed – the competitive set, and what the cars from the following few years did with the influence. Pure fantasy comes to life with the Alfa-Romeo Scighera – pronounced ‘Shi-gera’ – via the rear-engine platform, active aerodynamics in the side slats and rear wing, as well as LED lighting front and rear. The cockpit itself is also quite decadent, with huge buckets in Connolly leather and an adjustable …

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Cars & Coffee – 1949 Willys Overland Jeepster and 1994 YJ Wrangler Safari LWB 4-Door

Only 3,000 Jeepsters were built by Willys-Overland in 1949, with the car a lightly-equipped Phaeton four-seat cabrio with little power and even fewer features. Refinished and restored to better-than-new condition, we estimate this Jeepster to be one of only 400 surviving examples worldwide. In concours condition like this Jeepster? One of perhaps 50. The Jeepster’s biggest threat to achieving big sales was in fact the ubiquitity of the original WWII Jeeps, which were still around in huge numbers after both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of the war drew to a close by the 1950s. During wartime, Willys made 363,000 …

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2017 Aston Martin ELV8 Crossover, SUV and AWD Sedan Renderings

 2017 Aston Martin ELV8 Crossover, SUV and AWD Sedan Renderings SUV adaptions by Car-Revs-Daily.com staff Original Artwork by Lutz Valdeig – Atelier Valdeig PART TWO: ASTON GOES AWD All the previous article applies to this SUV idea even more. Aston Martin could sell alot of SUVs or crossovers with access to the 4Matic-ready platforms of Mercedes-Benz. 2017 Aston Martin CROSSOVER RENDERING 2017 Aston Martin SUV 4×4 RENDERING   2017 Aston Martin AWD SEDAN RENDERING ASTON MARTIN REACHES INFLECTION POINT   Big changes at Aston Martin – 2013 and 2014 have finally seen the big apex point in the company’s resurgent …

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Exclusive! Future Car Rendering – 2016 Aston Martin LV8 – Lagonda Vignale by Lutz Valdeig

Original Artwork by Lutz Valdeig Atelier Valdeig ASTON MARTIN REACHES INFLECTION POINT Big changes at Aston Martin – 2013 and 2014 have finally seen the big apex point in the company’s resurgent modern history. Ulrich Bez has stepped aside from some of his all-controlling ways, huge chunks of equity have been sold to investment firms, and a broad partnership with Daimler Benz means Aston finally has some big-company resources to utilize once again. For as much-maligned as Ford was during their stewardship of the brand, Ford was a wonderfully generous partner to Aston-Martin during the many, many years that it …

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BMW Motorsport GmbH – The M Division History in 150 Iconic Photos

      BMW Motorsport GmbH – The M Division History in 150 Iconic Photos  

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2014 Nissan NC2020 Vision Gran Turismo in Nine New Colors

2014 Nissan NC2020 Vision Gran Turismo in Nine New Colors When I am nervous about something or procrastinating at my desk, Photoshop always seems like a good idea. This is not a full article, or even a full set of renderings. But it is not easy to do these, and it is taking more time than anticipated. =] ABOUT THE NC2020 I love the NC2020 concept’s design the more I review its intricacies – of which there are many. Here are nine other colors in the rear three-quarter angle.

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Photo Polls VOTE For Your Favorite BMW Roadster Design – 328 Hommage versus Vision CD

PART THREE: How to Make the Next BMW Z4 As Sexy As It Should Be. Okay now! We’ve decided in the previous Concept Flashback articles that both these 2011 BMW concept cars have some unusual bits. They are harder to love than they should be. These are not four-door sedans, or even hot SUVs. These are pure-bred sports cars. Two-seat, rear-drive roadsters. Remember how you felt when the 1994 BMW Z3 came out? That is what we are going for here. An immediately craving. ON TO THE VOTING… Here are two photo polls of the BMW concept roadsters. Including each …

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Concept Flashback, Part Two – 2011 BMW Vision ConnectedDrive is Future-Themed 2016 BMW Z4 Testbed

PART TWO: First Part is here. And also included at bottom of page below. http://www.car-revs-daily.com/2014/06/20/2011-bmw-328-hommage/ 2011 BMW Vision ConnectedDrive In the previous 328 Hommage article, we outlined all the reasons the current Z4 is struggling to find a sexy new direction for its next-gen model, expected in 2015 or 2016. This pair of concepts from 2011 explore two different paths to luring buyers back into the two-door BMW roadster fold. Let us begin on a positive note: we love the tail of both cars, and like the doors in the Vision Connected Drive. We animated them here sinking into the …

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Concept Flashback – 2011 BMW 328 Hommage is Retro-Themed 2016 Z4 Teaser

BMW has some awesome concept cars. This is beyond a doubt. Even if they seem totally bonkers when they are revealed – cars like the ~2001 X-Coupe – the logic behind their creation and display often makes sense in the decade that follows. So what to make of the 2013 BMW 328 Hommage? A car created with an overt nod to the BMW 328 roadster and coupe racecar in the 1930s — but with a decidedly unusual and future-looking appearance. After preparing articles about both the 328 Hommage and the 2011 BMW Vision ConnectedDrive — much new information has come …

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Prediction: Bumblebee Chevrolet Camaro Gone After Transformers 4 RoboTrumble + Info About 1967 Z/28 and Nicola Peltz

Who would have thought that Bumblebee would outlast almost all the other actors, cars, trucks and bots in the Transformers films when the first move debuted the new Camaro to global excitement in 2007? Transformers 4: Age of Extinction is in theaters on June 27th – starring not one Camaro, but two. Both the revised and upgraded 2014 Camaro concept as well as a a 1967 Camaro Z/28 will appear in the film, which stars Mark Wahlberg (catchphrase: ‘huh!? wha? what’s happening?’ or ‘say hi to your mother for me.’) and a new roster of supporting actors that includes neither …

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Concept Flashback – 2012 Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo

The Panamera Sport Turismo Concept is still quite miraculous, even more than a year since its initial debut. Widely believed to preview the 2014 Panamera facelift, the Sport Turismo has had an even larger impact on a different model altogether: the Macan. Much of the creamy and smooth surfacing, huge rear arch bulges, and the nose treatment all directly previewed the handsome new Macan S and Macan Turbo models. From the start of the Sport Turismo’s media tour, Porsche insisted that this model could appear as a new body style for the second-gen Panamera. It was hard to believe at …

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See The Authentic Chaparral 2H and 2J Racecars at the Petroleum Museum in Midland, Texas

Not just these two icons: the Petroleum Museum in Texas has seven amazing Chaparral racecars in their collection. These are the Chevrolet-powered racecars that changed the face of racing forever: the ideas and innovations represented by Chaparral in its relatively short run at the top of pro racing are still extremely influential today. The ideas seem simple – but are near-impossible to deliver in full race-winning form. Jim Hall’s Ideal Chaparral Racecar: Light weight + High downforce – with wings attached directly to the suspension versus to the bodywork + Huge power via reliable engine + Massive grip on long-lasting …

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Concept to Reality – Acura TLX Prototype vs. TLX GT Racer vs Real 2015 TLX Production Car

Updated June 18, 2014 Yes, yes — the real TLX is out already so this preview concept is not very relevant anymore. But it is very attractive and desirable, in a way that bodes really well for the upcoming production TLX as a 2015 model from Acura. We have compared the two in detail (prototype versus real thing) and the sheetmetal is (almost) all shared between the two road cars. The shaping of the rear fender strake in profile is less artful in the production model. The TLX GT takes a wide-body fender treatment and has pronounced air vent cut-outs …

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Atlanta Dream Cars Showcase – 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt Is Aero Convertible Coupe

I can hear your thoughts right now, saying… “How is that giant brick of a car an aero coupe?” It really is. Versus its contemporaries, the 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt was quite innovative in many ways — mostly having to do with shrouding and aero-smoothing any turbulence-inducing surfaces. 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt – INNOVATIONS — This meant the entire front grille of the 1930s Chrysler Airflow had to go, in favor of a mouth-breather setup wherein the engine gets its cooling air from below the front bumper. 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt — Shrouding also extended to the headlamps, where were one of the …

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Acura TLX GT Racecar Boosts 2015 TLX Launch with 500HP Twin-Turbo SH-AWD

Anticipation of the all-new 2015 Acura TLX is building this summer, with shoppers from within and outside the Acura/Honda fold curious about the slinky style and new tech on offer in these mid-size luxury sedans. What better way to really establish some new performance credibility and an all-out racecar version? Sure, it might be a popular strategy for making an upcoming production car seem fast and exciting, but it is popular for a reason. Why? It works! Just look at this lowered, aero-optimized and super-rapid TLX GT Race Car! One peek from any angle shows a hardcore side of Acura’s …

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2013 BMW R90S Concept Celebrates 40 Years of the R90 and 90 Years Making Bikes

This BMW Concept 90 is the 2013 incarnation of a raw new BMW aesthetic that might be coming to two wheels near you. Shown at the same Villa d’Este Concours that the 2014 BMW Concept Roadster appeared, these two make an interesting counterpoint to the modern designs employed by BMW motorcycles today. Overall, the Concept R90S is delightful. It evokes the best days of Bonneville high-speed runs on the salt flats, beach-side California glamour, and beauty in the details. It also makes the rider a much more critical part of the mechanical and aero package. This Concept Ninety really is …

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2014 Bell & Ross B-ROCKET Watch Is Inspired By Fantastic Jet-Engine Motorcycle Concept

When it comes to watches, there is such a huge span of pricing and individual preference — there truly is no ‘one-size-fits-all.’ That applies not only in price but in all the other aspects of a wear-able fashion item: is it comfortable,  is it easy-to-use, does it enhance my sense of cool? From a $5 digital to the million-dollar excesses – the price span really makes it a challenge to find the right “fit” in every sense of the word. Bell & Ross aspires to not just be your timepiece, but a new cornerstone in your entire aesthetic. Best-known for …

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2014 Nissan GT1 Concept Details Revealed – NC2020 Vision Gran Turismo

2014 Nissan GT1 Concept Details Revealed – NC2020 Vision Gran Turismo Update1 – June 16, 2014 The details are out! But they are not complete yet – no specs accompany this brief. Stay tuned. Last week’s teaser image created quite a media buzz, with everyone speculating left and right about this machine as ‘the next GT-R’ in headlines. It is tempting to do! These ideas are seriously fresh,and these three more high-res angles confirm it is a front-midship design. That was not certain from the front three-quarter teaser last week. DESIGN BRIEF Low-drag but high-downforce. The design is so aero-focused …

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Future Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow Racer Pairs Open Wheels with Closed Cockpit

Renderings done by students are sometimes the most exciting new ideas out there. Phil Berger is one such visionary first-year mechanical engineering student. He is an active participant in the Local Motors Forge project, which is a co-creation community and a bit of a gathering place for dreamers. Mechanical dreamers! The tricky part of student, or any renderings, for that matter: brand names and logos. All this company IP is fiercely protected, especially in a bold new age of shameless counterfeiting. But there are other concerns besides factories running mystery “ghost shifts,” or the adage of a complete twin factory …

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Car-Revs-Daily

Concept Flashback – 2004 Chrysler ME Four Twelve is Quad-Turbo V12 Hypercar Excess

It is hard to go wrong with mid-engine hypercar concepts, and this one is no exception. There are really interesting and lavish details throughout, the success of which led to the long-running hood strakes in many production Chrysler models. Little else from this quad-turbocharged V12 concept made it to the roads, but the ME Four Twelve concept capped a record number of concept cars for Chrysler under Daimler. The company released at least three wild concepts ever year between 1999 and 2004, but none are as desirable as this car. Or, in fact, the 2005 Chrysler 300C that would be …

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Atlanta Dream Cars – 1955 Chrysler Streamline X Gilda by GHIA is Turbine Aero Ideal

Man, when your iPhone comes home with better photos than your Nikon — you know you were in the wrong settings. Very, very strict photo protocols were in place at the Atlanta High Museum of Art’s Dream Cars installation — which is a shame, really. It turns out, after speaking with the very kind, smart and helpful media liaison upon my return to Charleston Monday morning — that the concern was not about photos of the cars at all. No one told he gestapo of hourly blue-coats, however, who were incredibly irritating. In fact, the entire photo ban was to …

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Concept Flashback: 2012 Mercedes-Benz Ener-G-Force

The Mercedes-Benz Ener-G-force concept from Los Angeles 2012 deserves a fresh look, despite its ridiculous name. As part of the annual LA design challenge, the Ener-G truck seemed a bit too whimsical to ever see production. But could times be changing? The Galendewagen must be made until 2017 (I believe) based on a supply agreement with the German government. While keeping production lines open, the luxury G63 AMG is a consistent superstar for the brand. Even if only a few hundred are sold per year – the margins on a $150,000 SUV offer plenty of leverage to keep G-wagon fans …

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Concept Flashback – 2013 Audi Fleet Shuttle Quattro

How did this one slide past me? Not only do I not really recall seeing this October 2013 concept, but I have not even heard of the movie in which it was featured! Ender’s Game is the title – came out on November 1, 2013?? It may be a German-language film, which would make sense as to why Americans might not have been the target market for the film, or the concept car. So what is this thing? It is a low and long sedan, much in the same style as the A7 Sportback. Does it matter? Yes. Maybe. Yes, …

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RM Auctions Monterey 2014 Preview – 1953 Lancia Aurelia PF200C Spider by Pinin Farina

Wouldn’t you have love to meet the Farina clan? They are to Italian creativity what the Agnelli’s are to Italian heavy industry. Shrewd, forward-looking, mad as hatters, and always great with the chalk/charcoal — here is a firm founded in 1930 by Battista Farina and carried in the family through Sergio and later Andrea, until the latter’s untimely death in 2008. Many, many family fortunes are totally gone by the third generation. The second generation runs the company fairly well, under the continued tutelage of the master founder — aka, ‘grandpa.’ The second-gen is usually a prodigy of some kind …

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Future Car Rendering – 2016 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet Ready for A1A and Ocean Drive

Remember the 2007 Mercedes-Benz Ocean Drive Concept? It was a lightly-veiled look at the S-Class refresh for the following year, but there were serious rumblings that Mercedes loved the buyer response. So much that they started suggesting a four-door cabrio S-Class might be possible in the future. But those clever executives. They knew the S-Class Coupe would be replacing the bulbous CL-Class as the top of the Mercedes-Benz luxury line — so their hints about Ocean Drive now make much more sense. Why not a four-seat cabrio? Two words: rigidity and safety. A four-door drop-top is almost never produced because …

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Atlanta Dream Cars Showcase – BMW GINA Light Visionary Roadster

When you travel a long distance to see someone, you want the ‘real thing’ when you get there, right? You want all the sensory action you have been dreaming about on the long trip to see her. I was thinking quite a bit about the BMW GINA on my drive to Atlanta in my Subaru Legacy GT — with its insufficient A/C making me feel like a honey-baked ham after five hours in the car. I pondered: Would the surfaces be moving, or would they be set in a certain pose? Might there be someone on hand to shift her …

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Vision GT Concept Car Teasers – What Is Left? Subaru, Lexus, Honda, Tesla, Aston, Ford, GM…

Oh yes! Were you growing a bit fatigued with the GranTurismo VisionGT concepts? Well, brace yourself! We are only about 20-percent of the way through the major manufacturer releases – only Mercedes-Benz AMG, VW GTI Roadster, Mitsu XR-PHEV and a handful of others have been seen so far.   This leaves the vast majority still to come, in a drip feed about once monthly over the next year or more. Why this slow trickle? It is to provide space for each car to be driven by people in the game, and room to breath around the other announcements. Here are …

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Vision GranTurismo Scores a Super Evo Crossover! Mitsubishi Concept XR-PHEV Evolution

What to make of the latest VisionGT concept? This is the Mitsubishi XR-PHEV Evolution – a futuristic look at both the Mitsubishi racing effort and the future of the Evo itself. Is the styling really possible? It does resemble the latest Mitsubishi concept cars from 2013 and 2014 – but this is not necessarily a great bit of news. Mitsubishi is going in some unusual styling directions – but the performance of the XR-PHEV Evolution is sure to be ridiculously quick. It leverages both the S-AWC all-wheel-drive of the Evolution as well as the EV tech shown in the latest …

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Nissan and GranTurismo Evolution Detailed – 150+ Nissans Drive-able in GT6

Did you see the teaser photo Nissan just released of the NC2020 GT1?! I will include it here… due to the huge excitement I feel at this moment! You are surely wondering: is this the next GT-R? The answer is likely a “No, but….” No, this Vision GT6 concept is not the real thing coming as the R36 generation of the legendary GT-R Nissan. But it will influence the real thing – particularly with what looks like some kind of e-Boost or hybrid technology in the powertrain package. We are just speculating based on the appearance of the wheels in …

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2014 Nissan GT1 Vision GranTurismo Concept? Mysterious Teaser Shows Hypercar Proto

Nissan GT1 Vision GranTurismo What is this high-performance creature!? I almost fell out of my chair when I saw this photo on Nissan’s press site today. The car could be dubbed the GT1 or perhaps the NC2020 — short for Nissan Concept 2020, we imagine. Nothing is certain. The only word is that Nissan will tell us more next Monday, June 16th. Our hunch is that this might be the next installment of the Vision GranTurismo concept car series – liket he VW Vision GTI Roadster and dozens of other custom machines made for GT6 drivers. This would make sense …

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Hypercar Evolution – 1969 McLaren M6GT vs. 1995 McLaren F1 vs. 2014 McLaren P1

  Only one of these LT1-powered road cars was officially made by McLaren. At the time, “by McLaren” literally meant that Bruce’s racing crew had created a road car for the boss. The saying goes that the original M6GT was his daily driver: attending events and developing the production plans of this racing prototype for the road. His plan was for a run of 250 cars, but only three more were created by Trojan, a fellow racing shop with the ability to complete the street-legal fiberglass bodywork, doors, and all the other trimmings like wipers and blinkers. It was a …

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Atlanta Dream Cars Showcase – 1970 Lancia Stratos HF ZERO by Bertone

1970 Lancia Stratos HF ZERO by Bertone The Dream Cars exhibit this summer at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta is a thrilling ride through automotive history that every car lover will adore. The collection might be far smaller than most auto shows, but the impact of every car will leave your feet cemented to the floor. And your jaw? It will often be on the floor as well. How to rewrite that introduction? It certainly applies to this next car: the 1970 Lancia Stratos HF by Bertone. Sitting beside the 1970 Ferrari Pininfarina 512 S Modulo, these cars …

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Atlanta Dream Cars Showcase – 1948 TASCO Shows Propeller-Aircraft Influence Zenith

The Dream Cars exhibit this summer at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta is a thrilling ride through automotive history that every car lover will adore. The collection might be far smaller than most auto shows, but the impact of every car will leave your feet cemented to the floor. And your jaw? It will often be on the floor as well. No other recent collection spans the time and space of automotive evolution and design quite as thoroughly. Every car in the collection is marvelous. The TASCO opens the gallery and its design is certainly one that sticks …

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