Concept

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2012 Kia Trackster Concept Is Widebody Soul Coupe with 250HP

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Since driving a Kia Soul around Monterey Bay in August for the concours week, we have a real fondness for this boxy profile. The car is a real joy on the roads – with perky handling and a zingy engine and autobox combo that is far more fun than any econobox in its segment. Lively handling was a huge part of that fun, along with a great road view and headroom to spare. This 2012 Trackster concept takes care of some of that space with a roof chop, a bump in horsepower up to 250, and a widebody coupe conversion …

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Digital Renderings Fix the 2009 Aston Martin LAGONDA SUV Concept

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 This is a light update to the previous LAGONDA article, but one that is best as a distinct piece to avoid confusion. As identified below, the nose and tail of the Lagonda SUV concept were its biggest problems. The make it hard to love. FIXED NOSE RENDERINGS The grille is far too large and far too bright. During a few hours in Photoshop, we have identified the eggcrate grille design as the true fault up front. It makes this Lagonda look like a Chrysler Sebring — which is not a flattering comparison for a superlux SUV. We have made the …

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Concept Debrief – 2009 Aston Martin LAGONDA SUV Concept

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  The Aston Martin  Lagonda SUV was easily the most-hated SUV concept of 2009 when it debuted. People absolutely hated it. They hated the design mostly, but fell back on SUV hate for extra emphasis. The only other concept whose design has been so roundly hated was the Bentley EXP-9F — which required a full redesign, led to the re-assignment of the CEO who approved it, and ultimately pushed the production Bentley SUV debut back at least three years. What do these two hated SUVs have in common? — Long-history sports-car brands’ first attempts to move into the crossover market …

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2011 Volkswagen Cross Coupe SUV Concept is Future MQB-Sized BMW X4 Competitor

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Volkswagen has been flirting with an expanded large SUV line for more than five years, with this 2011 Cross Coupe concept a sportier Touareg variant. Since then, we have seen the CrossBlue Concept and the CrossBlue Coupe Concept, but both are believed to carry underpinnings from the US-market Passat. This extra-wide machine is clearly from another family altogether — despite its quoted MQB (Golf) underpinnings. VW CrossBlue concept VW CrossBlue Coupe concept The look of the car shown here is quite interesting, but may or may not be en route to production. Volkswagen’s adventures in the Phaeton-land have established a …

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Concept Flashback – 2013 Toyota FT86 Open Concept is Stunning Ragtop

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Is the long-rumored GT86 and BR-Z cabrio dead in the water? That is the strong rumor — which is very unfortunate when reviewing how fantastic the design looks as a soft-top. Shown in Geneva and Tokyo in 2013, the FT86 Open Concept would have some hills to climb as a production car. Pricing would likely top $30,000, which would be a cool $8,000 above the MX-5 at most levels. Additionally, the chassis bracing required would add nearly 200 pounds to the already-slow sportscar. 2013 Toyota FT86 Open Concept  

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Concept Flashback – 2009 Audi R8 TDI V12 Shows Great Engineering Potential, But Limited Market

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Audi seems to have no trouble winning LeMans with its ultra-sophisticated R18 models in the last decade — but has struggled mightily trying to translate racing tech to the road. Even today, there is no clear link between Audi racing glory and the cars sold by Audi dealerships. Sure, there is anecdotal evidence hat motorsport success has fueled Audi’s continued sales rise — but it is a tenuous link. Upon the arrival of Audis’ first supercar, the R8, this finally looked set to change. At last — a way to show how LeMans racing improves the breed in general! The …

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Concept Flashback – 2008 Mazda Furai is 450HP, Rotary LMP2 Car That Met Two Tragic Ends

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What were the two tragic ends that met the Furai concept? One: Laurens van den Acker leaves Mazda to take the top design job at Renault, where he delivered the Clio 4 and cars like the Twizy — and has imprinted his influence on ever product since 2010. The tragedy for Mazda’s NAGARE design philosophy is that it was hard to continue van den Acker’s ‘Flow’ themes without the true creator’s presence. So, despite being globally celebrated after its launch in late December 2007, the Furai was fairly doomed from the start. Designed first, and engineered second — the fantastic …

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2014 Renault Eolab Concept is Ultra-Aerodynamic Innovation Showcase

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Ahh! What a terrible, terrible name for a pretty cool concept, Renault. The focus of this machine is to maximize the efficiency of an EV powertrain in a holistic way. This means aero as well as weight and management and materials innovation. The car is said to preview an EV that will be larger than the current ZOE hatchback and will integrate many of these features into a production car. The drag coefficient of the Eolab concept is just 0.235, which is very good but not very much better than the slipperiest new cars available in 2015 – like the …

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2014 Peugeot Quartz Hybrid Crossover Concept Revealed Ahead of Paris Show

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Well here is an interesting surprise! This PHEV crossover concept leverages some of the sexy looks of the 2008 DKR race truck into a production-friendly shape. A 270-horsepower engine powers the front wheels, while the back wheels are driven by a powerful electric motor. The new plug-in setup even allows the Quartz crossover to have a 31-mile EV range when the batteries are fully charged. 2014 Peugeot 2008 DKR Prototype In terms of style, the defining elements of this cab-backward crossover are the long hood and ultra-low roofline. While not the most practical of shapes for an SUV, it is …

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Toyota FT-1 Vision GT Now Playable in Gran Turismo! 100 New Dynamic Photos

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Updated 9.16.14 Art Imitates Life. Life Imitates Art. Such a truism is very valid in the case of the FT-1 – which Toyota has just teased in its next form as a hard-core (virtual) racing special. The FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo differs from the road-going version of the car in many standard race-ready ways. Starting from the front: there is a much deeper aero package and chin spoiler, easy-off hood panels with racing latches, upgrades brakes and tires and huge fender-top slats to reduce any trapped air from the wheels. These slats drastically reduce under-hood temps as well as being …

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Concept Flashback – 2011 Nissan Esflow Showed Potential EV Mini-Z

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Once upon a time… As recently as the 2011 Tokyo auto show… Nissan was more excited about its EV technology’s prospects, and less terrified by the scale of the huge EV investment that is still not working as we enter 2015. The possibilities in 2011 seemed endless for new packaging and new powertrain layouts. No longer enslaved to front-drive or rear-drive platforms by engine location, the battery EV revolution was indeed promising. But how to inject a little fun into the extremely dull and practical sales appeal of the Leaf EV. Enter the ESFLOW concept. With proportions and detailing like …

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Concept Flashback – 2004 RANGE STORMER Previewed High-Design SUV Supercars

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Updating the 2017 RR SuperSport renderings with the inspiration for many recent Range Rover style and design decisions. 2004 RANGE STORMER PREVIOUS         Just some light entertainment this evening. The inspiration is how impactful the 2003 Range Stormer concept was and is. The racy glasshouse with a deeply sloped windshield and rear glass was a shock at the time. But since that concept and the first Range Rover Sport, the design is looking less shocking. In fact, the current RRS makes even the first-gen trucks look amazingly upright — to say nothing of the full-size Range Rover …

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2014 Toyota U2 Is CALTY Design Concept With Future-Tech Cabin, Nose and Van Functionality

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The Toyota CALTY U2 design concept for this year’s NY Maker’s Faire (gag) is at first a pretty lumpy and frumpy looking CUV/Van hybrid. The segment occupied by the current Nissan NV200, Chevy CityExpress and Ford Transit Connect is surprisingly untapped for Toyota. This omission is odd from a brand which has everything from the AWD Sienna to the Prius C hatchback in the stable. Who better to make a bread-and-butter utility van for cities than Toyota? Sure, the Prius V and the Scion xB and xD absorb some of these Earth-y crunch-y buyer demands, but not in an overt …

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2014 Peugeot EXALT Concept Refreshed for Paris – Will Future 509 Sedan Reach This Level?

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UPDATED 9.5.14   2014 Peugeot EXALT Concept   PEUGEOT EXALT CONCEPT: A NEW INCARNATION FOR THE PARIS MOTOR SHOW 04/09/14 European version of PEUGEOT EXALT Concept Car brings a host of innovative features Hybrid petrol-electric power train has a combined output of 340hp A new version of ‘Newspaper Wood’ returns to uniquely tailor the Concept’s bespoke interior PEUGEOT is showcasing the EXALT Concept Car in a new livery at the Paris Motor Show next month. The bodywork features shades of grey that emanate from the bare steel covering the majority of the exterior to the distinctive ‘Shark Skin’ rear end. Inside, the …

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Citroen Divine DS Concept for Paris 2014 Shows Way for 2016 DS4

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The DS premium brand spin-off is a HUGE, huge success — sales and margins on the line are better than even Citroen could have imagined five years ago. This gorgeous concept hatchback is relatively practical by French concept standards — it runs a standard THP 1.6-liter turbo engine (with a non-standard 270-horsepower) and a compact four-door hatchback shell. Most logically, this machine would slot in above the DS3 and below the DS5. So will the DS4 be this gorgeous as a production car? Fingers crossed that the nose makes it intact, as well as the impressive panel slashes from the …

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USA Debut in 80 New Photos – 2014 Mercedes-Benz Concept Coupé SUV

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Updated 8.31.14 The Concept COupe SUV earned a huge share of foot traffic at the Mercedes-Benz Pebble Beach house. One of perhaps twenty vehicles on display, this concept is clearly going to be a huge sales hit. Despite being an advanced vision and not a production model whatsoever, almost everyone who approached the truck wanted to get inside. Many tries at those flush door-handles, to no avail. These awesome nose and tail designs are reafy for primetime! The next-gen ML-Class is rumored to be name-changed to GLE-Class, This name change would bring along a new-segment GLC-Class in a racy, X6-form, …

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Concept Flashback – 2005 RINSPEED Chopster vs Porsche Cayenne Turbo S

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This one was always a memorable favorite. EDAG Design and RINSPEED worked together to make a concept show car that few other tuners could handle: the Cayenne Chopster. Lowering the roof of any car is a huge, huge job that requires hundreds of hours of laser cutting, pillar height changes, re-mounting and re-welding. Not to mention the glass, the rear tailgate shape alterations, the new nose, new fenders front and rear… While we knew a lowered roof on the RINSPEED Chopster was fantastic at providing a hot look and profile, we did not really realize how unique the Chopster is …

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Updated USA Debut – 2014 BMW Vision Future Luxury Concept – Design Analysis

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Updated 8.27.14 The fact that the BMW Vision Future Luxury concept headed to Beijing this Spring instead of to the concurrent New York show says quite a bit about its market-makers. This machine needs to be successful in China. Period. As the biggest growth opportunity, China represents perhaps the only non-American and non-German (domestic) volume market for ultra-luxury sedans in the coming decade. But while the Chinese limo shopper has whole-heartedly adopted the Audi brand, BMW and Mercedes-Benz find themselves playing second fiddle. At the same time, the VFL concept needs to revive the unpopular current 7 series in the …

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Update1 New Photos – 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SC Black Series Rendered by VirtualModels.org

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  Updated 8.27.14   1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SC at Pebble Beach 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SC Black Series 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 …

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Gooding Pebble Beach 2014 – 1966 Ferrari 365P Tre Posti Is Surprise No-Sale at $22-Million

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By all expert accounts, this 1966 Tre Posti may be one of the most important Ferrari road cars ever made. It contains a number of racing technologies that took decades longer to reach actual Ferrari road cars — and not just this Paris Auto Show concept. — Mid-engine V12 — Central driving position flanked by two outer seats (a la the McLaren F1 much later) — Lightweight plexiglass roof — Shrouded headlamps, ultra-wide and super-low proportions This car can be thought of as Ferrari’s Miura rival — but far more incomplete in many ways. The overall biggest reason that the …

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INFINITI Q50 Eau Rouge in 40 New Photos From Pebble Beach + Vettel Track Video At Spa

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With a 180-mph speedometer clearly visible on the production-ready cabin of the Q50 Eau Rouge shown at the Quail last week, the hottest-ever Infiniti is almost as fast at the top end as Sebastian Vettel’s F1 car! But Seb has AWD and 560-horsepower from a turbocharged V6 with this concept as he blasts around the Eau Rouge’s namesake corner at Spa Francorchamps…! INFINITI Q50 Eau Rouge  

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USA Debut – 2014 JAGUAR F-TYPE Project 7 Speedster! 3.8s to 60MPH, 575HP, 250 Copies Max

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Update2 Included here is the final US-specification of the Project 7 from Jaguar. Very, very impressive style in person — with far more visual aggression and intensity than even the F-Type R from all angles. The US car has a slightly taller windshield than the Euro models, but all are sure to cause quite a stir whereever they drive. The latest front bumper design is gorgeous, but the silver-painted grille shroud is very cheesy. We’d recommend the gloss black choice, which nicely blends into the deep carbon sills and the huge diffuser out back. 2014 JAGUAR F-TYPE Project 7   …

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Concept Flashback – 2003 RINSPEED Bedouin Explores Feasibility of a Modern, Rear-Engined Porsche Off-Roader

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The Rinspeed Bedoiun is interesting for a few reasons nearly 11 years since the concept’s first showing in 2003. At the time, the BMW X5 had just landed in many wealthy driveways and was instantly the biggest hit of any BMW car launch – ever. Porsche was mid-way through development of the first-gen Cayenne and RINSPEED had a few ideas of its own. “Why ditch all the greatness of the 911 in favor of a shared SUV chassis with VW?” one can imagine Rinspeed saying. Why not simply leverage the excellence of a rear-engine hero like the 911 in a …

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Toyota FT-1 Concept Version Two – World Debut at Pebble Beach in 99 High-Res Photos

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UPDATED with 99 high-res, real-life photos 8.17.14 The most striking things about the FT-1 in person are its captivating beauty, extremely long-hooded proportions, and intense aero detailing. The headlight units themselves are exposed LED laser lenses, while the lower radiator fans are event more prominent on version two of the car versus version one. Another striking observation that we missed on the red Detroit debut car? The FT-1 is a 2+2!  There are rear seats and a rear strut-tower brace visible on this Pebble Beach car — which is one of the most popular on the concept lawns that also …

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Toyota FT-1 Version Two Brings Sexy Gloss Grey, Aero Tweaks and Near-Production Cabin

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Just when the FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo is building buzz – Toyota has doubled down on the future Supra joy with version two of this miraculous concept. The new color makes it much easier to enjoy and appreciate the FT-1;s huge panel swoops and shaping – with extra tweaks to the design from extensive time in the wind tunnels. All this bodes very, very well for the next Supra road car – which is widely believed to be in development with the FT-1 detailing at perhaps 95-percent of the final product. One thing…. ? We can’t help but notice that …

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Concept Flashback – 2006 RINSPEED ZaZen is Porsche 911 with Clear Bubble Hardtop

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This concept from RINSPEED in 2006 is actually quite magnificent. A clear polycarbonate hardtop and a variety of innovative supplier solutions round out what is a very intriguing concept car from RINSPEED. The rear fenders and nose treatment with Ferrari 612 lighting elements is interestings, but the RINSPEED ZaZen is absolutely hideous from the pure nose and tail angles. An unusual and sloppy mess of amateurish block shapes.   2006 RINSPEED ZaZen     Rinspeed “zaZen” Rinspeed and Bayer MaterialScience jointly develop new concept car “zaZen” – Automotive enlightenment on four wheels – Revolutionary lighting technique and transparent hardtop at …

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Toyota FT-1 Vision GT is Hardcore Racing Upgrade of Road-Going FT-1 Concept

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Art Imitates Life. Life Imitates Art. Such a truism is very valid in the case of the FT-1 – which Toyota has just teased in its next form as a hard-core (virtual) racing special. The FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo differs from the road-going version of the car in many standard race-ready ways. Starting from the front: there is a much deeper aero package and chin spoiler, easy-off hood panels with racing latches, upgrades brakes and tires and huge fender-top slats to reduce any trapped air from the wheels. These slats drastically reduce under-hood temps as well as being a serious …

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Concept Flashback – 2005 Volvo XC70 All Terrain and 2007 XC70 Surf Rescue are California Dreams

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Sure, the SEMA show may be physically located in Las Vegas, Nevada. But Volvo certainly had California Dreamin’ on repeat throughout that winter’s day in the Trollhaten design center. The potential of these amazing XC70 lift concepts is two-fold: — shows the potential of the platform to accept a much, much larger suspension, wheel and tire package. Makes Car-Revs-Daily.com Aston ELV8 concept rendering seem almost feasible… 2005 Volvo XC70 All Terrain Concept   2007 Volvo XC70 Surf Rescue Concept  

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Exclusive Renderings! 2017 LOTUS Evora Clubman, Sedan and Shooting Brake

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Here is a fun little set of renderings! What initially started as an idea for a new Elite ‘breadvan’ bloomed into two other variants as well: the long-wheelbase sedan and four-door Clubman! But wait, I hear you saying – isn’t this a mid-engine car? Yes, yes it is. But the Evora is also a 2+2, with the engine itself quite compact and only extending about 8 inches ahead of the rear axle centerline. This makes plenty of room for an extra set of doors and bigger seats. The idea with the extra doors is not for limo-like room in the …

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Concept Flashback – 2010 Ford Start – Supermini Previews Potential 2017 Ka

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“Start, g-damn-it!” Imagine yelling that as the starter churns your lifeless engine — ‘rruururrrruuu.’ “Start, Ford, Start!” Brummmmm! The engine fires to life. Hooray! The 2010 Ford Start might not be the best car name idea out there, but it must be better than the Ford Flex in conveying some kind of new idea. In fact, the Start is a rich bed of ideas for the next-gen Ford supermini – something to replace the unloved current Ka in Europe and global markets. While the original Ka was loved for its funky/premium exterior, the current model is lost in the shadow …

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Canned Hypercar Debrief – 2010 JAGUAR C-X75 Is Too Sexy For Its Turbines

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Too sexy for Milan, New York and Japan? Just kidding. Despite the jokey “I’m too sexy” headline, the Jaguar C-X75 really could do no wrong when it debuted in Paris in 2010. It was a design so captivating that they painted it a dull beige – and people still went absolutely mad for it. As you can see in the difference between the 2010 Paris announcement at the bottom, and the production announcement in 2011 directly below — the car had a rough gestation period. The initial gas turbine hybrid technology was no-where near production feasible, and the truly jet-age …

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2009 Citroen GTbyCitroen Becomes Working Media via Real-Life Art Installation in Venice

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One of my favorite pieces of marketing jargon from my past career in advertising is Working Media. This contrasts, of course, with Non-Working Media. The difference is cut/dry – Working media is something that consumers will see and may influence a purchase. Non-working Media is a line item for creative brainstorming, ideation, story-boards — everything that goes into making the ads. As a media guy, we worked hard deciding how to get the target market to see the creative. Technically, all of our exhaustive media modelling and planning was Non-Working Media as well, so not just a jab at creative …

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2011 Peugeot HX1 Concept Shows Sumptuous Detailing and Scale, But Front-Drive Proportions

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A low, long and and wide super-wagon! YES! Is there anything not to like? Very little, in the case of the gorgeous HX1 concept from Frankfurt 2011. The car is part of a numerous series of concepts exploring and fleshing out the latest Peugeot design themes – ideas that are in a final point of production-readiness via the latest 508 RXC and 508 Estate. But while the exterior panels of the crash-safety-obsessed French car brands can easily be re-stamped in sexier shapes, the underlying platforms will require a much bigger overhaul. Therefore, even the fantasy HX1 rides with a far …

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

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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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OP_ED: Latest Mitsubishi Exterior Designs Are Bizarre and Alarming

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

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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

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    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

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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

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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

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

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

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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

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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!

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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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LaMASERATI by Mark Hostler – The Wildest Hypercar Concept Ever

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

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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

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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

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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

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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

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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

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

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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

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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

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

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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

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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

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

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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

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  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

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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

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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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2014 Nissan NC2020 Vision Gran Turismo in Nine New Colors

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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

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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

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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

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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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Concept Flashback – 2012 Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo

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

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

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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

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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

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

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

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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

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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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Atlanta Dream Cars Showcase – BMW GINA Light Visionary Roadster

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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…

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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

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

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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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Future SUV Rendering – 2016 GMC Denali VIP Concept – Black Trim, Wheels + Extra LED Lighting

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If you read the glowing review of the 2015 GMC Yukon Denali this morning, you know we are big fans of this big truck. It is everything the Tahoe has, and almost everything the Escalade brings to the table — but with extra under-the-radar coolness as standard. The Escalade is a pop-culture phenom at this point – which is great news for resurgent Cadillac. But the Escalade being the ride of choice for young Hollywood does not universally enhance its appeal.What about those seeking ultimate style without the Cadillac badge? Is the Denali the price ceiling for GMC? Our hunch …

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Mazda6 vs Ford Fusion Shows How To Make the FWD 2016 Peogeot 509 Sexy

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Ed’s Note: This article is feeling condescending as I review and ready it for publishing, and I regret that tone. Nobody likes being spoken down to. That is not my intention. Starting from a basic place – Just to explain it all, as best I can, to someone for whom car design might not a passion area. How to make a front-drive car sexy and stylish — while keeping it primarily front-drive? Not an easy task, and one that has taken many years to get anywhere near resultion. The clearest example of the ideas and design analyses explored below is …

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BMW Motorrad Concept Roadster is Boxer Ducati-Fighter for Lake Cuomo

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Here is a new BMW Roadster that is (or, rather: might.. eventually be) not only affordable, but truly bring the road to your brainstem in HD via all five senses. Granted, this boxer twin rumbler it does lack four wheels… but even on two, this is an exciting step for the BMW Motorrad program – bridging the gap between BMW scooters and full sport cycles with a fun and contemporary take on a city roadster. Key parts of the design are deconstructed mechanical pieces, but there are future-tech flashes like the solid-state LED lighting element in front. Overall, the BMW …

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Volkswagen Vision GTI Roadster for GT6 Scores 4Motion and 500HP Twin-Turbo VR6

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The GranTurismo Vision concept series is still in roll-out mode – there are perhaps 20 more special concept cars still to come from all sorts of brands, including Lexus, Subaru Alfa-Romeo and more. Subaru’s looks very tasty – stay tuned for more details on Subie’s fast wagon prototype. For today, however, all eyes are on the VW #VisionGTI – a deliciously chopped-top roadster that is also packing huge four-wheel-drive power. Tallies are nearly 500-horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque to the 4Motion drivetrain. A seven-speed DSG is also in the mix – ensuring this little GTI will be running hot …

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2015 Audi A7 and S7 Refresh Brings New LEDs, Detail Tweaks and New Wheels

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The Audi A7 and S7 are clear winners – they are so attractive and so fast that they make a strong case for themselves versus everything from the BMW 5 and 6 series all the way to the S-Class and even the Audi A8. The biggest competition for the glamourous Audi A7, S7 and RS7 really comes from the Porsche Panamera, in my opinion. So the keep the trendiest and most fashionable clients in the business happy, the A7 and S7 gain new LED lighting solutions front and rear for 2015. These images show the UK spec cars, with no …

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2015 Volvo XC90 Interior Is Official! 7-Seat Comfort, Luxury and Tech

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Volvo has rediscovered all of its best brand attributes – and is bringing them to market this fall with the very promising 2015 XC90 SUV. The slow drip of the launch has taken the form of three outstanding concepts since Frankfurt 2013: the Volvo Concept Coupe, the Concept Estate and the XC Coupe Concept. All have shown the firm to be on an exceptional path toward restoring its brand luster. This is a company that is poised for greatness — all by going back to its core roots: stylish but subtle, efficient and safe, and comfortable on the North Pole …

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2014 MINI Superleggera Concept is Dreamy Roofless Speedster With Corvette, Porsche, Aston and Jag Influences

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As shown by the Car-Revs-Daily.com exclusive renders of a possible GT40 Can-Am Spyder, Corvette Stingray Speedster and the GT-R Spider — you know we are huge fans of roofless cars. Most of these are not quite “cabriolets” in the ‘convertible’ sense – there is only one setting.   They are strictly fair-weather friends. But the lack of a roof mechanism frees the designers to go wild, and the results are nearly always miraculously beautiful. Clear influences for this MINI Superleggera come from the Jaguar D-Type (and Project 7…), as well as the Porsche 718 RSK Spyder and even a handful of …

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Nissan BladeGlider Concept Is DeltaWing MX-5

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Nissan today revealed an exciting new prototype sports car that blends the best thinking in racing ev tech, track-day lightness, and Z-car purity. As a pinched nose design, the BladeGlider is most similar, in negineering terms, to the Nissan-backed 2012 DeltaWing experimental LeMans entry. Sharing key rear-axle torque vectoring should allow the BladeGlider to have the precision and incredible pace of the DelaWing — but the affordable pricing and market potential of a Mazda MX-5 competitor. Interesting. Confusing. Exciting.  

Concept Flashback – 1997 Nissan Trail Runner – Inspired Peugeot’s 2015 DAKAR Entry?

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Definitely ahead of its time, this 1997 Trail Runner concept. Nissan was ahead of Jeep and many others who started sensing this small/fast off-roader trend by the early 2000s. Other big guys threw more production muscle to make sketches like this car a real thing, but the results were shockingly-bad from Pontiac and Jeep. Yes, both the Pontiac Aztek and Jeep Compass were, in fact, really cool sketches and designs at first. But they were both D.O.A. in production thanks to tiny tires and no engine power to match the compact off-road racer premise. Time has finally come for these …

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2014 Nissan Lannia Concept Shows No Tailpipes – May Preview Next Leaf EV

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Surely, Tom, you must just have meant to say “No tailpipe emissions…?” Nope. No tailpipes whatsoever on this Beijing 2014 concept car from Nissan. It is quite pretty and unique from all sides, and has instant allure and attractiveness. This is all a good sign for Nissan in China, where local teams have played a critical part in the Lannia’s design and development. The only angle that proves this is not a sports car is the rear three-quarter, which brings things back down to Earth with a pretty eco-minded appearance. The lack of tailpipes, overall size match, and EV aspirations …

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3.6s Audi A3 ClubSport Quattro Concept Packs 517 Horsepower and 192MPH Vmax

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    15 May 2014 192mph Audi A3 clubsport quattro concept wows Wöerthersee meeting S3 Saloon-based concept car features a blistering 2.5 TFSI five-cylinder engine producing a colossal 525 PS and 600Nm Board Member for Development Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg: “Extreme power and dynamics in compact format” 2.5 TFSI engine developing 525 PS and 600Nm – 0-62 mph in 3.6 seconds, 192 mph top speed, 1,527 kg Wörthersee Meeting in Reifnitz, Germany from May 28-31 The Audi S3 Saloon surrenders to the Wörthersee treatment this month, swapping its already potent 300PS output for a mighty 525PS and metamorphosing into the …

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NOW and THEN Design Showcase – 2013 JAGUAR Project 7 versus 1955 JAGUAR D-TYPE

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It is not often that a one-off concept so directly references one specific car in the back catalog. Often, a hugely successful historical model like the 1955 D-TYPE Jaguar is recalled most fondly long after the fact. Its achievements on the racetrack making it even more beautiful, and even more of an iconic time capsule than a single design or even a single piece of art. It becomes a living, breathing part of that company’s heritage. Jaguar is never more eager to turn back to the 1950s and 1960s, which is odd in many ways. You just want to shake …

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Ugur Sahin Designs a Ferrari-badged Concept F Hypercar – But Style Says Koenigsegg To Us

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The second Ugur Sahin Designs article today! This one is much more supercar-focused – or maybe hypercar is more like it! While Sahin based this on the Ferrari 458 and includes Ferrari branding, the style of the visor windshield, bubble canopy roof and long rear deck all seem like a far better fit as the next Koenigsegg. Cruise over to Sahin’s website portfolio below to see all his outstanding work… http://www.ugursahindesign.com/ Ugur Sahin Design – Project F

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$10M Cars? Original 1925/34 Rolls-Royce Round Door Coupe vs Modern Vision by Dutch Designer Ugur Sahin

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THE WHAT The thing with one-off cars made by coach-builders is that the bodywork typically has no blueprints. No panel molds or industrial stampings to use thousands of times. There is no way to even think of creating another example of a car like the 1925/24 Rolls-Royce Round Door Coupe – with its panels and every aesthetic piece made on a one-0ff basis, often by hand. And why might anyone try such a daunting task! The original chassis was completed in 1925, but it took another nine years to fabricate and complete the body — hence the 1934 tag that …

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Concept Flashback - 2001 Audi Avantissmo is A8 Dreamwagon

Concept Flashback – 2001 Audi Avantissmo is A8 Dreamwagon… Directly Influenced 2015 Bentley Falcon SUV

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There are shades of the upcoming Bentley Falcon SUV all over this A8 Avantissmo concept from 2001. That is no bad thing! Enjoy this delightful look at superluxury transport – as envisioned in Audi’s 2001 showcar catalog.