The EarthRoamer XV-JP … for when you’ve just got to get away. Too bad it’s a camper/RV, but then again its got Tru-Lok front & rear electronic remote locking differentials, Bilstein gas shocks, Dana 44 heavy-duty solid front and rear axles and it made it through the Rubicon Trail. Seats/sleeps 2. $110,000+
…where the going gets tough, the tough go camping.
The 15-JP bears an uncanny resemblance to some WW II ambulances, at least in profile.
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Lamborghini LP640 – LuxCars, Samedi 19 juillet 2008
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Hummer H1 Alpha, an SUV’s SUV…”Like Nothing Else”.
A Note from HUMMER: Let the Speculating Begin – GM FastLane Blog, June 6, 2008
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Honda will start selling its FCX Clarity hydrogen-powered zero-emissions car in the United States and Japan over the next few years. According to Honda, the name derives from the car’s fuel-cell engine and its ‘clear solution to the challenges of the future’.
Specs are here – includes top speed of 160 km/h, range of 270 miles and a 171 L High-pressure (5000 psi or about 340 atmospheres) hydrogen tank pictured below.
In an interview with the WSJ June 16 2008, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui answers some questions about green cars. Regarding the lack of a nation-wide system for generating storing and distributing hydrogen, Fukui says “..cars should come first and then infrastructure will follow”; and as for why choose hydrogen over electric, he replies “the biggest issue is driving distance” and adds “the FCX Clarity can be recharged in one minute” & “with the electric vehicle, it can take several hours”.
Honda plans to boost fuel-cell car production – Japan Times, June 17, 2008
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Toyoda Gosei is in the process of developing pedestrian-protecting exterior airbags that deploy when onboard radar and image-recogition cameras detect a pending impact.
…alternatively, the pedestrians could wear the airbags instead.
Cars with hood and grill airbags for pedestrian protection! – FarEast Gizmos, June 3, 2008
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The World Car of the Year (WCOTY) program just awarded their Overall Car of the Year for 2008 to the Mazda2 (aka Mazda Demio) at the 2008 New York International Auto Show.
Excuses, uh reasons, given include “Consumers will be drawn to the new Mazda compact because of its very appealing looks and high levels of standard equipment for the price”.
…ugh…but they partly redeemed themselves by awarding the Audi R8 with the World Design of the Year and the World Performance Car awards. The final category, World Green Car, was won by the BMW 118d for its fuel efficiency.
WORLD CAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS: 2008 Award Photos
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Some rag known as the Daily Telegraph asked their readers to nominate the best-looking cars of all time, and this is what they came up with…
1 – Jaguar E-type
2 – Citroën DS
3 – Jaguar XK120/140/150
4 – Ferrari Dino 206/246 GT
5 – Lamborghini Miura
:
100 – Volvo P1800
…mostly vintage, but not a bad compilation. In reading through it, one has the impression that somebody snuck in some uglies from the opposite list.
The 100 most beautiful cars of all time – The Daily Telegraph, March 15 2008
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Italdesign Giugiaro unveiled the Quaranta, a new concept hybrid electric car at the 2008 Geneva International Motor Show.
To arrive at the Quaranta, I-G started with the 1968 Bizzarrini Manta, stretched it to a continuous body line, raked the windshield to 70 degrees and added 250W solar panels to the roof. Performance is 0–100 km/h in 4.05 seconds, thanks to a modified Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive and the V6 3.31L gas engine working together with 2 electric motors.
The press release also speaks of the interior’s “dark-colored leather” and the “alcantara upholstery” and makes note of “a visor for Xray sensors for night driving” …we’re hoping they meant IR sensors instead of Xray!
More images of the I-G Q here.
…not bad, but somewhat underdesigned.
Quaranta Project – Italdesign Giugiaro press release, Feb 29 2008
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The Wall Street Journal documents the problems Japanese car manufacturers have with selling into their own market. The Age of the Automobile at least in Japan seems to be over, as less than 3 million automobiles were sold in 2007, a decline of 31% from the peak in 1990.
Seems that young people there deem cars to be uncool & unneccessary and they’d rather spend their coin on PCs and iPods and hang out on the Internets.
Throw in global warming, a slowing economy, Peak Oil and traffic congestion, and things don’t look too good for the industry. So what’s a poor car co to do?… well they’re experimenting with cute, as in the Pivo2 (shown) and social interiors, like the Round Box. Both are concept cars & unlikely to make it into production…hmm.
…our suggestion?…go ad-supported. Ie give the cars away for free, but force the passengers to watch advertisements. Hey, why not?…it’s the way of the web.
Japan’s Young Won’t Rally Round the Car – WSJ, Feb 29 2008
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Well, Rinspeed has unveiled their sQuba, the world’s first submersible car. Works on land, on water and under water.
It’s just like the Lotus Esprit that was used in the movie “The Spy Who Loved Me”, only different…the Rinspeed sQuba is electric, the passengers get wet and must don scuba gear.
Rinspeed’s Zero-Emission World Debut at the Geneva Motor Show – a Green “Fish” with Q-Factor – Rinspeed news, Feb 14 2008
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