Since we first heard of the new Russian ride, in addition to the changes to the design, there's also been a slight change to the company's name. Rather than E-Go, it's now E'Go, which we suspect is pronounced like the delicious but terrible-for-you toaster heated waffles.

Since the car will ride atop a Mitsubishi 3000GT with a twin turbo V6 massaged to 550 HP, there are concessions to be made for engineering and fabrication, which necessitated the changes we see here; the rear fascia takes on an entirely different look and a large intake just behind the door for some reason. The whole effect is of a car more uniform in its design but nevertheless a completely strange endeavor.
[E'Go Motors (translated)]

The photos of the new more-expensive-than-a-Veyron-if-it's-ever-made Bugatti four-door concept were taken by jmk911 from the Luxury4Play forum who did this bit of reporting:

The Bugatti folks spent time with many of the guests and asked for our feedback. Besides discussing the Galibier, I breached the subject of a likely "more economical" sports car in line below the Veyron. His response was such that I am guessing they have been working on this for a while. Fingers crossed!

So the baby Bugatti lives?

[Luxury4Play]

The GM Onstar Car Hero was pitched in the press release in the following manner:

The Car Hero turns driving into gaming and challenges the driver's skills against the car's autonomous system. Once you enter your destination into the navi app on your smart phone, you can play against the vehicle to "win" complete control over the system and gain access to increasingly outrageous driving scenarios.

Naturally, our response was something trite and snarky: "Whoever came up with the "GM Car Hero" needs a very stern talking to." We didn't expect the following email exchange:

Hi Ben,

I'm all ears.

Steve Anderson
Design Challenge Creative Director,
General Motors Design - Los Angeles

Next came our response:

Well, that's a hilarious response I wasn't expecting.

The quip about your concept was in keeping with our general attitude
towards vehicles which isolate drivers from cars and mitigate the driving
experience. While I appreciate the concept as something which might
appeal to guitar hero kids, it still puts control out of the drivers hands and
makes the car a gaming appliance, something that makes me recoil in
horror.

Regards,

Ben Wojdyla
Associate Editor - Detroit
Jalopnik.com

Then came Steve Anderson's responde explaining the concept in more detail:

Hi Ben,

Thanks for the response. As a qualified nut-case auto enthusiast (own:
Lotus Elise SC Jim Clark Edition & CTS Sport Wagon owned: '61 E Type OTS,
Lamborghini Countach LP400, 4 911's of various vintage and a BMW M
Coupe), I completely agree with your appliance assesment.

The Car Hero concept would (theoretically) do just the opposite of what
you're concerned for by introducing (to the youth audience) the
familiarity of a gaming challenge to what has in essence become a commoditized
appliance. The benefit being that you end up "challenging" the operator
to either learn or improve their road skills as well as provide an incentive
to stay engaged and improve their skills - imagine if you'd had this
instead of the traditional driver's ed program. To your concern for
taking control out of the driver's hands, I think we can both agree that many
actually deserve such a draconian device but the Car Hero differs as it
gives the operator a chance to gain skills and "earn" un-obstructed
vehicle control. As one wag aptly put it, "Essentially this will not only make
people better drivers, but will also allow expert road stallions to have
a continuous challenge". Of course, they can also take the Timothy Leary
tack and "drop out" of the whole driving thing altogether - let the vehicle's
embedded autonomous control system do it all while they twitter away.

The desired outcome of Car Hero use would be someone who truly
appreciates driving skills and goes on to seek out a more authentic experience once
the gaming novelty has worn off.

In the end, the challenge was to create a vehicle which re-engaged the
"de-motorized" youth of tomorrow and I thought it foolish to create just
another car.

Thanks for the dialog,
Steve Anderson

Then our response to clarification:

That's a pretty interesting take on it. I hope you realize this is now very
post-worthy.

Regards,

Ben Wojdyla
Associate Editor - Detroit
Jalopnik.com

And finally, grudging acceptance on the part of Mr. Anderson:

By all means - keep up the good work.

Steve Anderson

So there you go. We actually think Mr. Anderson makes a pretty good case for his concept.

Most of the concepts have pretty regular wacky shapes and smart grid communications features the futurists are always in love with, of course they're all "green" and electric, but one in particular made us shake our heads. Whoever came up with the "GM Car Hero" needs a very stern talking to.

BMW says that an inline-six is particularly suitable for use in motorcycles because they offer, "not only supreme smoothness and refinement, but also superior power and performance as well as a truly emotional driving – or, in this case, riding – experience. A further point is that the typical sound of a straight-six almost like a turbine is absolutely incomparable, with straight-six power units at BMW having stood for fascinating engine technology in BMW cars for more than seven decades." The company says to expect power in the 175 HP range for a 1.6-ish liter inline-six, while torque will far exceed that of the 1.3 four-cylinders. BMW's talking about 96 Lb-Ft at 2,000 RPM and presumably far more as the revs climb towards the 9,000 RPM redline.

While the concept bike this engine is being shown in is a bit of a non-event (it's a K1300R with some plastic bits tacked on), check out the three huge exhaust outlets grouped on each side of the bike ahead of the rear wheel. If those aren't enough to make you want a motorcycle, we don't know what will. Enjoy your torque-free, rattly V10s, over-complicated twin-turbo V8s and passion-free diesels BMW car enthusiasts, we're getting this inline-six in a big, comfy touring bike, probably in the next two years.

Here's the press release:

BMW Motorrad Concept 6.
Fascination, Supremacy and Riding Comfort with Six Cylinders.

Munich. Six-cylinder power units have always had particular appeal, offering not only supreme smoothness and refinement, but also superior power and performance as well as a truly emotional driving – or, in this case, riding – experience. A further point is that the typical sound of a straight-six almost like a turbine is absolutely incomparable, with straight-six power units at BMW having stood for fascinating engine technology in BMW cars for more than seven decades.

Looking at motorcycles, inventive engineers have also tried time and again to offer the enthusiast the thrilling concept of a straight-six power unit. But while a few engines in straight-six configuration have indeed been fitted in motor­cycles both lengthwise and crosswise, the straight-six has never really made a genuine breakthrough neither on production models nor in motorcycle racing.

Depending on the way the engine was fitted, six cylinders in-line inevitably made the engine either very long or very wide, creating disadvantages in terms of the running gear, weight distribution, and the centre of gravity. A further drawback was much higher engine weight usually setting off the benefits of extra engine power.

The BMW Concept 6 now proves that a straight-six, benefiting from the most advanced construction and production technology, may offer not only unique prestige, but also a supreme standard of riding dynamics.

The new BMW straight-six will further expand the K-Series in the foreseeable future. The first model to be introduced will be an innovative and luxurious BMW touring machine. Reflecting the tradition of the BMW K-Series, this will of course be a genuine top-of-the-line product.

Highly compact and dynamic six-cylinder.

The starting point for this dynamic introduction of the straight-six in the new Concept 6 from BMW Motorrad is of course the extremely compact form and configuration of the engine. The power unit is approximately 100 mm or 4" slimmer than all former straight-six production engines and only a bit wider than a large-capacity straight-four with conventional technology.

The reduction in width is achieved in particular by the slightly over-square bore: stroke ratio with relatively long stroke and very small gaps between cylinders. To achieve this very compact configuration with minimum width, the electrical ancillaries and their drive components are positioned behind the crankshaft in the open space above the transmission.

High-tech lightweight construction in all areas serves to make the power unit relatively light from the outset, important components in this context being the two hollow-drilled camshafts and the very light connecting rods. The perfect compensation of masses ensured by the configuration and layout of the engine avoids the need for a balance shaft and its drive elements on the new straight-six, which again means lower weight and enhanced running smoothness.

In its layout, the straight-six featured in the Concept 6 follows the well-known straight-four in the K 1300 model series, again coming with cylinders tilted to the front by 55o. This ensures not only a low centre of gravity, but also very good weight balance as an element essential above all under sporting conditions for precise feeling and clear feedback from the front. A further advantage is that the tilted engine provides extra space for the aerodynamically positioned intake manifold directly above the engine and allows ideal configuration of the frame profiles following the flow of power.

The straight-six featured in the BMW Motorrad Concept 6 comes with dry sump lubrication. Apart from greater reliability even under extreme conditions, dry sump technology serves to keep the crankcase particularly low and flat, with the engine being fitted lower down and masses concentrated around the centre of gravity. Doing without an oil sump, the engine may be positioned far lower than on a conventional layout.

The oil reservoir is provided by an oil tank integrated at the rear of the engine block. This avoids the need for a separate tank, again helping to make the entire power unit more compact and reduce weight to a minimum.

Maximum supremacy in running refinement and performance.

Designed and laid out as a straight-six, the engine also opens up new dimensions in motorcycling in terms of supremacy, power reserves, performance and running refinement.

Output of the new six-cylinder will be in approximately the same range as on BMW's 1.3-litre straight-four power units. Torque, on the other hand, will be right at the top of the range, even in comparison with the largest motorcycle engines, such superior power and muscle coming inter alia from engine capacity of no less than 1.6 litres.

The engine's power and performance characteristics are equally impressive, offering 130 Nm or 96 lb-ft of torque from just 2,000 rpm and at the same time revving up almost to 9,000 rpm – a dynamic potential quite unparalleled in the tourer segment. This alone qualifies the engine of the Concept 6 as the ideal power unit for a wide range of different motorcycles.

Environmental compatibility and all-round economy re-defined.

The Concept 6 shows the absolute supremacy of its six-cylinder drive system also in ecological and economic terms. Fuel consumption of this six-cylinder naturally equipped with a fully controlled catalytic converter is lower than on a comparable four-cylinder under normal touring conditions. The use of E-gas technology (ride-by-wire) then offers further potentials for enhanced fuel economy and riding dynamics throughout a wide range of different riding modes and conditions. And last but not least in this context, the straight-six power unit featured in the Concept 6 offers long inspection intervals through the use of cup tappets controlling the engine valves.

Dynamic and powerful design in Café Racer style.

Supremacy and dynamism are also borne out clearly by the thrilling design of the Concept 6 and, as usual, this project from BMW Motorrad is more than "just" the attempt to develop a motorcycle of a kind never seen before.

Working on Concept 6, the designers at BMW Motorrad have therefore focused yet again on technical function and quality and, in particular, the emotional element bringing together man and machine. Their rule, quite simply, is that a motorcycle must not only follow the laws of functionality, but also arouse emotion in all its facets. In a nutshell, therefore, the machine must be simply thrilling.

Precisely this is why the design of the Concept 6 focuses in particular on the powerful straight-six engine as the heart of the machine. Conceived as a mixture of classic and modern styling elements in motorcycle construction, the Concept 6, with its long front end and short rear, takes up the design language of the legendary Café Racer. Powerful and muscular, the body elements extend around the power unit finished in a special platinum colour, presenting the engine almost adoringly from every angle.

Smooth and soft lines ensure fully organic integration of the power unit within the machine, while at the same time they create a powerful, exciting and dynamic contrast to the sharply contoured front and rear ends.

The so-called Split Face, a well-known design element of the latest models from BMW Motorrad, extends smoothly from the front of the fairing all along the top of the fuel tank made of carbon-fibre, again confirming the high technological standard of the Concept 6 and forming an exciting contrast to the outer shell in aluminium with its white layers. The division into three sections created by the Split Face is further accentuated at the front by the LED headlight integrated longitudinally in the machine in its rod shape and by the slender LED rear light extending far up into the seat hump.

The powerful and supreme character of the Concept 6 is also underscored by the six-chamber exhaust system complete with sidepipes and the strong presence of the intake ducts again finished in platinum look. Aerodynamic components such as the twin-tipped engine spoiler and the air guide elements derived from the design of the new S 1000 RR Supersports, on the other hand, bridge the gap between functional and clearly visible technology, on the one hand, and the soft and smooth design of other body elements, on the other.

Innovative suspension technology and equipment

The suspension of the BMW Motorrad Concept 6 is built around a light-alloy bridge frame as well as Duolever and lightweight Paralever arms holding and guiding the wheels front and rear. Seventeen-inch HP forged wheels as well as the extra-large brake system with its six-piston fixed callipers emphasise the sporting look of the new machine and its high level of technology.

The outstanding supremacy of the Concept 6 and its drivetrain is also reflected by details such as the instrument panel intentionally kept in minimalist design but nevertheless completely equipped with all the instruments and gauges required. While a digital display performs its usual function of clearly presenting road speed, there is intentionally no rev counter on account of the supreme flow of power at all speeds. So instead of a conventional rev counter, a LED display shows the rider at all times how much torque is readily available whenever required.

General Motors Advanced Design – The Car Hero turns driving into gaming and challenges the driver's skills against the car's autonomous system. Once you enter your destination into the navi app on your smart phone, you can play against the vehicle to "win" complete control over the system and gain access to increasingly outrageous driving scenarios.

Honda Research and Development, North America – Using insight gained from the human genome, the Honda Helix redefines individuality and how a driver connects to his or her vehicle over time. The Helix incorporates human DNA with adaptive polymers that allow changes in the car's shape, color and materials. Tri-axis movement allows adaptation and reaction to specific environments and traffic patterns.

Mazda R & D of North America – The Mazda Souga is the epitome of personal branding. Young entrepreneurs can create their own vehicles on VMazda, a virtual reality Web site that acts as a design playground. With the help of a virtual design mentor, each car is guaranteed to be affordable, eco-friendly and purely driver-focused.

Nissan Design America – The V2G is Nissan's eco-neutral commuter car for 2030. Its combination of dynamic styling and quality construction creates a top-of-the-line electric machine that can be modified to fit the needs and desires of its owner.

Toyota's Calty Design Research – The Toyota LINK is a customizable, mass transit vehicle for students that seamlessly links onto a transportation social network. "LINK SKINZ" can be downloaded to digitally transform the vehicle's shape into a personalized exterior design while "LINK SPHERES," wheels made of an electro-conductive material, convert friction into energy that recharges the batteries.

Don't get us wrong, it's not weak-ass in power output, rather it's weak-ass that by putting a 550 HP LS crate supercharged engine under the hood, there's not a chance in hell it'll ever be built. And that's just sad because it'd be cool as hell to see a Raptor vs. Dodge Power Wagon vs. Silverado ZR2 match-up. Ah well, a man can dream, can't he?

Full release below:

Silverado ZR2 concept
At a glance, it's clear the Silverado ZR2 concept wasn't designed to haul flowers back from the nursery. With its widened body, tall stance and powerful LS supercharged engine, it is ready to hit the berms, dry washes and gullies of the Baja Peninsula.

The Silverado ZR2 is based on an extended cab/short box body. The custom bodywork includes carbon fiber fender flares that stretch outward to cover the 35-inch-tall Goodyear Wrangler off-road tires and widened stance. Much of the truck's body is made of carbon fiber, including the front fenders, extractor-style hood, rocker extensions and tailgate, which features large, debossed CHEVROLET lettering as a nod to Chevy trucks of the past.

The pickup box, which is protected with a spray-on liner, features a unique locking storage system mounted to the extruded aluminum Cargo Management System rails from Chevy Accessories.

Many of the carbon fiber parts, including the hood, are clear-coated, rather than painted, to show off the intricate weave pattern of the high-tech, lightweight material. The parts that aren't clear carbon fiber are painted Dune Metallic, a color that blends with the desert terrain. A large, more prominent grille is also part of the package and is a vision of what designers would like to see in a production or accessory part. It is very functional, feeding cool air to the 550-horsepower LS supercharged crate engine from GM Performance Parts.

The combination of 20-inch BBS RD wheels – reminiscent of historic Chevy truck wheel – and aggressive Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tires connect to the chassis via BDS shocks and a four-inch lift kit to help negotiate those desert trails. The new front fascia dramatically improves approach angle and skid plates protect the chassis.

The interior features more carbon fiber details on the dash, along with black leather and suede-trimmed seats with contrasting stitching to those trail runs more comfortable.

"There's more to this concept than meets the eye," said Dewar. "Some of the components are being explored for possible inclusion in upcoming models."

This student rendering combines a Bimota Tesi-style suspension setup with the turbocharged four-cylinder from a Subaru WRX and the gearbox from a Mitsubishi Evo. The style and function might be un-original, but we'd still like to see more actual bikes use powerful car engines, all those revvy inline-fours just get old after a while.
[via Flickr]

[Cardesign.ru]

This is the second version of the Honda CRZ concept, but it's well on the way to being an actual production car which we'll see debuted at the 2010 Detoit Auto Show. The preternaturally lovable two-seater will be making a return by the fall of 2010 and hopefully make us remember why loved old Hondas so long ago. The CRZ is planned as another dedicated hybrid from Honda, but this time it'll get the twist of a six speed manual transmission. We're be particularly interested to see how that whole system will shake out when it goes from concept to production.

Honda CR-Z Concept 2009 Makes World Debut at the Tokyo Motor Show

Honda today debuted the much-anticipated CR-Z Concept 2009, the second concept version of the stylish, sporty hybrid coupe, at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show. While the vehicle displayed at the show is a global concept with a rear seat, the production version that will be introduced to North America in the second half of 2010 will be packaged as a sporty, 2-seat hybrid that provides a personal driving experience for North American customers.

"The Honda CR-Z will expand our lineup of hybrid vehicles and reinforce the fun-to-drive values associated with the Honda brand," said Erik Berkman, vice president of Automobile Corporate Planning and Logistics for American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Beyond great styling and features, CR-Z will bring new levels of engagement and fun to customers interested a small car or a hybrid vehicle."

CR-Z will join the Insight and Civic Hybrid in the Honda hybrid lineup, each offering distinct benefits. Civic Hybrid, launched in 2003, was Honda's first mainstream model to feature hybrid power. The 2010 Insight, introduced in March 2009, ushered in a new era of affordability for a hybrid family sedan. The CR-Z will break new ground as a sporty, hybrid coupe with unique value.

The production version of the Honda CR-Z will make its world debut at the January 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Too bad it'll never built, Carlos! Hah!

What's that? You can't imagine a Toyota that might consider offering a fun, affordable, two door with a modicum of sportiness and some seriously interesting style? Might we introduce you to the Toyota FT-86 concept — the first Toyota (barring the epic Lexus LFA) we've been genuinely excited about since the... um... Supra? Wow, that took entirely too long.

Joining those three cars is the Dodge Ram Bianco, which is essentially an appearance package. Other than the Lower Forty, all of these vehicles could be created with accessories available from the aftermarket and Mopar itself.

Here's the press release:

Chrysler Group LLC to Showcase Four Mopar Image Vehicles at 2009 SEMA Show

Auburn Hills, Mich., Oct 15, 2009 -

A 556-horsepower Dodge Challenger, a Jeep® Wrangler that transforms into a mobile campsite, a luxury Dodge Ram 1500 and a go-anywhere, do-anything extreme Jeep Wrangler with 40-inch tires. It must be SEMA season.

Four Mopar-customized vehicles will steal the show next month at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas. Mopar's in-house team of creative customizers developed a slew of high-performance image vehicles that feature the brand's innovative performance parts and accessories.

"Our Mopar vehicles demonstrate this company's passion and enthusiasm for the automotive aftermarket," said Pietro Gorlier, President and Chief Executive Officer – Mopar Service, Parts and Customer Care, Chrysler Group LLC. "We will gauge reaction to these vehicles and explore new directions as we develop Mopar performance parts and accessories for our vehicles."

"The aftermarket is not an after-thought in our design studio," said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO—Dodge Car Brand and Senior Vice President—Product Design, Chrysler Group LLC. "Our vehicles are designed and built by the same passionate automotive enthusiasts within our company who are designing and engineering new Mopar parts and accessories for vehicles in our product pipeline."

Led by Mark Allen, Head of Jeep Design, Chrysler Group LLC, the Mopar design team developed four head-turning vehicles for next month's SEMA show.

Mopar Dodge Challenger 1320 Image Vehicle: Exploring a Street-legal Drag Pak Challenger
The Dodge Challenger 1320 began life as a Mopar Drag Pak Dodge Challenger. The current Drag Pak option is a light-weight, stripped-down, race-only, special-order version of the Dodge Challenger designed for competitive drag racing.

For the street-legal design, Mopar's design team took the vehicle back to its roots with styling reminiscent of vintage Mopar muscle, updated with today's technology. The Dodge Challenger 1320 image vehicle, named for the 1,320 feet on a quarter-mile drag strip, features Mopar's 426 cubic-inch, all-aluminum, HEMI® V-8 crate engine that generates 556 horsepower. The engine is equipped with unique Mopar-designed valve covers and a dress-up kit. Mopar's long-tube headers and exhaust system allow the cubic inches to breathe. Electric cutouts allow the exhaust to bypass the muffler system, which exits through custom side pipes for added rumble at the dragstrip. Power is put to the ground via a six-speed manual transmission through a custom Dynatrac rear housing with Mopar Dana 60 internals and a selectable, ARB locking differential. Mopar police wheels, widened in the rear, are strapped with Nitto street-legal drag radials to provide extra grip at launch. A four-corner, adjustable coil-over kit is provided by Mopar as an option for the Dodge Challenger. This system improves the handling of the vehicle under extreme loads of 556 horsepower and 540 lb.-ft. of torque.

Following Mopar's high-impact color heritage, the design team layered the 1320 in Acidic Hue, a non-metallic yellow paint and added matte black graphics. The body is lightened with the following carbon-fiber components from Mopar's design team and Seibon:

• Bulged hood with HEMI scoop
• Front spoiler
• Grille panel/headlamp surround

The interior is equipped with bare necessities—Dodge Viper seats, a sport steering wheel and a Hurst shifter. The rear seat, center console and radio have been removed in order to reduce vehicle weight and maintain the 1320's no-nonsense theme.

Mopar Dodge Ram Bianco Image Vehicle: A Stylish, Luxury Pickup Truck
The Dodge Ram Bianco started life as a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Sport with a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8. The Dodge Ram is modified to reflect an upscale feel and appearance with the aid of Mopar performance parts and accessories. Colors, textures and accessories are combined in a manner that showcases the sophisticated side of the Dodge Ram 1500.

Exterior modifications include a Mopar hard tonneau that adds a classic, sporty appearance. The inside of the truck bed features Mopar's bed rug—a plush, yet washable carpet. For the exterior, a Mopar body kit and modified Mopar fender flares give a unique, sophisticated look. The stance is aided by a Ground Force lowering kit that not only lowers the vehicle, but also provides excellent ride and handling. The Dodge Ram Bianco is layered in several coats of Arctic Ice pearl paint that give it a rich appearance. Holding true to the upscale theme, Mopar's 22-inch wheels are painted in a matching, high-contrast design. Performance upgrades include a Mopar cold-air intake and a throaty Mopar dual exhaust with just enough growl to let you know there is something powerful under the hood.

The exterior theme continues through the interior. White and black Katzkin seats with matching door trim set the stage for a high-class ride. Piano Black and Arctic Ice accents add to the luxurious theme. For sound, Mopar contributed a Kicker audio system consisting of an audio amplifier, a powerful subwoofer and upgraded speakers.

Mopar Jeep Wrangler Overland Image Vehicle: A Stop-anywhere, Camp-anywhere Jeep
The Jeep Wrangler Overland is perfect for those craving travel and adventure. The Mopar design team took a 2009 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon and turned it into a mobile "on-the-go" self-contained campsite.

To increase cargo capacity for hauling gear, the Jeep Wrangler Overland's rear seats are replaced with a large, flat, rubberized utility floor. Mounted to the cargo rack is an all-new ARB two-person Simpson II rooftop-mounted tent and touring awning. The interior of the Jeep Wrangler Overland features water-resistant Mopar front-seat covers, rugged Mopar slush mats, a Daystar dash bin and lower switch panel that powers added accessories.

Enhancing off-road travel is an American Expedition Vehicles' (AEV), Nth Degree, 3-inch suspension lift and a Full Traction rear sway bar. The lift allows aggressive 35-inch tires mounted on 17-inch steel Mopar winter/off-road wheels to fit under the Jeep. Additional off-road protection at the front and rear is provided by AEV steel bumpers and for added security, a Warn 9.5ti winch.

In order to prepare the Jeep Wrangler Overland for desert duty, an AEV Jeep Wrangler heat-reduction hood and snorkel kit is fitted to the vehicle. Mopar windshield-mounted off-road lights and Daystar bumper-mounted lights provide additional lighting for nighttime and off-road driving.

Mopar Jeep Lower Forty Image Vehicle: An Extreme Trail Rig with 40-inch Tires
The Jeep "Lower Forty" takes the Jeep Wrangler platform to a new extreme. The vehicle is equipped with massive 40-inch x 13.5-inch tires mounted on Mopar's 20-inch forged-aluminum wheels. Mopar added aggressive wheels and tires to a stock, two-door Jeep Wrangler Rubicon without the use of a suspension lift. The team's goal was to achieve added ground clearance without dramatically altering the vehicle's center of gravity. The team removed copious amounts of body metal in order to provide room for 40-inch meats. Three inches are chopped from the windshield frame and a 10-degree rake is added.

Custom front and rear fender flares are 1-inch wider and are located 4 inches higher than a stock Jeep Wrangler. A new one-piece carbon-fiber hood with a Jeep CJ-like power dome and an all-new drop-down tailgate stamped with the "Jeep" logo are added to complete the exterior design.

On the interior, an all-new roll cage is neatly integrated into the body tub and tied directly into the frame rails. The spare tire is relocated to the cargo floor and a custom cargo rack, supplied by Poly Performance, holds extra gear. Once all body modifications were completed, the exterior received a fresh coat of Red Eye No. 3 paint, a custom color developed by Mopar.

Custom touches throughout the interior include a color-matched center console and instrument panel. Seats are re-covered with Mopar's Katzkin leather package in a two-tone scheme. Replacing the carpet is a durable, spray-in truck-bed liner. Rugged Mopar floor mats complete the theme.

Mechanical upgrades came directly out of the Mopar catalog. The Jeep "Lower Forty" features an all-new 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 engine and a Getrag 238 six-speed manual transmission. Powertrain installations were handled by Burnsville Off-Road using an AEV 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 conversion kit.

The Mopar-supplied Dana 44 front axle and a Dana 60 rear axle, fitted with 5.38 gears and ARB air lockers, were assembled by Dynatrac.

Mopar Brand
Mopar distributes approximately 280,000 components in more than 90 countries and is the source for all original equipment parts for Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles. Mopar parts are unique in that they are engineered with the same teams that create factory-authorized vehicle specifications for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge Car and Dodge Ram vehicles – a direct connection that no other aftermarket parts company can provide.

More than 70 Years of Mopar
When Chrysler bought Dodge in 1928, the need for a dedicated parts manufacturer, supplier and distribution system to support the growing enterprise led to the formation of the Chrysler Motor Parts Corporation (CMPC) in 1929.

Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) was trademarked for a line of antifreeze products in 1937. It also was widely used as a moniker for the CMPC. The Mopar brand made its mark in the 1960's – the muscle car era. The Chrysler Corporation built race-ready Dodge and Plymouth "package cars" equipped with special high-performance parts. Mopar carried a line of "special parts" for super stock drag racers and developed its racing parts division called Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use.

The vehicle is equipped with the GM-designed 3.6-liter V6 straight out of the unpopular XL-7, putting out around 260 HP, an increase of at least 75 HP over the Kizashi's standard fourbanger. On the track, the V6-equipped mule does clearly provide more power, able to pull itself out of corners with a level of aggression completely absent from the production car.

Unfortunately, the added weight is felt and the well-balanced feel of the regular sedan is reduced. Also, speed is limited in the straights by a CVT transmission unwilling to let you push the car hard (there's a soft rev-limiter on the manual version allowing more leeway).

Overall, we preferred the four-cylinder GTS model and think the Kizashi is better suited to a small turbo than a full V6. Unfortunately, we think the V6 is where they're headed with a future higher performance Kizashi model.

Whatever engine is chosen, they need to make sure the next model update includes the more aggressive bodywork and attractive fascia. It gives the car more of a presence and makes the Kizashi as attractive as any vehicle on the upper end of the class, exceeding the funky TSX and nipping at the heals of the sensuous Passat CC.

First airing early this year, Baddal's concept stands the test of time by adapting BMW M1 Homage Concept-influenced lines into a more contemporary shape with better detailing that the company itself managed with the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept. Hell, he even makes the Bangle Butt look good.

Baddal's concepts for Lamborghini and Ferrari are a lot less successful, but still pretty appealing. [via BMW Blog]

The Toyota FT-86 concept is the fruit of cooperation between Toyota Motor Company and Subaru, and as such will wear a common chassis and some degree of engine commonality, at the least a 2.0 liter, four cylinder boxer engine dubbed the "C-45 Boxer" and making between 200 and 250 HP will power the rear wheels through a manual six speed transmission, and get this - no hybrid system.



Perhaps most telling are the car's overall dimensions. At 163.7 inches long, 69.3 inches, a wheelbase of 101.2 inches, and 49.6 inches high, it's thankfully compact, smaller in length, width and height than the Nissan 370Z, and slightly longer in wheelbase. It's also the first car to wear Toyota's new swoopy styling with some gusto. Dare we say it, we actually like the look of it. It's... exciting, we're so confused here. The interior is obviously all show-car glam and may serve as direction, but we'll be shocked if there are many zippers on the production car's dash. [via FT-86 Club]

The Daihatsu Basket is a sort of Mini Moke reinterpretation, but you can also see some Honda Vamos and Citroen Mehari around the front and Nissan Figaro in its front to rear symmetry. It looks like the concept could fit into the Japanese Kei class for 660cc or below cars and comes with a removable hard top for front seat occupants and a folding soft top for the rear cargo area/seats.

The inspiration for the square, yet not symmetrical Daihatsu Deca Deca is more direct, it's a riff on the Nissan Cube design theme, although here with more top heavy proportions and a shorter hood. It also has the Cube beat on interior flexibility. Instead of that car's utterly conventional two-rows of seats and normal doors, the Deca Deca features huge suicide doors that give massive access to the flat floor/foldaway seats interior. Like the Cube, expect all this to be massively conventionalized to keep costs down should it ever reach production.

[Daihatsu via Nihon Car]

A good percentage of the staff here at Jalopnik are also motorcycle riders, so we get it, we understand the draw to the idea of a leaning automobile. It can provide for incredibly entertaining performance characteristics, they can look incredibly cool and it's a wonderful engineering challenge. Getting the wheel kinematics right for acceptable ride and safe handling while making the vehicle actively lean is no small feat, but in the end, leaning concepts like the Nissan Land Glider are largely pointless.

Nissan's claiming the Land Glider "gives a clear direction to how a future small car from Nissan could look in congested cities," but a "clear direction" more than likely means design direction. But why are we so pessimistic? Basic consumer behavior. Building a leaning car with the Land Glider as an example requires complex controllers, motors, actuators and sensors which don't exist on normal, non-leaning cars. They require tires entirely unique to the specific car. The necessarily narrow design demands tandem seating, which is inconvenient at best and uncouth for female passengers at worst. Because of the packaging constraints, cargo space is limited even though they can be powered, as the Land Glider is, by a pair of electric motor and an array of lithium-ion batteries. All of this in a car which takes a subcompact length vehicle and cuts two thirds of the width out.

And then we come to the bottom line; because of the complex engineering challenges and unique parts, a completely unique assembly line necessitated by the vehicles shape, it's going to be a premium priced vehicle as well. The value proposition is a severely difficult sell in our minds, a gimmick car with a lot of sacrifices for a premium price, And that's just from the selling angle, we haven't even started thinking about negotiating the labyrinth of regulatory elements a leaning vehicle would have to pass, avoid, get waivers for, or design around. Then there's crash testing requirements. Good luck with those.

With magnetorheological dampers, we're at a point where roll can be essentially eliminated, and the Bose active damper system that never got picked up by a manufacturer could have done the leaning trick on a full-width car, but building a car that can lean over 17 degrees like the Land Glider is the stuff of auto shows and design experiments. We're not saying a leaning car will never be built, in fact we'd love to see one, but reality tells us it's just not in the cards and building these concept cars is a waste of good money. For the foreseeable future, if you want to experience a leaning vehicle, get a motorcycle.