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Concept

2009 bmw 7-series

2009 BMW 7-Series Sketches Reveal The Slightly More Radical Path Not Taken

Though there was some speculation that the 2009 BMW 7-Series might be undergoing a radical refresh, the actual 2009 7-Series is a mostly underwhelming update. The rear of the car has been mercifully revised. The rest of the big Bimmer has undergone a more subtle transformation — especially subtle in light of the 7-series sketches released by BMW today.

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concept cars

How GM Killed The Crossover: The Brief Life Of The Chevy XT-2 Concept Truck

In 1989, it was increasingly clear a new revolution was coming to the truck market, but what shape it would take was still a mystery. With the staggering success of large body-on-frame SUVs and light trucks just a gleam in the eyes of automakers, GMs design team continued down the path of car-based pickups with the Chevy XT-2 Concept Truck. Although we now know car-based pickups and SUVs lost the battle to large SUVs shortly thereafter, it appears the XT-2, an essentially ignored concept here in the United States, may end up winning the design war.

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transformers 2

Up-Close Photos Of Mystery Corvette Concept From New Transformers Movie

We've seen the mystery Corvette concept (who some dare to believe may be named "Hot Rod") from the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen movie three times already. The first photo was a blurry camera phone shot from far away. The second shot was of the folks at Saleen busily painting the new movie star up and making him all silvery-looking. The third shot showed the mystery Transformers Corvette concept and a buddy about to be loaded up to roll out. Now, thanks to an e-mail tipster, we have the fourth and fifth shots as it gets close enough to the camera to see the "GM Design" logo on the rear end. Is it a prototype for a "C7" Corvette? Is it some hot Rodimus action? We guess we'll have to wait and see. (Hat tip to Anonimus Prime!)


concept cars

Five Ugliest Concept Trucks

The suddenly plural folks at PickupTrucks.com have singled out five concept trucks that made great strides in awfulness and, thankfully, never saw the light of day as production vehicles. Given how enthusiastic they are for concept trucks over there, you can be assured that these haulers, mainly from the 2000-01 "cheap gas, secure borders" period, are gleefully hideous. Though we actually like the Nissan XIX concept truck, which is basically a stretched, Camino'ed Sentra. What's your favorite "ugly" conceptual mother-trucker? [PickupTrucks.com]

transformers revenge of the fallen

Mystery Corvette Concept From Transformers 2 Movie Gets New Beauty Shots, Multiplies!

Remember that mystery Corvette concept we saw last month getting painted by the folks at Saleen for the new Transformers movie, Revenge of the Fallen? We've got new pictures of it today thanks to our friends over at the Don Murphy board by way of Seibertron. These new shots show not only the Corvette concept in all its silver-skinned beauty, but also show off the entire Autobot team, just sitting around and lounging about in the sun. There's the Beat and Trax, and Optimus and Ironhide and...man, we wish we had a job like that. But wait, is that another one behind it? What's going on? Anyone out there have any more details?


[Don Murphy via Seibertron]

industry news

Opel, Vauxhall Versions Of Volt Electric Cars To Take Advantage Of Currency Valuation, Get "Made In USA" Sticker

Opel has announced plans to launch two electric cars in the European market sometime early next decade utilizing GM's E-Flex hybrid banner and be built in the United States for export to Europe. One of the models would be based on the Segway-pooping Opel Flextreme concept and the other, a Vauxhall version of the same vehicle. As of now we're unsure whether the Vauxhall version will poop Segways.

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future cars

VW's Utopian Vision Of 2028

VW would like to share with you their dream for the future. The original Volkswagens were designed to assume the role of providing uniform transportation for the masses, and now it seems VW desires to return to their roots for 2028. No, not the whole take-over-the-world part, we're talking about them doing what their name says, being the "People's Car." More »

gadgets

1:16 Scale Hummer HX Concept Raises Eyebrows

Hummer is on one hell of a rollercoaster ride lately. The brand may be done and the sales are plummeting, but the Hummer HX concept is still rumored to be involved in the Transformers sequel. And now, for the first time, the HX can be purchased by general consumers, at least in the toy form, with this remote-control 1:16 scale Hummer HX. It's available for $40, but don't confuse it with the Warthog. So what's going on, Hummer? Are you throwing in the towel or pushing on with concept designs that won't be hitting production anytime soon? [Product Page via Likecool]

honda osm

Honda OSM Convertible Low-Emission Sports Car To Bow At British Motor Show

Honda plans to go both green and topless at the British Motor Show with what they're unromantically dubbing the Honda OSM (Open Study Model), a lightweight, sporty "study model" of a low-emissions cabriolet. Does this mean it'll carry the same hybrid powertrain as the CR-Z concept? Is this just a diesel? They haven't told us, but the car officially has its coming-out on July 22, so we expect all the important details to leak out before the end of the week. More »

concept cars

PUTC Checks Out The Jeep J8 Sarge, Can't Find Wert's Missing Burberry Scarf

Nobody really knows what Wert drove to his reunion. Some say they saw a Z06 parked at Como's in Ferndale. Others claim to have seen either a Burberry scarf or a broken tailgate flapping in the wind as a Jeep JT concept truck flew down Woodward Avenue. All we do know is he didn't drive the Jeep J8 "Sarge." Luckily, instead of heading into the black hole that is Wert's bottomless chasm of features, Mike Levine from Pickuptrucks.com met up with Ralph Gilles to get a run-down on the jacked-up Jeep-amino. Video below the jump. More »

concept cars

SMS 25th Anniversary Mustang Concept Has 720 Candle-Extinguishing Horsepower

Though no longer head of Saleen, Inc., you can't keep Steve Saleen from making Mustangs. In this case, his new company, SMS Limited, has built a very Saleen, Inc-looking concept to celebrate 25 years in the industry. In addition to the 720 HP engine and extreme body kit, this concept has the "Red Butterfly Induction System," which may explain the KITT-esque hood scoop. More details from the man himself, who says it has performance almost on par with the Saleen S7, below the jump More »

industry news

Automobile Gets The Skinny On Truck Planning At Dodge

Given the current sales climate, it was probably about time somebody sat down with an automaker and asked them what the heck their plan was for trucks. Automobile's Phil Floraday interrogated the Chrysler folks about where the Dodge brand is going now that we're in the middle of the gaspocalypse. They spouted off something about making the Dodge Ram HD a bit more fuel efficient, and even reducing horsepower a bit. Then they wandered into smaller trucks. More »

ford focus rs concept

2009 Ford Focus RS Concept; Don't Make It Angry

We finally have some leaked shots of the Ford Focus RS ahead of the London Motor Show, and we're green with envy at any Europeans lucky enough to get the real version when it comes out. Unless it's in the same weirdo neon green as the concept. We know the new RS Focus will generate more than 275 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque from the 2.5-liter Duratec inline five, which should be good for a 0-60 mph time in under six seconds. And that's only the start.

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2010 mazda3

2010 Mazda3 Concept Fully Revealed... As A Photoshop

Remember yesterday's twin front and rear images of what we had assumed was the concept form for the 2010 Mazda3? Today we get nine full, high resolution walk-around photos of the handsome five door — and they're photoshopped. This amazing work was done by a chopper named Grif-1, and debuted on the Russian design site "Render." Grif-1 used 3D Studio Max and Photoshop CS3 to create a near-perfect execution of the Nagare design language, sprinkling in enough hints from previous concept cars it was easy to believe the car was real.

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2009 bmw 7-series

2009 BMW 7-Series Teases German Golfers

The new 2009 BMW 7-Series won't be officially unveiled until next week, but that didn't stop BMW from showing off a larger-than-life teaser image at this past weekend's BMW International Open in Germany. Of course, they had to show something, since the prize for sinking a hole-in-one on the par-three 17th hole was none other than one of the new Bavarian luxo-barges.

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2010 mazda3

Probably Not The 2010 Mazda3, But It Sure Is Pretty

The enigmatic and strange man who runs the Burlapp Car Page has a couple shots of what he claims is the next Mazda3. While we know we're expecting a new 2010 Mazda3, these shots look more concept than production, so we're assuming that's not what we're seeing here. While not as way-out-there as the 2018 Mazda3 design contest, could these be accurate renderings of what to expect from a concept of the next generation of Mazda's zoom-zoomin' C-segment hatchback? Mazda should hope their new car actually ends up looking like this, because it'd totally be a winner. One more shot below the jump. More »

industry news

Kia To Get First-Ever Coupe In 2009, May Replace "Spectra" Name

Kia plans to introduce the brand's first ever coupe next summer, a couple of months after the new Spectra sedan goes on sale by mid-2009. The new coupe will reportedly be based on the Koup concept, first shown at the New York Auto Show just a few short months ago. But fans of the Spectra name may be disappointed. According to Lee Hyun-soon, president of Hyundai-Kia Motors' R&D division, the Spectra family may not retain the name. Our assumption is the Korean company plans to globalize their naming of products, dubbing the new coupe and sedan the Forte. We just hope is it doesn't end up being called the "Koup" if only to ensure we don't have to put up with months of Koup-a Commander jokes. But, whither the five-door? Well, that's taking a flying leap off a short pier and back to Korea as it reportedly will no longer be a part of the Korean automaker's product plan for the United States. But back to the Coupe — let's talk design language. More »

alternative energy

VW Golf Twin Drive Plug-In Hybrid Diesel Makes Prius Look Thirsty

The combination of a fuel-sipping diesel engine with plug-in hybrid technology is something that hasn't really been utilized — until now. This is the Volkswagen Golf Twin Drive Concept, and it looks even more promising than VW's late Golf TDI Hybrid from Geneva. Evidently, the Twin Drive can be run in electric-only mode for a range of up to 30 miles using an 82 HP electric motor. But, there's also a 2.0-liter turbo-diesel that makes 122 HP which can take over once the batteries have been drained. When the two powerplants combine, you become Captain Planet have a parallel hybrid with about 174 HP. The range is aided even further by regenerative braking to charge the batteries, and start-stop technology that shuts the engine off when idling in traffic. But is all of this just a techno' showcase? Or will it actually be made available for normal people to save fuel with?


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