The Audi R25 is basically the wet dream of Audi Design Center California and the Audi racing team. Imagine an R10 on acid with a bespoke race track and virtual reality viewing for spectators. Bonkers? Yes. Awesome? Ja.

We've seen the Mitsubishi MMR25 before, and the spidery-footed Mitsu is a more impressive concept now that we know it isn't just total baloney. There are actually wheels out there designed for fork lifts that share this design and it allows the vehicle to move sideways. That would certainly liven up the WRC wouldn't it?

This one is a race car for the Mad Max future. The BMW salt flat racer is powered by everyday hydrogen but built of scrap — leftover barrels, barbecue grill lids, etc. Heck, there are even fish swimming around in the "fuel" tank.

Mercedes proves racing doesn't really need to have fuel with the Formula Zero. Something of a hybrid between a sailboat and an ice racer, the Formula Zero is perfect for the distant future where racing on open water is impossible because there isn't any.

Now here's an EV we can get behind. The GM Chaparral Volt is designed and an EV racer first, but also takes inspiration from the legendary Chapparal 2J and uses rear turbines to capture wind power during braking, but also provide suction under power. The Volt does it's best 70' funk band impersonation and pulls power from earth, wind, and fire, or, geothermal, aerodynamics, and the sun.

The Toyota Lemans Racer is a shape changing race car with efficiency in mind. The car uses hydrogen fuel cells and photovoltaics for power to the electric motors, but it also shifts from a wide stance for cornering to a narrow on for high speed. It's actually fairly realistic, but could definitely use a more creative name.

Land, sea, and air, this Honda entry is designed to run in a reimagined "Great Race." The competitors would circumnavigate the Earth in 24 hours by land through the United States, by sea through Asia and by air over Europe. That's a hell of an ambitious race if you ask us, sure would be sweet though.

The VW Bio Runner imagines a Baja 100 race with a 10 gallon limit and no holds barred. The Bio Runner would be equipped with ultra efficient turbine engines (is that an oxymoron?) running at 500,000 rpm powering the machine through curves which it could lean into like a motorcycle. Almost as interesting is the hook-up to a helicopter to get the racers out of trouble when they wreck their rides.

Kaaaaaaaaan! Mazda Kaan that is, designed to race on a conductive surface which not only provides super smooth running up to 250 MPH, but powers the car on electrons only. And it looks like a shoe... to boot!

[Design Los Angeles]

Mitsubishi Motors Enters its Innovative 2025 Rally Racer for LA Auto Show’s Design Challenge

Continuing its world racing heritage and its industry leading expertise in electric vehicles, Mitsubishi Motors has introduced the most revolutionary racing technology that will defy automotive racing standards in the year 2025.

Mitsubishi's MMR25 is an all-electric race car powered by a revolutionary drivetrain the future has not yet imagined. This forward-looking, high output powertrain is comprised of four lightweight, high-efficiency, in-wheel electric motors whose output is boosted with the help of eight supplemental motors. The batteries are next generation units, which are more powerful, fully recyclable and can run up to 1,000 miles on a single charge. Specially developed uniform composite Nano fibers give the Lithium batteries their long life and reduced weight. These powerful, yet compact battery packs are located in the center and on each side of the vehicle and are positioned low to the ground for enhanced stability and a lower center of gravity.

The MMR25 incorporates an omnidirectional wheel design that consists of eight independently-controlled electric motors within each wheel hub. This makes the MMR25 the first and only “8 x 4” wheel drive vehicle. The rotational direction of the tires allows the vehicle to be driven forward while pointing the nose of the vehicle in any direction, instead of drifting you can actually drive sideways (or at any angle.) Innovative “Oblique Aerodynamics” gives the vehicle aero advantages when driving sideways.

A driver sits inside a windowless pod just below the center wing. The center wing spoiler is located directly over the cabin, which rises and lowers as the vehicle moves sideways. This pod is surrounded by a seamless, 360-degree panoramic screen displaying images from outside cameras. Removing the heavy glass windows significantly reduces vehicle weight and enables the driver to see changing environmental and track conditions throughout the day. Special Memory Metal Alloy is used in fabricating the sophisticated front and rear spoilers, which also act as suspension blades.

GM took the LA Auto Show's Design Challenge for the second year in a row. Last year, the General won for its hipster RV, the GMC PAD . This year, it took home the blue ribbon for its Hummer O2, a hydrogen-powered, half plant, half SUV of the future, with a phototropic body shell that produces oxygen — like leaves — shape-shifting tires that adapt to the driving environment and hydraulic motors built into each wheel. Built from recycled materials, the O2 — like all other entries — would have a life span of 60 months, which would make it a poor candidate if GM ever decides to reinstate the 72-month 0% financing deal. – Mike Spinelli

Related:
More on the LA Design Challenge Entries; GMC PAD Takes Design Prize [internal]

Press Release:

GM Wins First Place in Blue Sky Concept Design

LOS ANGELES - GM Advanced Design has won the Los Angeles Auto Show's Design Challenge for the second year in a row. This year's winning entry is a two-dimensional rendering of a 2015 Blue Sky Concept that addresses environmental sustainability. Called the HUMMER 02, this design proves that daily use of a vehicle could result in a net gain for the environment.

The 2006 Design Challenge theme is Environmental Sustainability, a challenge for design studios to transform the future of driving into an environmental experience. Contest guidelines also required that vehicle entries be 100-percent recyclable and have a maximum lifespan of just 60 months. GM's entry is presented as a series of two-dimensional images, not as a 3D model.

Designers at GM's West Coast Advanced Design Studio in Southern California tackled the far-reaching challenge - to develop a concept that resulted in a net gain for the environment. The GM team crafted an entry that surpasses the contest's sustainability principles: the HUMMER O2 Concept.

"The HUMMER O2 epitomizes the ethos of the true Southern California outdoors enthusiast with rugged capability, a 'tread lightly' contact system and construction methods promoting safety, accessibility and reusability," said Frank Saucedo, director, GM Advanced Design in California . "Most vehicles in L.A. spend 95 percent of their time outdoors subjected to sunlight, so why couldn't a vehicle give back?"

To fully understand the HUMMER O2, the GM team believes that terms commonly associated with ecology and biology work best.

Photosynthesis

The HUMMER 02 Concept features a revolutionary phototropic body shell that produces pure oxygen throughout the life of the vehicle. Algae-filled body panels transform carbon dioxide into pure oxygen that is subsequently released back into the environment and inside the vehicle.

"The panels essentially function as the 'leaves' of the HUMMER O2 and effectively clean the air in the surrounding environment," said Saucedo. "Used algae are recycled as biomass for the further production of energy."

Breathing

The HUMMER 02 promotes the production of oxygen by a two-way valve system in the corner of each panel. The sophisticated devices control and monitor the amount of carbon dioxide and source nutrition needed for the algae cultivation while optimizing oxygen production and distribution.

Energy

Four modular and self-contained fuel cells power hydraulic motors built into each wheel. A hydrogen tank is placed in an ideal central location for safety and structural purposes, becoming the "heart" of the vehicle.

Footprint

Active Tread TM tires provide low resistance on the highway while allowing excellent off-road progress as their shape changes - adapting to and protecting the surrounding environment.

Structure

Finally, to further reduce environmental impact, the HUMMER O2's construction specifies the use of 100-percent post-consumer materials, including an aluminum frame, seats finished with Volatile Organic Components-free (VOC-free) materials and glazing via PETE (similar to everyday consumer packaging, such as soda bottles).

The GM West Coast Advanced Design Studio won the 2005 Design Challenge competition with its GMC PAD Concept, a mobile urban loft designed for the L.A. environment.

With the Los Angeles Auto Show coming up next month, automakers have submitted their entrants for this year's LA Design Challenge. As in prior years, companies have whipped up concept cars that fit a theme representing what's broadly considered to be the Los Angeles lifestyle. Previous winners include the La Salle Fatty Arbuckle's Coke Bottle (1924), the Honda Casablanca Records' Cocaine Budget (1977) and the Volkswagen How Is It That Paulie Shore Keeps Getting Work? (1989). This year's winner will be announced in November at the show. [Gallery] – Mike Spinelli

Related:
Recy-ycle: The LA Design Challenge [internal]

The LA Design Challenge is on for another year, with designers again attempting to render the California mojo in sheetmetal. The first shot came from Mercedes North America designers, who imagined the Recy roadster (pictured), which would incorporate wood, alloys, glass and rubber to make it 100 percent recyclable — and perfect for Californians who manage their carbon profile as if it was a 401k. The winner will be announced on November 30 at the LA Auto Show. Click through for a full list of entries.

* Acura FCX 2020 Le Mans — Acura Design Center
* Audi Dynamic Space Frame — Volkswagen/Audi Design Center California
* Honda Extreme — Honda Research & Development
* Hummer O2 — General Motors Advanced Design, California
* Kia Sandstorm — Hyundai Kia America Design Center
* Mercedes-Benz RECY — Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design of North America
* Mini BioMoke — BMW Group DesignworksUSA
* Toyota RLV — CALTY Design Research
* Volkswagen Nanospyder — Volkswagen/Audi Design Center California

Related:
LA Voice on the Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge [internal]