Toyota Auto Body Alphard Hercule Concept If vans have a reputation for being land yachts, why not make one into a literal rolling boat fo...
Showing posts with label Concept Car. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Concept Car. Show all posts
The 10 most expensive auction cars of 2014
According to the market experts at Hagerty, 2014 was a banner year for collector-car sales, with more than $1.3 billion in action from th...
Paris Motor Show: Peugeot Onyx Concept
Peugeot's supercars have always made the eyes of both children and adults shine. In 2012, the Marque is again creating a dream with the ...
BMW i8 Concept Spyder
What's most stunning about the BMW i8 Concept Spyder the German automaker isn't the 350-hp plug-in hybrid technology, the laser-po...
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Showing posts with label Concept Car. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Concept Car. Show all posts
Friday, 30 October 2015
Toyota Auto Body Alphard Hercule Concept
Toyota Auto Body Alphard Hercule Concept
If vans have a reputation for being land yachts, why not make one into a literal rolling boat for the wealthy? The Alphard Hercule from Toyota Auto Body (a Toyota subsidiary) offers a yacht-rock take on the family hauler. From the cowcatcher grille to the folding canvas roof to the wraparound bench seats and crystal champagne flutes, the Hercule comes off as a minivan for Lex Luthor’s kids.
If vans have a reputation for being land yachts, why not make one into a literal rolling boat for the wealthy? The Alphard Hercule from Toyota Auto Body (a Toyota subsidiary) offers a yacht-rock take on the family hauler. From the cowcatcher grille to the folding canvas roof to the wraparound bench seats and crystal champagne flutes, the Hercule comes off as a minivan for Lex Luthor’s kids.
Two years ago, Honda showed off the “Omni Traction Drive,” a wheel with special bands that could allow a vehicle to move sideways. The Honda Wander Stand envisions how Honda could put such an idea to use in the cramped alleys of Tokyo, with a two-seat self-driving vehicle that can scamper diagonally and park itself in tiny corners.
Several new cars have vanes that open or close at speed to improve aerodynamics, but what if a car could change its entire shape? Hence the Flesby, a project by Toyota satellite supplier Toyota Gosei that features several green air bags in place of bodywork. Depending on the driving situation, the bags change shape to look sportier or sleeker, like a Transformer made of Play-Doh.
A quarter of Japan’s population is 65 or older, and the Tokyo show had a whole section devoted to personal scooters and powered wheelchairs. The Daihatsu Norioriwas designed to haul all those mobility solutions around, thanks to huge side doors, a sliding ramp, minimal ground clearance and self-driving features.
“Noriori” is Japanese for “getting on and off.” Inside the van-let, the seats fold away so that wheelchairs can be parked in place.
No automaker has ever recaptured the magic of the original Volkswagen bus, but the Suzuki Air Triser comes close. With a two-tone paint and airy cabin that can be reconfigured, the Air Triser was one of the few concepts that had some grounding in reality.
When parked, the seats of the Air Triser can be folded several ways, like this near-camper effect.
All of the autonomous driving vehicles unveiled by automakers in Tokyo lacked two things: menace, and a robot body. Into that gap rushed Yamaha, which revealed the Motobot, a robot it says it’s developing to ride any given sport bike up to 124 mph on a racetrack. No word on when automakers would give their self-driving car systems the power to feel jealous.
Every auto show has a few obsessive answers to the question of “how do we get today’s tech-obsessed youth interested in cars?” Nissan’s exploration was called the Teatro For Dayz, and imagines a world where “share natives” expect to post every moment to social media
The Teatro For Dayz uses several projectors to cover the interior of the vehicle in video, patterns and incoming Snapchats. Of course, all of this overwhelms the actual act of driving, which the car takes care of on its own. Given today’s trends, Nissan may have a point.
Of all the concepts at the Tokyo show, the Kikai was the sole representative of the spirit of hot-rodding. In some angles it looked like a moon buggy, in others there were hints of Ford hi-boy roadsters. While other concepts overflowed with tech, the Kikai doesn’t even have a radio
Toyota said the Kikai was designed to show off the engineering usually hidden by bodywork. It seats three with the driver in the center—a move that was especially refreshing at this Tokyo show. The next Tokyo show two years from now will have even more robotic, high-tech creations; one only hopes there’s still room for the machines meant to make driving exciting.
Monday, 29 December 2014
The 10 most expensive auction cars of 2014
According to the market experts at Hagerty, 2014 was a banner year for collector-car sales, with more than $1.3 billion in action from the major events in Arizona, Pebble Beach and elsewhere. Here's the Hagerty list of the 10 most expensive cars sold at auction this year
Forget Wall Street, or Silicon Valley. Oh, to be a dealer in exotic cars. Your biggest problem would be where to stash all the loot.
Consider that 2013 was surely thought to be a high water mark in the collectible car world, with $1.2 billion in auction house sales. But 2014 will beat that, notching $1.3 billion in hawked sheetmetal — about a third of that during Pebble Beach’s iconic auction week — thanks in large part to vintage Ferrari sales that continue to beggar belief.
Consider that the 10 most expensive cars sold this year were all Prancing Horse models from the ‘50s or ‘60s, which combined brought in north of $125 million. For just ten cars.
Numero uno? A 1962 Ferrari GTO that Bonhams sold for $38 million. Second? A 275 GTB/C for $26 million hammered down by RM Auctions. Well, let’s see, what’ll it be today, a new sprawling ranch in Colorado, or a car?
“It was another banner year for classic cars, with gains at the top-end and more modest growth for the bulk of the market,” says McKeel Hagerty, CEO of the classic car insurer Hagerty, which tallied the 2014 auction stats.
While the Ferrari numbers don’t surprise Hagerty, interest in cars for far saner prices suggest 2015 may witness a new crop of stars coming to the fore. “For example,” he says, “as some people have been priced out of the Shelby Cobra market, they have shifted their focus to Sunbeam Tigers, a lightweight British roadster with an American V8.”
Conversations with execs from four top auction houses echo a few overlapping themes, while revealing some disagreement over some hot models will continue their meteoric rise.
For starters, everyone’s in agreement that these prices are no fluke. Unlike the crazy and largely speculator-driven boom in the late ‘80s, when seemingly anything exotic sold for comical multiples of its true value, today’s huge sales are for vehicles that could well be considered rare automotive art.
“There is a solid foundation around the current boom,” says Alan Squindo, vice president at RM, whose top three sales were the aforementioned 275, a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM ($11 million) and a 1967 Ferrari 275 ($10 million).
“What you won’t hear about are the cars that did not sell for $10 or $20 million. It’s only the cream that rises,” he says. “It’s the best color, the best restoration, the best history. You’ve got to have the perfect storm.”
David Gooding of Gooding and Company is adamant “we’re not in a bubble,” and in fact is not so secretly pleased whenever high-priced cars that perhaps aren’t quite superstars fail to achieve sales figures that should be reserved for truly rare steeds.
“Some cars’ (valuations) had been going up too fast I thought, which wasn’t sustainable, so it’s great to see sanity prevail,” says Gooding, whose top three sellers were a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT ($15 million), a 1955 Aston Martin DB3S ($5.5 million) and a world-record setting McLaren F1 GTR ($5.2 million). “Naysayers say cars not hitting their mark is a sign of weakness (in the market). No, I say that just shows that there is always strong demand for fresh, quality cars at the right price.”
Frank Mecum, 2014 represented “our biggest year of growth yet, in fact, we are enjoying peak years that I feel will continue for another two or three.”
Mecum’s outfit is particularly known for its sales of classic American iron, and this past year saw some big numbers for a range of machines. Topping the heap was a 1964 Ford GT40 Prototype, which fetched $7 million. Next was a 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda at $3.5 million, and third was yet another Ferrari, this one a 1961 Ferrari 250 Series II Cabriolet at $2.2 million.
“For 2015, I’m predicting more growth in a broader range of marques,” says Mecum. “And I’ll go ahead and say that the biggest growth could be in motorcycles. For such a long time it’s been a small hobby, but I see that changing.”
Drew Alcazar of Russo and Steele says he has been through three classic car booms and busts. And while he’s been the beneficiary of this most recent explosion in values — top three in 2014: 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL at $1.3, 1966 Lamborghini 350GT at $740,000 and a 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona at $730,000 — he thinks today’s prices are causing some exotic owners to be overly optimistic.
“It’s interesting, today you talk to someone about consigning their (Ferrari) 330 GTC or even a Daytona or Dino, and they don’t want to sell them,” says Alcazar. “They seem sure their cars will be worth double soon. But will these prices leap exponentially as they have in the past 18 months? No.”
He uses the example of a classic ‘50s Mercedes Gullwing, which in roughly six years has tripled in value from $500,000 to $1.5 million. “Will that car triple again by 2020?” he asks. “I doubt it.”
Like all the top auto auction houses, Russo and Steele looks to the annual week-long car extravaganza in Pebble Beach as both a showpiece and guideline for the industry. While this past summer’s event raked in an impressive $430 million, Alcazar saw hints of sanity in the crazy sales.
“I noticed a leveling at Monterey this year, a hesitancy to perpetuate the exponential compounding of values for some cars,” he says, pointing specifically to Porsche’s legendary air-cooled 911 sports car. While very special editions of the model continue to see mushrooming values - such as rare RS, Turbo and Speedster variants — Alcazar says that 2015 may be the year that more pedestrian model values fall back to earth.
“The 911 is a special car, but it’s important to understand there are a ton of them out there,” he says, and Porsche itself brags that some 70% of its vehicles are still on the road today. “People will always pay for stellar, no stories cars. But the rest, they may not.”
As the new classic car auction calendar unfolds in Scottsdale, Ariz., next month with events from Gooding, RM, Barrett-Jackson and others, it will be interesting to see what their top sales tell us about the year to come.
Tuesday, 5 February 2013
Paris Motor Show: Peugeot Onyx Concept
Peugeot's supercars have always made the eyes of both children and adults shine. In 2012, the Marque is again creating a dream with the supercar of the 21st century: the Onyx
Sculpted using materials processed as little as possible, this supercar has been created by enthusiasts who have drawn their inspiration from the world of competition.
With its V8 engine in a central rear position, the Onyx propels its admirers into a world of high performance, controlled in all circumstances thanks to intuitive instruments and controls
In addition to its stunning aesthetics, it explores new 'raw' materials, to take efficiency to another level.
Furthermore, it is the only one to offer a comprehensive range of personal means of transport: bicycles, scooters, cars and light utility vehicles. The Onyx Concept Bike and Onyx Concept Scooter are also expressed with this vision of the future
The sharp bodywork calls out with the striking contrast of its materials and colours. Fashioned by hand by a master craftsman, the wings and doors are pure copper sheet.
A polished mirror, this metal does not need to resort to tricks to protect itself. So, its appearance will change over time, gaining a patina. The Onyx is alive! As for the other panels of the bodywork, these are carbon fibre, painted matt black.
Slicing through the air with finesse, the front face unites the vertical grille and full LED lamps, tapered, their surface area reduced to a minimum. The flow then separates; some penetrates into the heart of the vehicle, flowing inside the bodywork and the structure to supply the engine with air.
The remainder of the flow spreads, skimming along the sides and the 'double-bubble' roof. Finishing off the Onyx with beauty, the rear lamps adopt a light signature with three claws now characteristic of Peugeot. They also support small spoilers which direct the upper and side flows. These reunite as far as possible from the bodywork to reduce drag. With a Cd of 0.30, the aerodynamic impact of the Onyx is inversely proportional to its visual impact.
A link between experience and the future, the Onyx incorporates the present by paying tribute to the RCZ through its 'double-bubble' roof and aluminium arches. With complete transparency, revealing the carbon fibre structure and the passenger compartment, the windows and roof are made of PMMA (PolyMethyl MethAcrylate). Enclosing the cocoon, they guarantee the occupants' optimum protection due to its ultra-resistant structure
A link between experience and the future, the Onyx incorporates the present by paying tribute to the RCZ through its 'double-bubble' roof and aluminium arches. With complete transparency, revealing the carbon fibre structure and the passenger compartment, the windows and roof are made of PMMA (PolyMethyl MethAcrylate). Enclosing the cocoon, they guarantee the occupants' optimum protection due to its ultra-resistant structure
Sunday, 15 April 2012
BMW i8 Concept Spyder
What's most stunning about the BMW i8 Concept Spyder the German automaker isn't the 350-hp plug-in hybrid technology, the laser-powered headlights or the auto-show touches such as folding electric kickboards. It's that BMW plans to build something with most of these features, in a car looking much like this, within a few years. This is not a dream. The latest evolution of BMW i-Series concepts expected at this week's New York auto show wears an exterior that while still futuristic, represents a viable look at what BMW will build in two years. When BMW chief designer Adrian von Hooydonk told us in Detroit the production i8s would strongly resemble the concepts, this -- the layered bodywork, the laser headlights and the tri-tone accents -- was what he meant. Even the i8 Concept Spyder's scissor doors look less showy than purposeful here.
The latest evolution of BMW i-Series concepts expected at this week's New York auto show wears an exterior that while still futuristic, represents a viable look at what BMW will build in two years. When BMW chief designer Adrian von Hooydonk told us in Detroit the production i8s would strongly resemble the concepts, this -- the layered bodywork, the laser headlights and the tri-tone accents -- was what he meant. Even the i8 Concept Spyder's scissor doors look less showy than purposeful here
Like most auto show concepts, the i8 Concept Spyder moves thanks to a combination of battery and engine -- namely a 96 kW electric motor tied to a 223-hp turbocharged three cylinder engine, for a total output of 354 hp. Unlike most concepts, BMW pledges hard performance targets of 0-60 mph in about five seconds, some 19 miles on electric power alone, a top speed of 155 mph and fuel economy of 94 mpg in European testing.
That kind of performance was made possible by BMW's engineering efforts around the body, mating a carbon-fiber passenger cell to aluminum subframes for the engine and battery. Doing so, BMW claims, allowed it to eliminate the extra weight a plug-in hybrid system usually carries while maintaining the 50/50 front-rear weight split for handling that BMW owners rejoice in. And BMW has programmed the system to choose front, rear or all-wheel-drive as it sees fit.
Inside, BMW's promising a welter of intelligent software advancements that would anticipate drivers' needs, such warming the batteries before departure or finding charging stations along a route. It claims the batteries can be recharged in under two hours from a standard household outlet, and while at your destination the i8 Concept Spyder has two folding electric kickboards -- essentially Razor scooters with mini motors -- which the automaker touts as "perfect for relaxed cruising along promenades and paths or around city squares
Those won't make it off the auto show floor. But the rest of BMW i8 Concept Spyder appears tantalizingly close, although rumors from Europe suggest the i-Series will match their high goals with high prices, possibly above $100,000. Even then, if BMW can produce something with this performance and design, the future will have a new classic
BMW i8 Concept Spyder
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