There are a lot of things you can do with your car. All you need are the following resources. And for the Subaru, a couple of concept vehicles will be showcased at the 2009 SEMA Show from November 3 to 6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center which are sure to surprise and make motorists drool in envy. The concept cars up for showing are a custom-built Subaru Imprezza WRX STI and Legacy VIP.

The Subaru Imprezza WRX STI should be a great trip to see how some add-ons can totally change the design features of this vehicle, with some help of course from the SPT catalog. For the Legacy VIP, combines the SPT with some of the VIP rants that deliver luxury enjoyment in a vehicle with class. Topping all of this is the Subaru Micro Van, a special SPT delivery van that promises to deliver go-fast parts very slowly via a 25 horsepower complement.

(Source) Press

Tags: complement, Concept Cars, concept vehicles, delivery van, design features, drool, envy, great trip, horsepower, las vegas convention center, Legacy, micro van, motorists, rants, sema show, Subaru, subaru imprezza wrx, subaru imprezza wrx sti, vegas convention center

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Concept cars will always come in all shapes and sizes. But then again, don’t expect them to carry the usual appealing car designs we have been used to from the past years. Futuristic concepts often carry a dome shaped if not oval concept which are associated on what the future looks like. For some designers, the whole concept is perhaps to complement the car make and seating accommodations which is very important.

However, you may find this new concept car donning a familiar shape. It does look like the traditional vacuum cleaner on three wheels. The Circulus Car runs on hydrogen fuel cell power. Just like most modern vehicles, it is designed for one driver and a passenger. It carries the large front glass which we see in futuristic movies and is actually an entry into the 2009 Michelin Challenge design contest.

Again, this is only a concept for now. But this early, weird or not, you can bet that this car already has an identity as the “vacuum cleaner car”!

(Source) Dvice

Tags: car designs, car source, circulus, concept car, Concept Cars, design contest, designers, fuel cell power, futuristic concepts, futuristic movies, hydrogen fuel cell, michelin, seating accommodations, shape, shapes and sizes, three wheels, vacuum

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The electric car is all the rave these days. And while we have seen a lot of concept cars in the making, many compare it to the route of the Apollo Programs’ Lunar Rover which took years to complete. In the same way, electric cars are still a bit lagging and one derivative is cost. However, most critics feel that pricing structures may be a hindrance, especially if the current economic situation does not improve. For example, would you pay over $15,000 for an electric car?

“What people overlook is that accomplishing ‘big picture’ programs like Apollo require accepting the concept of unlimited spending to achieve the mission,” says Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the industry authority Green Car Journal and editor of GreenCar.com. “Current levels of unprecedented federal spending notwithstanding, electric cars are not an exclusive answer to future transportation challenges and consumers will not be willing to buy them at all costs.”

The primary culprit is not the car. Automakers in the 1990s proved they could produce full-function electric vehicles offering the attributes that most drivers expect, although with limited driving range of about 100 miles or so. What they couldn’t do was replace a gas tank with an advanced battery pack that cost less than $20,000 to $30,000. Extraordinarily high battery cost is why we’re seeing newly-announced battery electric sedans with a retail cost of $45,000 to $55,000.

(Source) Press

Tags: apollo program, apollo programs, automakers, car journal, cogan, Concept Cars, current economic situation, driving range, editor and publisher, electric car, electric cars, electric vehicles, federal spending, future transportation, gas tank, hindrance, lunar rover, sedans, transportation challenges

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In a move that is expected to prepare them for the larger demands for their small-sized cars, Toyota Motor’s of Japan has announced that they will be cutting costs in production for their compact cars by $1.44 billion annually. Toyota aims to approach their car manufacturing practices wisely as they are definitely learning the lessons from the debacle that has hit auto giants GM and Chrysler.

Toyota has been trying to compete with the big boys as luxury cars and eco-friendly concept cars have risen at the moment in attention. However, reality check reveals that with the growing interest and plans of most standing car companies, overlooking their famed compact cars such as the Corolla and the Vits should not be left out.

Hence, while the luxury and eco-friendly car market promise to rack in profits, the same is foreseen for their regular compact cars. And with the right tweaks, there is no doubt that they can expect some revenue contributions from these cars as well as people are wising up their motoring needs as well by turning to smaller compact cars that consume fuel economically.

(Source) Asia One

Tags: big boys, car companies, car market, Chrysler, compact car, compact cars, Concept Cars, corolla, GM, luxury cars, toyota motor, tweaks, vits

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Going compact or small is the trend these days and while many are relying on the information from publications, the web and the ever reliable word of mouth, others may find it better to catch a glimpse of the best Microcars at the New York International Automobile Show sponsored by The Vintage Microcar Club. The Microcar display includes a 1965 Peel P50 owned by The Lane Motor Museum that seats one person and is powered by a 50cc 2-stroke motor. Only 46 were originally produced and 22 survive today.

“Recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as ‘The Smallest Production Car Ever Made’, the Microcar display is sure to be a huge hit with show goers large and small,” said John LaSorsa, NYIAS Chairman.

Ushering in the latest motor trends, the 2009 New York International Auto Show will unveil an expansive collection of cutting-edge design and extraordinary innovation. More than four floors of displays from the world’s automakers will feature the newest vehicles and futuristic concept cars. More than 1,000 cars and trucks will be on display. NYIAS is owned and produced by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.

(Source) Press

Tags: automobile dealers association, Concept Cars, expansive collection, futuristic concept, guinness book of world, guinness book of world records, international auto show, lasorsa, microcars, motor trends, new york auto, new york auto show, new york international auto show, production car, small cars, stroke motor

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Hyundai is thinking hybrid thoughts and the car maker has unveiled a new plug-in hybrid concept, the BLUE-WILL, which will make its first public appearance at the Seoul Motor Show next week. The BLUE-WILL will get you a direct-injected 1.6-liter gas engine, a CVT transmission and a 100kw electric motor. The car will offer you more eco-friendly features like headlamp bezels made from recycled plastic bottles or it will use plastics developed from plant extracts. The BLUE-WILL is just a concept car and we have much to find out. Will it be a hit in the near future?

via Engadget

Tags: BLUE-WILL, Concept Cars, hybrid, Hyundai, Motor Show, Plug-in, Seoul

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What you see above are the final workings of Romanian designer, lulian Bumbu.

As you could proably already tell from its name and looks, Bumbu incorprated styles that Lamborghini is already known for while combining them with insect body inspired elements. Since it is a Lambo, the carbon fiber body panels and Gallardo power train are to be expected.

“I tried to apply this tipe of organic movements and translate them into Lamborghini’s style so that when you see the car, you can immediately recognize it as a Lambo,” comments Bumbu

If the Insecta were to be produced it would have a theoretical length of 4,300, height of 1,000 mm, width of 2,000 mm, and wheel base of 2,650 mm.

Read (CarBodyDesign)

http://www.carbodydesign.com/archive/2009/03/02-lamborghini-insecta-concept/

Tags: Concept Cars, insecta, Lamborghini

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Toyota seems to be readying its plans to expand its line of hybrid cars. The Japan-based auto manufacturer has revealed plans to sell a tiny, battery-powered car in the U.S. by 2012. The Toyota FT-EV concept car can be recharged at various electrical outlets.

From the looks of it, Toyota is not about to let General Motors leave them behind. And with the growing demand for new electric and hybrid cars still in the air, Toyota will be using these factors to come up with great concept cars that can run on alternative sources of energy.

Toyota is readying the FT-EV as alternatives to gasoline expand. They range from plug-ins, including a version of Toyota’s Prius and GM’s Volt, to electric cars from Nissan Motor Co., Tesla Motors Inc. and Fisker Automotive Inc. Gasoline prices, which set a record in the U.S. last year, and pressure from governments to trim carbon dioxide emissions, are driving demand.

(Source) Bloomberg.com

Tags: alternative sources of energy, alternatives to gasoline, auto manufacturer, battery powered car, carbon dioxide emissions, Concept Cars, electric cars, electrical outlets, fisker automotive, gasoline prices, General Motors, hybrid cars, nissan motor, nissan motor co, Prius, tesla motors inc

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The best thing to expect right now as far as new cars scheduled to be available in the market is concerned, is to see if they will really come out at all. Thank the financial crunch for all of it. A lot of the lined-up concept cars seem to be put on hold as major car companies are trying to find ways to make it through these rough economic times.

General Motors, a prime figure in the celebrated auto bailout issue, has reportedly cancelled the production of the Pontiac “sport truck”. Despite promising figures shown by GM Holden bosses, it is apparent that the proper assessment of the economy at the moment has become the main reason for placing the ultimate boy toy with a six-litre V8 engine on the shelf.

“Carmakers in the US are being especially hard hit due to the global financial crisis and the sports truck is unfortunately one of the casualties,” Senator Carr said. “The US economy is considerably weaker today, than it was when the sports truck was launched early last year.”

(Source) The Australian

Tags: car companies, carmakers, Concept Cars, General Motors, GM, gm holden, litre v8 engine, new cars, Pontiac, pontiac g8, sport truck

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Cars are shrinking and a large part of the reason here is to save on fuel. Today we see a lot of concept cars that have practically shrunk, limiting seating capacity to 2 (includes the driver) and all coming in weird designs. The Lumeneo Smera is one of these weird but practical looking cars and from the looks of it, getting 80 MPH from it is bound to draw some attention for the people looking at alternative modes of transportation the economical way.

The little car is powered by two 20 BHP electric motors feeding off of lithium ion batteries capable of a rechage by way of standard domestic power outlet. The quoted 0-100 KPH time is 8 seconds, which for a super economy car is fantastic.

Source

Tags: alternative modes of transportation, Concept Cars, economy car, lithium, lithium ion batteries, weird designs

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