ALL AUTOCARS

The result of close technological collaboration between Venturi Automobiles and Michelin, the Venturi Volage, marks a major step forward in the evolution of the Automobile. This new Venturi incorporates innovations which have enabled radical changes in terms of the vehicle’s architecture, style, dynamic behaviour and, more generally, the design of a modern vehicle. All these changes constitute several world premières which, with the presentation of the Venturi Volage, reinforce Venturi’s capability for constant innovation, as well as its position as the most advanced company in the field of electric vehicles.

The Volage takes the electric sports car concept and really runs with it — the all carbon-fiber car is equipped with the first application we've seen of the Michelin Active Wheel, the compact unit using in-wheel electric drive motors is installed at all four corners with a suspension driven by a second set of e-motors. With 4 drive wheels with active suspension, the Venturi Volage has no equivalent. “Michelin Active Wheel” technology in fact incorporates 2 electric motors per wheel (1 for suspension and 1 for drive), ie. a total of 8 electric motors piloted in real time by spearhead electronics.

Playing down the mechanical aspect in favor of electronics, close to the concept of a robot, this car belongs to a new era, the digital era. Thanks to a dashboard touch screen, the driver can configure the vehicle entirely as he wishes. This total control marks significant progress in terms of management, particularly of the energy stored in the car’s batteries: the driver can, for example, decide to give preference in certain cases to range rather than power, comfort rather than speed, an important factor for an electric car.

The only part that the Venturi Volage shares with the Venturi Fétish is its carbon fiber bodywork. Developed by the Venturi Design Office, this body is still a unique concept worldwide, as it is the only one to have been specifically designed to be that of an electric car and thus carry batteries within its very structure. The ideal distribution of the Venturi Volage’s masses - 45% at the front, 55% at the rear – and its perfectly mastered weight of 1,075 kilos enable it to attain 100 km/hr (62 mph) in less than 5 seconds.

A real demonstration of spearhead technology, the car presented in its world première is entirely operational and prefigures the production of a limited series of this model, scheduled as from 2012. Like the Venturi Fétish assembled in our workshops in Monaco, the Venturi Volage will be assembled by hand, in the form of very limited production. 

The technological repercussions of these two cars positioned at the very top end of the market are to be found on other vehicles bearing the Venturi brand, enabling as many people as possible to benefit from the firm’s advances in the field of sustainable mobility.

Once in a blue moon in the automotive industry an unique vehicle comes to play. Such vehicle is 2500SF roadster from Dutch Heynsdyk. The Dutch have always had a penchant for the bizarre and unorthodox. From their unique 'coffee shops', to their individualist sense of style the people of Holland have always liked to go their own way. And that applies to car design as well. Spyker supercars are from Holland, and whether you love them or hate them, they really are very different in style to any other vehicle on the road.

A small independent builder in Eindhoven has given further weight to the argument by introducing this, the Heynsdyk 2500SF. Designed and engineered by Ronald Heijnsdijk, the car is based on the Porsche 944 platform and is essentially a kit car which can be ordered in component or fully finished form. However instead of being some sort of generic copy of another the vehicle, the 2500SF has a completely original style which is a mixture of hits and misses.

2010 Heynsdyk 2500SF roadster 

This is the Heynsdyk 2500SF from Holland: a bespoke body placed over the engine, electronics, and drivetrain of a Porsche 944. The design process took years to complete, but the decision to base the car on the 944 was made quickly. 100% galvanized, reliable and readily available. The substantially lighter body, in galvanized steel, takes weight down to 900 kilograms (1,980 pounds) while maintaining 50/50 weight distribution. There are six engine choices, from a basic 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 163 horsepower, to a 2.5-liter four-pot S-motor with a turbo. That one will get you 250 horsepower, and from 0 to 60 in six seconds. Top speed is limited to 250 kilometers per hour (155 miles per hour). The transmission is handled by a 5 speed manual which sends the power to the rear wheels.

2010 Heynsdyk 2500SF roadster 

Specification   

Year               : 2010

Engine             : four cylinder, 2.5 cylinder, Turbo or naturally aspirated

Transmission    : 5 speed manual, RWD

Max speed      : 155 mph (limited)

0-60 mph        : 6 seconds (turbo)

Horsepower    :    250 horsepower (turbo)

weight             : 900 kgs / 1,980 lbs

The front angle is by far and away the worst area of the vehicle aesthetically. Here a random and mismatched assortment of lights and grilles come together to form a unique but far from pretty face. In profile things start to get better, and the proportions of the car are generally quite pleasing. The car shows off its best side when viewed from the rear. The well thought out mix of nicely sculpted roll bars, beefed up wheel arches, neat taillights and sloping decklid come together very well indeed.

You can buy the car as a kit or a finished product, and prices start at €14,750 ($20,798 U.S.) for the kit, or €36,995 ($52,158 U.S.) for a ready runner. Like its countrymate Spyker, what the car might lack in beauty it makes up for in unique and arresting looks.

Source: Heynsdyk.com

The Versa-Quatic concept car is eco-friendly and allows its drivers to sit in a motorcycle-style position, for an experience you usually get on two wheels. As such, you’ll use your upper and lower body to turn the vehicle, speed it up and even stop this crazy ride. Just don’t lean your bodies in opposite directions, in case there are two drivers running the automobile

WIRED collected the winners of the Royal College of Art’s Green Concept Car competition. As they say: Practicality is the last thing anyone considers when designing concept cars. A car made of glass? Windows like gun slits? …But practicality isn’t the point. Concept cars are flights of fantasy carrying auto design into the future.

Since our future will be a place where a gallon of gas costs more than a gallon of Scotch, the students at Royal College of Art designed their cars that run on things like electricity and algal fuel.” These are some of the most imaginitive and forward-thinking designs we’ve ever seen. Lots of people try to do advanced concepts, but some of these are off the moon. The above car was designed by Paul Howse — its a “luxury” car called the Enigma, and its electric motors would be solar-powered. Oh, and the passenger compartment uses “magnetic levitation” to lift and separate it from the rest of the car.

Holy crap, it makes that Minority Report Lexus look like an AMC Gremlin. Check the link to see them all; they’re all worth a gander. Some are made of cloth, others have living room-inspired interiors that have high levels of IKEA-like customization possible. Beautiful. Below is the winner of the Best Design Interpretation Award at the Pilkington Automotive Vehicle Design Awards. Frenchie Pierre Sabas’ Airflow has wheel-mounted electric motors and is made entirely of glass

At the 2010 Geneva Motor Show the German tuning firm Carlsson, who unsurprisingly specialize in modding Mercedes-Benz models, will unveil the C25 - an insanely aggressive 753 horsepower monster.

Carlsson C25 is the first self-developed automobile from Carlsson and are presenting C25 at Geneva Auto Show this March. The concept of this Super-GT is based on the vision of combining maximum driving performance with an entirely new design and high exclusiveness. The result is a breathtaking and beautiful sports coupé with 753 hp in a limited edition of only 25 cars world-wide. Thereby, each automobile will be as individual as its future owner.

Carlsson presents an own developed automobile at this year’s Geneva Motor Show – the Carlsson C25 Limited Super-GT. The concept of this Super-GT is based on the vision of combining maximum driving performance with an entirely new design and high exclusiveness. The result is a breathtaking and beautiful sports coupé with 753 hp in a limited edition of only 25 cars world-wide.

The performance data of the six litre V12 Bi-Turbo is impressive. The high-performance aggregate with a motor management optimisation patented by Carlsson renders 753 hp (554 kW) and allows fast acceleration as well as smooth travels at lower speeds. Also responsible for the perfect performance evolvement is the elaborately developed stainless steel exhaust system with ends in four edgy pipes at the back. The power catapults the C25 with a torque of 1320 Newton metres at 3750 r.p.m. which is electronically limited to 1,150 Newton metres from 0 to 100 km/h in only 3.7 seconds and achieves a maximum speed of 352 km/h.

The Carlsson C25 Super-GT Concept also comes with an ultra-light and forged wheels 1/10 UL in the dimensions 9,5×20 and 12×20 inches have been especially designed for the C25 and are equipped with high performance tyres measuring 265/30 at the front and 325/25 at the rear live axle.