Team hopes to build 200 eight-wheeled Eliica electric cars

Dr. Hiroshi Shimizu of Tokyo’s Keio University has been working on his Eliica eight-wheeled electric car since 2003, but the Japanese government’s interest in fuel-efficient vehicles has rekindled his efforts, and he’s currently, um… on a roll. The current Eliicas, of which there are currently two, run on lithium-ion batteries and each wheel is driven by a 60 kilowatt engine. The auto’s got a top speed of 230 miles per hour, and Shimizu’s group of engineering students eventually hope to reach 250 miles per hour with new models. The team is currently trying to raise a bunch of money to build 200 of these, which cost somewhere in the realm of $255,000 each. We wish them luck in their endeavors, but can’t imagine Syd Mead’s going to be pleased there’s another futuristic-hearse designer entering the market.


Via: AutoblogGreen

Mercedes’ E-Class to get Attention Assist, still won’t need assistance in getting your attention

We first caught wind of Mercedes Benz’s Attention Assist system just over a year ago, but new details have emerged that pin the E-Class as the first model to bring the innovative tech to well-heeled buyers. By monitoring brainwaves, Mercedes’ engineers were able to identify approximately 70 parameters that can be used to judge fatigue. The whole system, however, depends upon a much more accurate steering sensor that can pick up on sluggishness or other behaviors which could indicate drowsiness or distraction. When the system deems you to be sufficiently distracted or sleepy, it beeps loudly and displays a coffee cup in the dashboard, indicating that a little caffeine is the only thing standing between you and a safe journey. We’re not sure how this will effect our plans to plow our $60,000 car into a snow drift because we were listening to Music for Airports, but we figure we’ll find out soon enough.


Via: Engadget

2010 Kia Soul

I took the Kia Soul for a 10-mile blast around Ann Arbor. First things first, the car looks great. It’s obvious that Kia is trying to imitate Scion with the Soul’s styling, but who cares? It’s cool. Our test car’s red interior is a bit much, but it works. It’s great to see a Korean company having some fun with its designs.That said, don’t look for Mini Cooper fun in the Soul. It’s clear that the underpinnings are from a far less exciting car. The Soul isn’t a bad car, but it isn’t sporty, despite the fact that our test car was the sport model. The large wheels and stiffer suspension just accentuate its economy car roots on bad roads. The 2.0-liter engine has decent torque and midrange punch, but don’t try to rev it to the moon as all you really get is noise. Additionally, the five-speed manual gearbox has vague feel and first gear seemingly disappeared on more than one occasion during my drive. We can only hope that there was something wrong with our test vehicle and the shifter feel we experienced is not typical.Still, the Soul has a ton going for it. Most notably (other than the styling), it’s inexpensive. Our test car included stability control, satellite radio, USB iPod integration, and Bluetooth. The folding rear seats create a flat load floor, and there’s additional hidden storage in back as well. All this for an estimated as-tested price of around $19K. Not bad at all.So throw the Kia Soul in with the other fun-to-look-at cars like the Chrysler PT Cruiser, Scion xB, Honda Element, and the Mini. Just make sure you know that the fun is in the styling and the price point, not the driving dynamics, much like most of its competition.

Via: Automobilemag

Toyota to unveil its all-electric concept, not exactly forthcoming with details

Among the small clutch of green autos on view at the Detroit auto show early next year, Toyota will be debuting an as-yet-unnamed all electric car concept. This is meant to demonstrate the company’s commitment to electric, a move which only makes sense, seeing as the whole “peak oil” thing is pretty much destined to make the gas guzzler obsolete. Still, the car arrives without much fanfare or details — all we really know is that it’s all electric and that it’s smaller than a Prius. This comes after the Japanese automaker’s push into electric fuel cell development and their stated intention to have an EV on the market alongside the next gen Prius hybrid in 2010. Of course, we all thought we’d have flying cars by 2010, but the industry’s inability to produce a robust all-electric motor has certainly put the kibosh on that once great dream.


Via: Wired

Reiter Engineering offers street legal version of Murcielago R-GT racecar

The benefits of motorsports usually have a way of trickling down to road cars, although in this particular case the connection is fairly direct. Reiter Engineering, the factory-backed motorsports company that competes in the FIA GT1 and GT3, recently unveiled a street legal version of its Murcielago R-GT racecar at the Essen Motor Show. The supercar features race-oriented modifications including a carbon fiber front spoiler and rear wing, OZ Racing wheels, and upgraded brakes and suspension components. Reiter also added a new rear fascia, and moved the exhaust system up towards the rear deck lid. Apparently the show car is a one-off, although word has it that it can be had for the right amount of money, and the individual components on the car are also available for purchase.


Via: Autoblog.nl

2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss

There may be no better way to pay tribute to the end of the modern SLR – as well as its racing forbears – than with the new 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss.As the presence of Sir Moss’ name suggests, the latest iteration of the SLR is a direct tribute to the 300 SLR raced by the likes of Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio in the late 1950s. Certainly, it looks like a road racer – apart from two small screens on the cowl, there is no windshield. Likewise, there are no windows and no top, unless you consider a split tonneau cover to be valid protection from the elements.But the SLR Stirling Moss is more than just a topless SLR. We’re most impressed at just how many design cues from the original 1955 300 SLR made their way into the new car. The double-bubble headlamps are replaced with single ovoid units, which – along with exhausts exiting through fender vents and stylish rollover bars – are fairly faithful to the original racer. So too is the spartan interior, which eschews techno-baubles like an audio system and navigation in favor for aluminum accents and plaid seat inserts.Though it looks like the racer of yesteryear, Mercedes notes it’s not exactly a race-prepped vehicle. That’s not to say the Stirling isn’t quick – using the same 650-hp supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 found in the SLR McLaren 722 Edition, it moves from 0 to 62 mph in a scant 3.5 seconds.Wanting one is natural, but acquiring one will be difficult. After production of the SLR Roadster ends in May 2009, the production line in Woking, England, will shift to building the SLR Stirling Moss. Only 75 examples – each carrying a sticker price of approximately $1 million – will be built between June and December, but sales will be reserved for “loyal” SLR customers outside of North America.

Via: Automobilemag

GM promises to deliver Volt on time no matter what

Things may not be looking all that great for GM at the moment, but the automaker is vowing to meet its promised launch date for the Volt, even it doesn’t receive the government aid it’s been seeking, and despite the fact that some of the plants that should be making parts for the car are currently closed. According to The Wall Street Journal, while GM isn’t saying specifically how it’ll get the car built on time, it could possibly make it a top-priority project in the event the company’s forced into bankruptcy protection and use what little funding it has left, or it could import the necessary parts from overseas. Needless to say, some folks remain unconvinced, but as AutoblogGreen points out, GM has really gone out on a limb with the Volt, and it can’t exactly afford to start backtracking now.


Via: AutoblogGreen

Caterham Superlight R400

I’ve always been a huge fan of the Lotus 7 replicas, and it’s great to finally have one of the best examples in the office. Caterhams have a huge cult following and a blast in this R400 shows why. Once you squeeze into the tight seat and try to fit your shoes into the pedal box (racing shoes are your only option), the car is actually quite comfortable. The ultra-light weight helps give the R400 amazing ride quality even over rough Michigan roads. The clutch is very aggressive and the engine likes revs when you are pulling away from a dead stop. The combination of a very high power-to-weight ratio and short gearing gives the R400 incredible acceleration. Caterham quotes a 0-to-60-mph time of 3.8 seconds and that doesn’t seem overly optimistic. The unboosted brakes work well, but you have to be careful trying to fit your feet on both the clutch and the brake pedal at the same time. The steering is quick and accurate but not nervous.Sure, you can have the more usable Lotus Elise (it’s funny saying that) for about the same money, but the Caterham is a huge step further into the realm of totally manic, totally fabulous sports cars.

Via: Automobilemag

2009 Toyota Highlander

A 187-horsepower four-cylinder lugging around a two-ton SUV? Why not? The four-cylinder Highlander may not be overly powerful, but it was perfectly adequate for my daily commute. That the Highlander is even available with a four-cylinder is news, as last year it came only as a V-6 (or with a hybrid powertrain). Obviously, the four-cylinder option is a reaction to the wildly fluctuating gasoline prices that we saw in 2008, and the fact that it will get an estimated 27 mpg on the highway doesn’t hurt. However, buyers will have to sacrifice 4WD if they opt for the four-cylinder, because it’s available only with front-wheel drive.Inside, the Highlander looks and feels very much like the Toyota that it is. I appreciated the large dials for the radio and climate controls, as I was wearing my gloves because of the frigid temperatures we were experiencing in Michigan post-Thanksgiving holiday. The Highlander is a sort of no-frills SUV – you’ll find pretty much everything you need in this type of vehicle, such as 5- or 7-passenger capacity, plenty of cupholders, and decent cargo capacity – and that’s probably good enough for loyal Toyota customers.


Via: Automobilemag

Mercedes hedges alt-fuel bets with BlueZero electric, hydrogen, and hybrid models

When everyone was going hybrid, taking baby-steps toward an alternative-fueled future, Mercedes jumped into its prototype Hydrogen-powered machines and buzzed off toward the horizon. Now, perhaps realizing that it moved a bit too quickly for the distribution infrastructure to keep up, the company seems to be pulling back a bit, introducing the BlueZERO line of autos that all share the same shell — pictured above looking good at its most flattering angle, but not so hot after the break. The series will encompass three cars: the fully-electric E-CELL (possibly featuring Tesla batteries), with a 120 mile range; the hydrogen-powered F-CELL, with a 248 mile range; and the hybrid E-CELL PLUS that, like the Volt, will carry a gasoline engine to recharge the batteries and provide up to 370 miles of non-stop motoring (10 more than Chevy’s offering). The trio are set to release in 2010, which should be a historic year for the auto industry… assuming we still have an auto industry in 2010.



Via: Engadget