Concept Car Archives

Mercedes-AMG to unveil supercar at Frankfurt

Formula 1 is considered the pinnacle of competitive Motorsports and is the platform that established manufacturers use to display their engineering prowess. This isn’t its only purpose though, because technology that’s developed for F1 cars, especially those that help improve stability and driver management, eventually make their way into mainstream vehicles.

Such is the case with Mercedes-AMG. The company’s F1 team, which has proven to be an unstoppable force these past few seasons, has enjoyed a string of victories because they’ve developed a car that is blindingly fast, agile around corners and pretty reliable too.

Now, the company has decided to bring the same technology and magic of this F1 car, into a road going car. Called the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE, it’s a two-seater supersports showcar that will showcase the brands capabilities.

Slated for reveal at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, the car is said to encapsulate the very latest and efficient, fully-fledged Formula 1 hybrid technology for the road. It’s a high performance supercar that will be powered by a hybrid powertrain that is able to output more than 1000bhp.

According to the automaker, the car is expected to have a top speed exceeding 350km/h and will offer the best of both worlds. Meaning, it will combine exceptional racetrack performance with sensible day-to-day practicality.

Little else is known at the moment, and the only proof we have of the car’s existence is a rather vague image of it’s front end. Based on what we have gathered, it draws quite a bit of design inspiration from the brand’s past race cars, which is a good thing. Stay tuned and will let you know more about the car as soon as we find out.

BMW to intoduce Z4 concept at Pebble Beach

BMW’s latest Z4 will be showcased in concept form at the upcoming Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach, which will take place soon. This is a sports car that is of significant importance to the brand. And compared to the previous Z4, this one is bound to turn heads.

It still has the same traits of its predecessor but this time, BMW has broken convention in terms of design. The new Z4 has an angular headlight design that stretches towards the car’s fenders. The twin kidney grilles are larger and are more pronounced than before as well as feature more complicated fin design.

This low-slung look give the front fascia more depth. As a result, the car’s silhouette seems to make an arc as it stretches towards the windscreen. The front splitter takes on a racing-like design with the centre carbon bit forming a v pattern that integrates with the front fascia’s side pods.

Based on the side profile, the Z4 has a simpler and more angular shape reminiscent of the Lexus LFA, which is a good thing. The creases at the top that stretch from the front fender and tapers towards the rear, they provide the illusion of a continuous single stroke design.

Then there’s the double bubble roll over guards that are both aesthetically pleasing and should offer a good amount of protection in the event of an accident. The colour complements that of the 20-inch alloy wheels which still retain BMW’s unique fork pattern.

As for the rear, it’s as minimalist as things can get. Long and narrow LED taillights flank both sides of the boot lid which also has an integrate boot spoiler. The rear bumper is quite large though and we doubt that this will actually be used for the production version.

As a whole, BMW says that it took various design elements from several of its more notable models including the Z8 and 328 Mille Miglia. And as such, the Z4’s design is a culmination of all the best lines and curves that have been penned by the automaker’s best designers.

On the inside, the cockpit incorporates the same basic design of current BMW sports cars but feature a more minimalist look thanks to an LCD meter panel and consolidated instrument panel that also houses the iDrive infotainment system.

No exact specifications have been revealed especially when it comes to the powertrain. But we won’t be surprised if BMW choose to include some form of electrification to help boost power yet retaining respectable fuel consumption figures.

VW to build direct descendant of the original Bus

Fans of the original VW Bus can rejoice because the automaker has decided to put the I.D. Buzz concept, a vehicle that’s loosely based on the ever popular people mover, into production. According to a recent article on Road and Track, The German automaker has seen it fit to give the project the green light.

The vehicle will utilise VW’s modular platform for electric cars or MEB and like Tesla, will have its battery pack stored underneath its floorpan. Interior space is said to be revolutionary with Volkswagen touting total volume to be similar to that of an SUV.

This was achieved through the clever use of space as well as the ability of the rear seats to be moved and adjusted to suit the occupants needs. Volkswagen will also be offering this people carrier as a cargo van too, which should make it a favourite among delivery companies.

As far as styling is concerned, the I.D. Buzz bears more than just a passing resemblance to the original Bus because the German automaker probably intends on the former being a reincarntion of the latter.

It sports the same tubular design with maximum emphasis placed on passenger and cargo space. Though the original had a rear mounted air cooled engine, the new one may have a central motor or individually mounted wheel motors.

Like most of the current line-up, the I.D. Buzz should feature a whole host of safety tech from pedestrian warning to emergency city stop systems. In addition to these, is the ability to drive without human intervention. That’s right, VW will be outfitting the car with autonomous driving.

If all this has you excited and anxious for its impending release, we’ve got bad news for you. Reports say that VW will only begin building it as late as 2022, which is still quite a long way off. But that said, we are thrilled that VW will eventually get around to building this amazing vehicle.

Source: Road and Track

Stonic to be the most customisable Kia ever

Kia has revealed a concept compact crossover SUV called the Stonic, that incorporates European design and is inspired by the form and function of much larger Kia SUVs. The low slung roofline, angular contours muscular side profile lend it a muscular look that should appeal to the adventurous type.

The signature tiger nose grille is much narrower than what can be on the automaker’s current crop of vehicle, which especially true with the chrome outline that has been given more prominence than the rest of the assembly. The long sweeping DRLs underline the underside of the headlights, a similar arrangement seen on the current generation Sportage. At the rear, the Stonic features angular rear taillights that blend with the the rear bodywork. It also features a two-piece rear bumper integrated with the vehicle’s twin exhaust tips setup.

The cabin is said to be of European styling as well, which incorporates smooth surfaces and geometric design forms. It will feature cutting edge tech that will be smartly positioned to maximize space for occupants and a floating HMI (human-machine interface), which blends smartphone access with the car’s various systems.

According to Kia, the Stonic will go on sale in the second half of this year and will be the most customisable Kia ever made, both inside and out. This should hint at an extensive options list that will be made available to customers to customize the vehicle according to his/her own taste.

BMW to reveal new 8 Series concept car

During BMW’s annual general meeting, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Harald Krüger, announced that the automaker would be introducing a new concept car. Considered to be a design study, it will be unveiled at this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on 26 May 2017.

The concept car will provide a glimpse into what the new BMW 8 Series Coupe would look like when it eventually is revealed in 2018. According to the Munich based automaker, the new car “embodies uncompromising dynamics and contemporary luxury – the essence of a modern BMW coupe”.

Speaking of the new concept car, Krüger said, “The BMW 8 Series Coupe will build on our tradition of luxurious sports coupes and add a genuine dream car to our line-up – a slice of pure automotive fascination. The 8 Series Coupe will underpin our claim to leadership in the luxury segment. I can tell you today that this will be a true luxury sports coupe.”

At the moment, all we have is an outline of the car. It isn’t much to go on but based on the silhouette, the car may incorporate design cues from the 6 Series Coupe albeit with wider dimensions. Both front headlights and rear taillights should be of the LED kind at the very least and the car in general, should be loaded with the latest safety tech and BMW’s latest iDrive system.

We will bring you more once the car is unveiled next week, so stay tuned for more updates.

Mercedes-Benz Concept A Sedan unveiled at Shanghai

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled what maybe its future A-Class, at the ongoing Shanghai Motorshow. Dubbed the Mercedes-Benz Concept A Sedan, the car forgoes the German automaker’s current design language for one that features more elegant and curvy contours.

“Our Concept A Sedan shows, that the time of creases is over”, say Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer Daimler AG. “With its perfect proportions and a sensual treatment of surfaces with reduced lines, it is the next milestone of Sensual Purity and has the potential to introduce a new design era.”

The Concept A Sedan measures 4570mm long, 1870mm wide and 1462mm high and features proportions that are similar in some ways to the current CLA but graced with a whole new front end. Unlike the current car, the concept has a prominent ‘Panamericana’ grille that is tilted towards the front and features vertical chrome inserts with the iconic star dominating the front. The bonnet is a little flatter and features two dome like structures that add to the muscular appearance. The door handles sit flush with the body which should aid aero efficiency.

The headlamps are sleeker than the ones on the current generation cars as it starts from each end of the grille and tappers off towards the wheel arches reminiscent of the GT Gran Turismo. The car’s grid structure in the headlamps are coated with UV paint and exposed to ultraviolet light. As such, the headlamps “glow” in different colours, depending on the light medium – the daytime running lamps, for instance, are white. This same lighting technology is also used for the rear. The large lower air inlet has a diamond grid structure and trim strip finished in dark chrome.

Things are pretty neat at the rear end too, as Mercedes-Benz has chosen a more subtle approach for the design. Similar to the current CLA, the lights take on sharp prominent contours that end toward the number plate. The rear bumper’s diffuser-look lower part is trimmed in black and has a chrome trim strip and the exhaust deflectors are finished in dark chrome.

The side windows are large and darkened to improve privacy while the large panoramic glass roof provides an airy feeling to the entire cabin. The wheel arches are wide and less pronounced to accommodate the 20-inch lightweight alloy wheels. The design features a swept blade look that have structures surfaces between the spokes.

The Current A-Class is very important to the automaker as it accounts for a substantial chunk of its yearly revenue. It has sold more than two million compact vehicles to date and with the introduction of this new radical design language, Mercedes-Benz is hoping to bolster its impressive sales figures even further. As of now, models that make up MB’s compact car line-up are the A and B-Class, CLA and CLA Shooting Brake as well as the GLA, which is its SUV crossover.

Whether or not This new design language is incorporated into the next A-Class remains to be seen but if it does, we won’t complain.

Jaguar I-Pace graces the streets of London

The trend to go electric signals a shift in the mindset of most automotive manufacturers. Though building smaller more efficient engines seemed to be the rational choice a few years ago, today, manufacturers have realized the benefits of electric power and the effect it has on environmentally conscious buyers. One such automaker is Jaguar, a company that prides itself on building performance driven luxury vehicles.

It has officially begun testing its all electric performance SUV, the I-Pace, on the streets of London before the production ready I-PACE is launched in late 2017. Still considered in the concept phase, the I-PACE is powered by compact electric motors at the front and rear axles that produce close to 400bhp and an astounding 700Nm of torque.

These impressive power figures should allow this Jag to sprint to 100km/h from a standstill in just 4 seconds. Jaguar says that on a full charge, the I-Pace should be able to cover a distance of 500km based on the NEDC cycle thanks to a 90kWh lithium-ion battery. They also claim that by utilizing a 50kW DC charger, the battery pack can be charged to about 80 per cent in 90 minutes.

When it eventually hits the streets, the I-Pace is said to be a nimble yet powerful performance SUV that will offer an unrivaled blend of agility, ride comfort and refinement that will set it apart from other electrified offerings. Pitched as a true Jaguar and a drivers’ car, the I-Pace should go on sale in the second half of 2018, until then, here are the pictures of the I-Pace in concept form.