Harley-Davidson XR1200 monster bike

Posted on 04.23.2010 13:26 by Maxx Biker

Harley-Davidson designed and built the XR1200 as their very first roadster in an attempt to appeal to younger riders as well. The plan sounded good in theory and if they offered plenty of customization possibilities, the bike qualified as a success. Said and done. But I guess that nobody really thought at doing something like this. Why not when the Harley-Davidson XR1200 monster bike looks like one of the best ways to shake the stress away.

What’s best, this impressive motorcycle offers the unique opportunity of seeing a car crushed by a motorcycle and not the other way around. Revenge looks good!

source:http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/index162.html

Honda 3R-C concept

Honda's new 3R-C concept, a single seat battery-powered electric vehicle, is set to make its world debut at the Geneva motor show next week. It will take center stage at the stand alongside the EV-N show car, U3-X electric personal mobility vehicle and the FCX Clarity, the Japanese automaker's fuel-cell electric vehicle.

Created by European designers working at Honda's Research and Design facility in Milan, the three-wheeled 3R-C concept envisions a future minimal urban transport vehicle for one person. The battery electric drivetrain is mounted low in the three wheeled chassis, keeping the center of gravity low and improving stability.

With a clear canopy that doubles as a protective windshield and covers the driver's seat while the vehicle is parked, the 3R-C's designers also created a flexible cover that surrounds the upper torso to reduce exposure and improve comfort. The three-wheeled concept also features a 'safety shell' seat with high sides – to reduce the threat from side impact – and a lockable storage area ahead of the driver.

Related Article: Design Review: Honda EV-N concept source :http://www.cardesignnews.com/site/home/new_cars/page/?portal:componentId=2738&portal:type=action&portal:isSecure=false

Peugeot Hoggar

Peugeot has unveiled the Hoggar, the French automaker's first pickup truck.

Taking its name from Peugeot's 2003 concept car, the Hoggar was designed in Brazil for the Brazilian market. The truck has been conceived and adapted to the local clientele's expectations, the automaker claims, and is intended for a 'mainly male customer base who are looking for a versatile vehicle with a distinctive style'.

The Hoggar is based on the 206 platform and features a load volume of 1151 liters and a payload of up to 742kg. This makes the new vehicle vastly more versatile than the 207 available in European markets. The cockpit, however, is standard 207 fare, with a simple, functional design.

Peugeot will launch the Hoggar in Brazil on 15 May, where it will join other variants in the 207 range. It will be available in three trim levels and be powered by 1.4-liter and 1.6-liter four cylinder engines.

Related Articles: Peugeot 207- Geneva 2006 Peugeot Hoggar concept - Geneva 2003

source :http://www.cardesignnews.com/site/home/new_cars/page/?portal:componentId=2738&portal:type=action&portal:isSecure=false

SAIC Leaf concept

The Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) will unveil this futuristic concept at next week's Beijing motor show. Called the Leaf, the new concept has no relation to Nissan's concept car shown in Tokyo last year. It is a much more fanciful two-seat concept car whose design is entirely open to the elements, and it also features a slew of environmentally-friendly technologies. Incorporating both solar and wind harnessing addendums, the Leaf features innovative carbon capturing bodywork that can absorb CO2 and emit oxygen, as plants do during photosynthesis. The Chinese automaker claims that because of this feat, the car actually has negative emissions.

The Leaf sources power mainly through photovoltaic cells within its leaf-shaped roof (these position themselves toward the sun to garner the most energy) while mini turbines within the wheels use the passing wind to generate electricity and store it in its battery pack, supplementing power for the microbial fuel cell.

We'll bring you more details on the concept live from Auto China 2010 next week.

source:http://www.cardesignnews.com/site/home/new_cars/page/?portal:componentId=2738&portal:type=action&portal:isSecure=false

2011 Fiat 500 caught testing in the USA

Posted on 04.25.2010 13:23 by Philippe Daix

Our readers are always on the lookout for cool cars even very early in the morning. James, just caught 2 Fiat 500s testing in Charlotte, MI. Both cars are tagged in Michigan with manufacturer plates, so no doubt those are official testers. Aside of the two tone white and black matte paint, both cars seems to be ready for the US launch later this year. The Fiat 500 will very likely be the first Fiat to be introduced to the US market. Keep in mind that the Italian car maker only took over Chrysler last year. Will they actually be able to launch this Fiat in 2010, that remain to be seen.

Anyways, back on the pictures, the only visible difference between those two seems to be the front bumper trim, one chrome and one painted and as you can see there is a piece of tape on the corner, may be for some park assist system testing. Let us know if you can find others! On the back you can see that the rear hatch still got the wide European plate enclosure, so we expect this gap to be filled with some ’bumperette’ similar to the one seen on the rear bumper of Porsche 911’s. As for the parking sensor speculation, we can only see a backup camera but no sensor in the bumpers.

Our reader was daring enough to get closer and take a snap of the interior. The cars were equipped with a computer system on the passenger side for data collection, but aside of that, everything seems to be ready for production and without any camouflage at all. The first car was a manual, the other appeared to be an automatic.

Thanks James for the tip.

source:http://www.topspeed.com/