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Filed under: Concept Cars , Convertibles , FIAT , Special/Limited Editions Click above for hi-res gallery of the Portofino Fiat took one of its Fiorino vans, chopped off, well, most of it, and dubbed it the Portofino. Supposedly no more than a study for the Caravan Show that starts in Dusseldorf later this week, the golden, buggy-like conveyance is an homage to the 1960s. In a time before Fiat was building $200,000 supercars, coachbuilders were adding open-topped bodies to Fiat chassis like this for fun in the Italian sun. To stress the beachgoing theme, the Portofino has wood laminate flooring and natural fibers treated with a special waterproofing for the interior surfaces. The car can (optimistically) seat five, and the rear seat folds down for your surfboards and anchors. Instead of doors, the Portofino has nautical ropes -- which might sound risky, but the 12-foot car only has 75 horsepower, so you shouldn't be getting in too much trouble. Fiat has no plans to make the Portofino...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Time Warp , Convertibles , Geneva Motor Show , BMW Click above for hi-res gallery of the '89 BMW M5 cabrio These days BMW's M division is pretty busy, cranking out all manner of sport-tuned models in every form. You can get an M3 as a coupe, convertible or sedan, the M5 in sedan or wagon form, and the M6 as either a coupe or a convertible, in addition to M versions of the Z4. But back in the late '80s, the selection of M cars was much more limited. Not that the engineers in the sporting division weren't trying, though. Case in point is this M5 cabrio prototype that almost made it into production, but was canceled at the last minute. Starting with an E34-generation M5 sedan, engineers in Munich chopped off the roof, strengthened the chassis and replaced the four doors with two longer ones. (If you think the idea is entirely absurd, just look at the Audi A4 cabrio and its quattro GmbH-tuned versions.) The resulting M5 convertible prototype was actually...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Convertibles , Rolls-Royce , Misc. Auto Shows , Special/Limited Editions Click above for a hi-res gallery of the Pininfarina RR Hyperion Spend enough time roaming the streets of Rome and you're likely to encounter a fair share of people who fancy themselves more Catholic than the Pope. No wonder, then, that the Italians have now tried to out-Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce, presenting a one-off drop-top Drophead that endeavors to embody an even greater presence than the Phantom cabrio itself. The Pininfarina Hyperion was unveiled just this past weekend at Pebble Beach , and our man Drew was on hand to bring you the best shots of the one-off coachbuilt special from the show stand as it was unveiled and from the fairway where it was displayed in all its glory. But just in case you didn't get enough, Pininfarina has released ten more high-res shots of its one-off Roller for your viewing pleasure. Click on the top gallery to view the new factory shots, and on the...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Convertibles , Rolls-Royce , Misc. Auto Shows , Special/Limited Editions Click to view more of the Pininfarina Hyperion As we count down to this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, one of the most highly anticipated concept cars scheduled to make its debut there has popped up a bit early. Based on the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe, the Pininfarina Hyperion has been commissioned by one lucky and presumably very wealthy customer. The unique creation does away with the rear seats and moves the front ones, along with the swept windscreen, back by 400 mm. If you can believe it, a gun rack has been fitted in front of the cabin (yeah, we're serious), while famed watchmaker Girard Perregaux has crafted a special tourbillon timepiece for the Hyperion that can be removed from its wrist-strap and mounted in the dashboard. Meanwhile, word has it that Rolls-Royce could be collaborating with Zagato or Bertone on another special model as well. This, of...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Convertibles , Green , Honda , Misc. Auto Shows Click above for a hi-res gallery of the Honda OSM Honda says that the OSM roadster on display at the 2008 British Motor Show is merely a design study, but given that "design study" is frequently a euphemism for "future design language," we wonder if we're seeing the next iteration of Honda car styling. Frankly, we hope so, because this is worlds better than what we've seen from the automaker of late, from the Accord right on up to the bland and bloated Pilot. The OSM, short for Open Study Model, is a shapely two-seat convertible that we'd be happy to drive today. Well, maybe with headlamps that weren't lightsaber-sized. Other than that, we love the jaunty look, especially in back , where the taillamps sweep gently from one side of the car to the other. Since it's a styling exercise, there's no specific powertrain combination associated with it, but Honda assures us that...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , LA Auto Show , Convertibles , Coupes , Audi , Porsche , Volkswagen Click either image for a high-res gallery. Over the past five years, Volkswagen has continued to tease us with sports car concepts that never seem to come to fruition. Back in 2003, VW unveiled the Concept R in Frankfurt to critical acclaim and two years later, the wraps came off the EcoRacer , proving that the automaker was still kicking around the idea of a lightweight, affordable roadster for the masses. In the interim, VW had two similar concepts that never left the studio, but when the Los Angeles Auto Show rolls along later this year, a new mid-engine coupe will be revealed, and this one actually has a shot at production. According to Autocar , this newest concept aims to be a budget alternative to the Lotus Elise, balancing performance and fuel economy in a low-cost package. Sources suggest that the coupe will feature either a 168 hp, 1.4-liter TSI gasoline engine or a 125 hp, 1.6-liter...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Convertibles , Honda , Misc. Auto Shows The London Motor Show opens up on July 22nd and with it, comes a new concept from Honda, the Open Study Model or OSM. The lightweight, two-seater, open-air sports car is another design study by Honda that attempts to blend performance and sustainable motoring into a comprehensive package. Designed by Honda's R&D center in Offenbach, Germany, the OSM is a vehicle in the same environmentally friendly vein as the CR-Z concept unveiled in Tokyo last year, considered to be a low emissions alternative to the traditional sports coupe. The CR-Z is still slated to be released sometime next year , but Honda insists that the OSM is strictly a design study and is not confirmed for production. However, as OSM (read: awesome) as it may be, it's not the next S2000, according to Honda spokesperson Steve Kirk. [Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Time Warp , Convertibles , Sports/GTs , Chrysler , Dodge Click image above for high-res gallery of pics of this new 'Cuda Convertible Concept var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/Chrysler_Cuda_Convertible_Concept_shows_up_at_Cars_Coffee'; Maybe the 'Cuda is alive after all. While we have speculated about the existence of one ever since we first heard a hint of the SEMA show car from last year, all we've had to work with since are rumors and sketches of what might be. Well, today at the weekly Cars and Coffee show in Irvine, a genuine 'Cuda Concept was parked right in the midst of everything. A convertible nonetheless. It just sat there with only a few people really spotting it for what it was. Considering that real original '70s 'Cudas are plentiful at this show and that several Challenger SRT-8s have already made appearances, it doesn't seem surprising that people might not spot this concept immediately. The surprising part...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Convertibles , Videos , BMW BMW GINA Light Visionary Model in motion The automotive community has clearly been impressed with the GINA Light Visionary Model concept that BMW unveiled this week. The fabric-covered concept with its winking headlights, blinking gauges, mouth-like hood, and unique ability to shape shift by moving its metal-and-carbon-fiber skeleton via electro-hydraulic actuators is marvelously creative and practically ingenious at the same time. We around the Autoblog offices had a big discussion about the car after it was revealed and were amazed with the out-of-the-box ideas BMW is exploring, though some were doubtful that a fabric skin could ever be used for an actual production vehicle. While it was fun perusing the dozens and dozens of images that BMW handed out showing the GINA in various states of fold, the video above shows you exactly what the concept can do. Keep your eyes peeled for the headlight wink, disappearing gauges, pop-up head...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Convertibles , BMW The BMW GINA Light Visionary Model that was seen via video being installed in the BMW Museum in Munich last week has finally been revealed, and the futuristic design study shows how BMW designers are thinking outside of the box when it comes to the materials that make up a car and also how the car relates to the driver. GINA stands for "Geometry and Functions in 'N' Adaptations", which basically means that designers from both BMW and BMW Group DesignworksUSA were allowed to throw out the rulebook. This is most evident in the GINA Light Visionary Model's outer skin, which is made entirely out of textile fabric that's pulled taut around a frame of metal and carbon fiber wires. The skeleton of the car is controlled by electro-hydraulic devices and can actually move and change shape beneath the fabric skin. For instance, the headlights of the concept can be exposed or hidden by the car's skin just like blinking eyes...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Convertibles , BMW Click above for a gallery of screen shots. BMW is gearing up for the online unveiling of its latest design study, the GINA Light Visionary Model. Unlike the BMW M1 Homage concept , this one's actually a runner, as evidenced by the video posted below the fold, showing the concept being driven from the studio into a car carrier then unloaded at the BMW Museum in Munich. No details about the roadster are available from the BMW-web.tv site, but judging by the open cockpit and massive width, we're expecting something akin the M1, sans roof and sporting many of the design cues found on the homage. Check back for more when the BMW GINA Light Visionary Concept is unveiled on June 10th. Gallery: BMW GINA Light Visionary Concept teaser Continue reading VIDEO: BMW GINA Light Visionary Concept teased ahead of June 10th unveiling Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Convertibles , Sports/GTs , Euro , Audi , Misc. Auto Shows Click above for a high-res gallery of the TT clubsport quattro Last year at the Wörthersee tour, VW and Audi threw red meat to the fans in the form of the Audi TT Clubsport quattro concept and the VW Golf GTI W12 650 . Each was awesome in its own way, and now VW/Audi has set a precedent. For the Wörthersee 2008, Audi had already announced it would be bringing the A3 TDI clubsport quattro concept . Today, it drops shoe No. 2 by revealing a much more production-oriented version of the TT clubsport quattro. This is the same car that was spied out in the open last week. Officially, it's still a concept. Realistically, you know this thing's going into limited production. The '08 edition of the TT clubsport follows in the '07 show car's footprints. Like its forebear, it packs 300 horsepower underhood (presumably from a TFSI four). That juice is directed to all four wheels via quattro...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Convertibles , Sports/GTs Click on the image for more shots of the IDEA ERA Concept The term Barchetta, which literally means 'little boat' in Italian, is applied to a small, two-seat open-air sports car called the ERA concept introduced by the Italian styling firm IDEA Institute . Like many past barchettas, the ERA is doorless, meaning drivers and passengers get to do their best Bo Duke impression as they enter the roadster over the doors. What's especially impressive is that such a cool design was drawn up, rendered and molded into reality in just 30 days. Conceived at a meeting on April 8, the vehicle is meant to commemorate IDEA's 30th anniversary and the initial design was approved on the same day. Feverishly working around-the-clock, the vehicle's team pounded out a very nicely designed model, which at this time features no powertrain. With its curvy body and peaked fenders all around, the ERA has a hint of the old Birdcage racer in...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Convertibles , Coupes , Sedans/Saloons , SUVs , Plants/Manufacturing , Jaguar , Land Rover , Tata With the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover really, truly official , it hasn't taken long for every automotive news outlet to come out with its own take on the future of both storied marques. Autoweek distilled Jaguar and Land Rover's product offerings over the next eight years into about 800 words, beginning with the 2009 Jaguar XFR and XKR. According to its sources, both of these high-performance cats will be powered by all-new 5.0-liter, direct-injected V8s, with the naturally aspirated version producing 380 hp and the supercharged variant knocking on the 500 hp ceiling. Jag is expected to fit the new ZF seven-speed automatic 'box to both models, while the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport will get a mild facelift and benefit from the duo of upgraded powerplants. Come 2010, the Jag XJ will get an XF-inspired facelift, but will still maintain its regal lines...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Convertibles , Geneva Motor Show , Japan Click above for a gallery of the K.O. 7 and 8. When we make the trek to Switzerland each year, there always seems to be one particular car that stands out. It's generally something unexpected from an independent automaker far removed from the spotlight. This year, tucked away in a corner cubicle of the Geneva Motor Show's basement, was the K.O. 7 Spider, a concept hailing from Japan that attempts to strike a balance between bespoke supercar and track-day terror. There were actually two vehicles on display at the Ken Okuyama Design booth: the K.0. 8 coupe, an E.V. that's decidedly less attractive and strictly a design exercise, and the K.O. 7, a production model that will be on sale sometime in 2008. Hit the jump for all the details. Gallery: K.O. 7 and K.O. 8 Continue reading Geneva 2008: Japanese ambition, the K07 Spyder Permalink | Email this | Comments
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