le mont-sur-lausanne SWITZERLAND

February 6, 2012—The GreenGT H2 is the first prototype electric/hydrogen competition car.

The GreenGT H2 project was selected in June 2011 by the French Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), as an innovative project. GreenGT was invited to participate on the June 3rd Test Day of the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours event. As the autonomy of lithium/ion batteries was found to be the improvement with the most potential on GreenGT’s previous prototypes, hydrogen very quickly became the preferred option. In 2011, a 100 kW fuel cell that can be mounted in both competition and road cars was developed under GreenGT’s guidance. This fuel cell system has been tested and is now operational.

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los angeles CALIFORNIA

Symbiosis: Light Technologies from Nature

The Biome: The Mercedes-Benz Biome is an ultralight vehicle that utilizes technologies from nature to achieve unparalleled efficiency and seamless integration into the ecosystem.

Mercedes-Benz Symbiosis: A system in which the vehicle becomes part of the ecosystem like the leaves of a tree. Symbiosis vehicles collect energy from the sun and store it in chemical bonds, in the form of a fluid called BioNectar4534. Mercedes has also developed technology to retrofit trees with receptors which can harvest their excess solar energy into BN4534. This creates an incentive to plant more trees and collect more energy, while also helping the ecosystem. The vehicle can be composted after its lifespan is complete or used as building material.

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los angeles CALIFORNIA

GM – General Motors Advanced Design California

1000lbs/1000mi

The Cadillac Aera (Aero + Era) launches Cadillac’s philosophy of “Art and Science” into new territory by taking an innovative and stylistic approach to ultra-light weight vehicle design. Aera is a 1000 lb, 2+2 touring coupe, with a range of 1000 miles before refueling; attributes achieved without compromising size, capacity and safety.

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geneva SWITZERLAND

March 1, 2011—The future has already begun. At the 2011 International Motor Show in Geneva the concept vehicle BMW Vision ConnectedDrive will make its world debut from 3rd to 13th of March 2011. The leading position in the automobile world occupied by BMW in the development of innovative driver assistance systems and mobility services will be further strengthened by this extraordinary concept vehicle.

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west richland WASHINGTON

west richland, WASHINGTON—Shelby SuperCars (SSC), the American supercar manufacturer and creator of the world record breaking Ultimate Aero, is proud to introduce its latest contribution to automobile enthusiasts worldwide.

Following several years of design and development of its revolutionary new supercar, SSC has named its new car TUATARA (pronounced twu‐tar‐ah).

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detroit MICHIGAN

detroit MICHIGAN, Jan. 9, 2012—Lexus unveiled a new design concept for a hybrid 2+2 sport coupe at the North American International Auto Show. The LF-LC showcases the future design direction for Lexus with an emphasis on a driver-focused vehicle.

“The concept we’re showing here in Detroit continues the Lexus design revolution started with the CT and GS,” said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “The concept hybrid 2+2 liberates the idea of a sport coupe and pushes the boundaries of performance, style and technology.”

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munich GERMANY

Bachelorthesis Anne Forschner
sponsored by BMW Exterior Design Munich

suckerPUNCH: describe your project.

anne FORSCHNER: Lovos (Lifestyle of Voluntary Simplicity) is based on a philosophical idea, which asks critical questions about the design, construction and use of road vehicles, as we know them today. The world we live in is increasingly complex and we move within multifaceted social structures, hardly noticing that we perhaps lack an overview over how products and services influence and overwhelm us.

[AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN DISCUSSION]

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los angeles CALIFORNIA

PRESS RELEASE: Mercedes-Benz BIOME: an Ultralight Vehicle at One with Nature

At this year’s Los Angeles Design Challenge, the designers from the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studios in Carlsbad, California, surprised everyone with a revolutionary vision. Taking their inspiration from nature, they designed a vehicle which is fully integrated into the ecosystem, from the moment of its creation right through to the end of its service life. The Mercedes-Benz BIOME grows in a completely organic environment from seeds sown in a nursery. Out on the road the car emits pure oxygen, and at the end of its lifespan it can be simply composted or used as building material.

via autoblog

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london ENGLAND

PRESS RELEASE: Leading British Concept Designer Philip Pauley’s futuristic Halo Intersceptor car has vehicle attachments which turn it into an aeroplane, helicopter, and sea going motor cruiser! This same visionary has devised the Urban Tree Planter(TM) modular system for standardising urban tree installation and replacement by containing root growth virtually anywhere from the top of buildings to cruise liners and superyachts.

Grounded in common sense concerns for the environment and sustainability, and yet not the least earthbound is the Urban Tree Planter(TM). Philip Pauley’s design meets real modern urban needs for a simple modular system for planting trees in more challenging situations.

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paris FRANCE

RENAULT: This approach coincides with the introduction of a new Renault design language that takes its inspiration from the three keywords which communicate the brand’s vision, namely ’simple’,’sensuous’ and ‘warm’.

DeZir is the first project to be led by Laurens van den Acker and marks the implementation of the strategy based on the notion of ‘life cycle’. The first step involves falling in love, an experience that is perfectly illustrated by DeZir’s powerful, sensuous styling and bright red finish; red being the colour associated with passion.

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