Screw cars, screw hover crafts, I want the Wing in Ground flying hovercraft. Invented by Rudy Heeman of Nelson, New Zealand it took him 10+ years to build the water/flight vehicle in his garage. He used a variety of parts from all sorts of junked vehicles including a 1.8l Subaru engine to power the machine.
To take flight the WIG must achieve a minimum speed of 40 mph, where upon it will lift off 10 feet into the air carrying a max payload of about 350lbs, or 3 people. Top air speed is 50mph and range is over 100 miles. Because the craft is mostly boat it doesn’t require a pilot’s license, though you must obey boating laws – hello drinking and boating.
The RoboCar G could easily be mistaken for a golf cart, but it’s much more than that. Using a combination of sensors, including stereo cameras, laser rangefinders, radar and sonar, as well as an inertial measurement unit, the diminutive sized vehicle can drive itself and can be controlled wirelessly using a computer.
February 26th, 2010 4:47 AM | by Christen da Costa
Antro’s solar vehicle is far more than meets the eye. Sure it can drive up to 20km per day on solar power alone, but what you can’t see is that the car is modular and according to renders and specs – no actual image were shown – it can be split into two separate smaller vehicles, or conversely combined with another for a six passenger auto. …Continue reading: Antro Solar Vehicle Runs On The Sun’s Rays And Can Be Split In Half
February 25th, 2010 2:57 PM | by Christen da Costa
Remember that Martin Jet Pack we saw in 2008? It’s set to go into production thanks to multimillion dollar deal signed with an international aircraft company. Cost to you: $76,000. They plan to produce about 500 of the machines per year, which can travel up to 60 miles per hour for up to 30 miles – in other words you’ll get 30 minutes of fly time on a full tank. There’s still no official word on when we’ll actually see the first Marin Jet Pack go up for sale, but I’m confident we’ll see some accidents when it does. …Continue reading: Martin Jet Pack, A Real Life Jet Pack, Heading To Production (video)
February 25th, 2010 2:40 PM | by Christen da Costa
Honda’s 3 wheeled concept vehicle won’t reach the kind of top speeds we’d obtain from the T-Rex, but it will get you there with a far smaller carbon footprint. The Honda 3R-C will be on show at this year’s Geneva Motor Show and claims to be a zero emission vehicle using an electric, battery powered motor of some sort. The deets are few and far between, but you know as well as we do that this thing will never get built.
An actual real GSM network running cell phone, the Bugatty Car Phone (don’t question the spelling) from China Mobile has a 2.4 inch touch screen, 1.3 MP camera, FM radio, bluetooth, MP3 compatibility, and dual SIM capability. You’d never guess it packed all that cell phone wonder just by looking at the top of the car.
Flip it over and you’re now looking at something you would have thought cool 15 years ago. Or never. Priced at $185, I can only imagine the person(s) that throw down for this thing. I guess it’s better than that stupid duck phone.
February 22nd, 2010 8:59 PM | by Christen da Costa
The T-Rex is a motorcycle in sheep’s clothing. Sure it appears to be a car, but handles like a bike and damn if it doesn’t fly like a bike. Under the hood of the ultra lightweight two seater is a 1400 cc inline 4 cylinder Kawasaki engine that puts out 197hp and 113ft lbs of torque. Unlike the previous model, which included a motorcycle steering and shifting mechanism, the 2010 T-Rex, the 14R, appears to have actual pedals and a steering wheel. 0-60mph: 3.92 seconds.
Pricing for the 14R starts at $52,000, while the 14RR jumps to $56.5k.
February 19th, 2010 3:08 PM | by Christen da Costa
While I’m trying to reserve judgment on this device, I can’t help but think “snake oil”. Called ‘The Current Regulating Fuel Efficiency Booster’, it plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter and using some new fangled circuity, you know the stuff that Detroit couldn’t figure out, it regulates your vehicle’s electrical system thus improving fuel efficiency by as much as 18%. Here’s a snippet from the product page:
An independent automotive testing service showed the unit increased an automobile’s average fuel efficiency from 23.8 to 28.1 miles per gallon in two weeks. The device simply plugs into a car’s DC outlet and stabilizes the electrical current flowing to the electrical control unit (ECU)–the computer that controls the engine’s fuel injection and ignition systems–to improve gas mileage. The device mitigates electrical interference from the stereo, lights, air conditioning, and more that can negatively affect the ECU’s ability to optimize fuel injection and fuel efficiency.
February 11th, 2010 2:41 PM | by Christen da Costa
The Swivel Car tray is just what I need when I hit the drive-thru at McDonalds at 2am. It inserts into any standard sized cup holder and can rotate as well as swivel up and down providing you or your passenger with tray support for your Big Mac and two large fries. …Continue reading: Swivel Car Tray With Articulating Arm
I have had this idea for quite some time now. However, ideas are a dime a dozen without the money and the know how, so it’s about time that the right people finally produced this must have rich kid toy.
Available in pink or black, the mini-Escalade runs off of a 12-volt battery and maxes out at a lavish 5 MPH. Equipped with a real FM radio all the chrome is also intact. Power lock brakes, opening doors, and a locking system makes this the most sophisticated PowerWheels yet.
