2008 Toyota Sequoia: L.A. Show Debut For Tundra Based SUV

Toyota officially announced that it will stage the world premiere of the all-new 2008 Sequoia full-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) at the upcoming L.A. Show on November 14. According to the Japanese carmaker’s austere press release, the completely redesigned 2008 Sequoia (based on the new Tundra pick-up truck), will be more spacious and powerful than the current model.

Hyundai Concept Genesis Coupe – Coming To 2007 L.A. Show

In a surprise move toady, Hyundai released the first official sketches of the Concept Genesis Coupe which will be unveiled at the 2007 L.A. Show in mid-November. As the Korean carmaker points out in the Spartan press release, the Genesis Coupe concept hints at Hyundai’s long-rumoured rear-wheel drive sports coupe. Well, judging by the teaser sketches, it looks like it may very well be worth the wait. -Press release & one more image after the jump

PRESS RELEASE: LAS VEGAS, October 30, 2007 – Concept Genesis Coupe (shown here as an exaggerated sketch) will make its world debut at the 2007 Los Angeles International Auto Show on Weds. November 14. Concept Genesis Coupe hints at design direction for a future rear-wheel drive sports coupe from Hyundai.

Via: Autobog.com , Source: Hyundai

2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt To Debut At L.A. Show

The Mustang Bullitt is making a comeback at this year’s Los Angeles International Auto Show on November 13. Ford hasn’t given out any details but we do know for sure that the 2008 Mustang Bullitt will get a “British-green” paintjob and retro styled rims along with special decals and logos in and out. You can follow the jump for the high-resolution image that we’ve enhanced with the use of photoshop but we’ll have to wait for the L.A. show opening for a clearer shot. That is if someone doesn’t decide to leak the whole image set until then. -High-res image after the jump

2007 L.A. Show: Honda To Unveil Production Version Of The Hydrogen–Powered FCX

Speaking at the 40th Tokyo Show opening yesterday (October 24), Honda’s President and CEO, Takeo Fukui, announced the Japanese carmaker’s plans to unveil a production version of the hydrogen - powered FCX Concept at the LA Show in mid-November.

The FCX utilizes electricity generated by combining hydrogen and oxygen in a fuel cell stack, and electricity stored in its lithium-ion battery pack to power the vehicle's electric motor. According to Honda, the production version of the FCX Concept (pictured above) will go on sale to fleet and retail customers in the U.S. and Japan until the end of 2008.

Toyota Biomobile Mecha Concept: 2007 LA Design

As you’d expect from any Toyota concept fictional or not, the Biomobile Mecha is an ultra eco-friendly vehicle that extracts pollutants in the air utilizing it as an energy source. Since there’s no limits to imagination, Toyota’s design team also supports that nanotechnology enables the structure of the vehicle to expand and contract horizontally and vertically to “serve as a compact commuter, an aerodynamic performance vehicle and temporary dwelling”. -Continued after the jump

Press Release: Toyota Biomobile Mecha

It is the year 2057 and due to limited ground space, vertical architectures have caused the transportation industry to create new pathways that also explore vertical space.

An innovative solution is discovered in biomimicry. Inspired by life found in nature, the vehicle is powered by pollution with dynamic driving instincts and structural adaptations to accommodate the user’s need for space.

This vehicle’s unique capability to extract pollutants in the air and utilize it as an energy source restores balance to our atmosphere. It is able to autonomously adapt to its driving environment by utilizing its four nano-laser wheels. Nanotechnology also enables the structure of the vehicle to expand and contract horizontally and vertically to serve as a compact commuter, an aerodynamic performance vehicle and temporary dwelling.

Calty Design Research

Design Team: Edward Lee, Erwin Lui, Yo Hiruta & Kevin Hunter

Nissan OneOne Concept: 2007 LA Design

The OneOne, pronounced “won-won” (Japanese description of a dog bark –what happened to woof, woof?) is Nissan’s proposal for this year’s 2007 LA Show Design Contest. According to the design team, the OneOne fulfils various needs of a family like retrieving dry cleaning and groceries or taking the children to school. Additionally, buyers can opt for a love pack which transforms the OneOne to the ultimate companion for those lonely winter nights –you wish… -Press release & pics after the jump

Nissan OneOne, a Friendly Pet

In the year 2057 robots have become an integral part of our lives blurring the line between humans and machines. The Nissan OneOne is the ultimate pet; a friendly, helpful member of the family of the future. OneOne (pronounced “won-won,” an endearing Japanese description of a barking dog) takes care of every aspect of the family’s busy lives from retrieving dry cleaning and groceries, to tending to the children. Guided by a real time GPS network, OneOne can take the children safely to school, soccer practice and back home in time for dinner.

OneOne takes mobility to a new level. Using synthetic muscles in its “legs,” it propels itself along by skating, much like you would on a pair of rollerblades. From performance car to city car, it lies down for speed or stands up for better visibility, allowing for more nimble navigation and easier parking.

OneOne fulfills every need from dutiful pet to spirited sports car in a design that makes it a welcomed member of the family.

Nissan Design America

Design Team: Bruce Campbell, Doug Wilson, Robert Bauer, Bryan Thompson, Rie Arroba, Jeremy Malick, Laurie Tait, Matt Wilson & Soichi Maruyama

Audi Virtuea Quattro: 2007 Design LA

Audi’s design proposal for mobile transportation in 2057 is quite simple; the Virtuea Quattro concept a single-seater, hydrogen-powered pod that’s equipped with a interactive holographic interface. That means the driver can “dress” the exterior of the vehicle with one of the countless holographic images stored in the car’s computer. Damn, why didn’t someone at Subaru thought of that when they were developing the Impreza… -Press release and images after the jump

Audi Virtuea Quattro

It’s the year 2057 and Audi continues to revolutionize through technology, offering a hydrogen-powered vehicle that combines artificial intelligence with avenues of self expression.

This single-seat, autonomous driving machine functions as a solid unit at its core, while providing a myriad of possible holographic exteriors stored in a library and accessible through the vehicle’s interactive holographic interface.

Virtuea’s holographic exterior provides a variety of possibilities, allowing the driver to select from the most innovative designs from one minute to the next. The vehicles image can now be proudly displayed without environmental impact, as no physical materials are needed regardless of size.

Audi takes pride in introducing personal transportation that combines passion with intelligence, which not only positively affects the environment but your life as well.

Volkswagen/Audi Design Center California

Design Team: Heather Shaw, Jae Min, Mattijs Van Tuijl, Karl Strahlendorf & Christian Schoen

Honda 1-4 Concept: 2007 Design LA

Honda’s vision of the future goes by the name “1-4” that represents the concept’s ability to transform from one to four separate modes of transportation. The design team decided that the “1-4” should be solar-powered which sounds pretty ok to us. And even if it didn't who the hell cares. You can check out all the details after the jump. -Continued

Honda - 1⁴ - One to the Power of Four

The solar-hybrid powered Honda 1⁴ is an energy efficient, fully robotic commuting solution. A suburban community re-population movement in the 2050’s has increased consumer demand for a truly flexible commuter vehicle.

The solar-hybrid Honda 1⁴ solves the carpooling dilemma because it allows carpoolers to take advantage of HOV lanes, share commuting costs and once near the passengers’ final destinations, robotically transforms from one to four separate and unique modes of transportation.

Through a combination of gyros, artificial intelligence and molecular engineering, each individual vehicle instinctively reconfigures as a fully functional vehicle. When traveling as one, the division points are undetectable. The latest advancements in molecular engineering allow the body panels to divide and reshape to form each individual vehicle.

Honda Research & Development Design Team: Ben Davidson, Khrystyne Zurian & Shae Shatz

Mercedes SilverFlow Concept: 2007 LA Show Design

It’s the year 2057; I’m 80 year’s old and Mercedes-Benz launches the highly anticipated SilverFlow. The most prominent feature on the SilverFlow concept are the micro-metallic particles that can be arranged via magnetic fields in many different forms. To put in plain English, the SilverFlow is what sci-fi aficionados would call a shape-shifter. Actually, it's 2007, I’m 30 and the SilverFlow is nothing more than Mercedes-Benz’ entry for this year’s "Design Los Angeles" Contest. Aren’t I a party pooper. -Images and press release right after the jump

Mercedes-Benz SilverFlow

The Mercedes-Benz SilverFlow utilizes micro-metallic particles that can be arranged via magnetic fields in many different forms based on pre-selected models. The vehicle, which can be completely dissembled into a pool of ferromagnetic material for easy storage, can adapt and transform its shape to best suit its required purpose.

The magnetic assembler, activated by a simple key fob, creates whatever vehicle its user needs. All of the programmed modes for the SilverFlow are inspired by the Mercedes Benz Grand Prix cars from the golden era of motorsports with distinct low slung shape, tall thin wheels and dramatic open-wheel design.

Any damage can be self repaired and any color/configuration/size is possible depending on the amount of source material available.

Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design of North America

Design Team: Gorden Wagener, John Gill & Kevin Kang

GM-Onstar ANT: 2007 LA Show Design Challenge

As with the other propositions for this year’s “Design LA” contest that we showed you earlier today, we won’t pretend that we completely understand the details behind GM’s Onstar Ant concept. From what we managed to absorb from GM’s press release, the pyramid-shaped device opens up like a flower and it can be configured on any vehicle providing environmentally friendly mobility. Well, at least that’s what we think it is. We’ll let you read the press release after the jump and decide for yourself. -Continued

GM-Onstar ANT

Much like the self-regulating traffic system found in nature’s best commuter, the ant, OnStar enabled vehicle-to-vehicle communication and ubiquitously embedded intelligence allow GM’s ANT to act independently yet communicate with other vehicles to optimize traffic flow. Quantum computing power also allows each ANT to virtually recreate a highly personalized space for any occasion or personal need.

Omni-directional propulsion, provided by three independent Nanorb wheel systems, operate as independent robots and can arrange themselves in different configurations, turning virtually anything into a mobile device. Layered, environmentally friendly, single-walled, carbon-polymer nanocomposites form the flat surface panels, which incorporate the carbon nanotube battery.

All body panels are connected with electro-active polymer actuators (a.k.a. artificial muscles), allowing the easy and silent reconfiguration of body panels, depending on their optimal street use.

General Motors Advanced Design, California: Frank Saucedo, Steve Anderson, Jussi Timonen, Jose Paris, Lorne Kulesus, Tony Liu, Jay Bernard & Phil Tanioka

VW Concept Slipstream: 2007 LA Show Design Challenge

VW’s Californian Design Center has come up with a two-wheeled teardrop shaped vehicle for this year’s “Design Los Angeles” (see here). According to VW’s design team, the Slipstream travels in an upright orientation occupying one fifth the size of a traditional vehicle when it’s used in the city. When on a special freeway lane called the “Slipstream,” the VW’s pod tilts to a horizontal orientation thus optimizing its aerodynamic shape. Rear fins slide out to allow the rear of the vehicle to float like the tail section of an airplane to achieve speeds in excess of 250 mph. The Slipstream is powered by the energy stored in the hyper-efficient solar panels that cover the vehicle. If only it were so simple in real life... -More pictures after the jump

Mazda Motonari RX: 2007 LA Show Design Challenge

Apart from your “everyday” production vehicles and concept car premieres, the LA Show also hosts one of the craziest design contests in the world, the “Design Los Angeles”. Entering its fourth year, the Design Los Angeles provides designers and carmakers unlimited freedom to create the most radical and wackiest propositions you’ll ever see on paper. This year’s contest is themed “2057 Robocars”. We’ll be showing the entries throughout the day but we though we’d start off with one of the weirdest designs we’ve seen, the Mazda Motonari RX. Named after a legendary Japanese warrior Mori Motonari, Mazda’s proposition looks like the love child between a Decepticon and Ripley’s Alien monster. -Press release and images after the jump

Mazda Motonari RX

The Motonari RX, named after legendary Japanese warrior Mori Motonari, non-invasively integrates the driver with the vehicle making each indistinguishable from the other. A driving suit serves as the primary interface between the occupant and the vehicle, which contains millions of microscopic actuators functioning as a haptic envelope. This allows the driver to experience the road psycho-somatically, receiving electrical stimulation to specific muscle groups.

The entire structure of the vehicle is comprised of a 100 percent re-prototypable, carbon nano-tube/shape memory alloy weave with a photovoltaic coating. This enables programmable tensiometry and fluid movement while insuring efficient energy transfer to the in-wheel electro-static nanomotors.

The four omni-wheels allow 360 degree movement. Acceleration and direction is determined by two armrest mounted control points. Occupant positioning controls the effectiveness of cornering and is comparable to street luge maneuvering in appearance.

Mazda R&D of North America

Designer: Matthew Cunningham