Toyota S-FR: The Angry Animated Family Member

Toyota S-FR

The Toyota S-FR is set to show off at the Toyota Motor Show. It certainly seems that the brand has become well…rounded…following the success of the Lexus LFA supercar and her smattering of reminiscent siblings. Looking at the S-FR it can be confusing to ascertain which direction the brand is heading, but it also seems to create a sense of amusement and happiness with that angry animated cartoonish countenance.

The Toyota S-FR at a glance:

  • This is to be one of 6 or so vehicles heading to Tokyo. It is small by design, a nod to current city car trends and perhaps the looming environmental guidelines dangling from the necks of all automakers like an albatross.
  • Though the S-FR is a tiny slice of toast, she manages to provide 4 seats with her front engine layout.
  • Word is the transmission is a 6-speed manual, something most automakers are phasing out forever.
  • Exact powertrain and performance are being kept under wraps until the show it seems, but it is likely social and nonthreatening and quite possibly is a hybrid or at the very least offers a hybrid variant.

Aside from the Toyota S-FR, the brand will be touting the Kikai and the FCV Plus, which is their futuristic fuel cell concept poised to challenge the Honda fuel cell vehicle. It is said to run purely on hydrogen and have the capacity to power a home. What? The hydrogen fuel cells are mounted in various locations on the car, with some powering it and some accessible to power homes and stuff—which seems kinda strange and we can’t wait for further explanation from the brand at the show. read more

Did Subaru Just Break Out Some Sexy with the Viziv Future Concept?

Subaru Viziv Future

All photos ©Subaru  

Subaru is best known for its performance and family fare offerings, with the standard Forester serving as the social and nonthreatening SUV for families and rides like the WRX, STI and BRZ attracting power craving petrol heads worldwide. But has everyone noticed the Subaru Viziv Future concept SUV? Are they breaking out the sexy for the Tokyo Motor Show or what?

 The Subaru Viziv Future demonstrates the design language of the brand’s future.

The Viziv Future concept illustrates where the future of the Subaru SUV is headed, and it is so much better than previous  SUV siblings. As a tuned WRX owner with a fondness for the visual cues of the Audi Q5 and Q3, the Viziv Future caught my eye and seems to be superior to the luxe Q5 at least in terms of visuals. Rather than copycat many of the popular sporty SUV crossover bodies out there today, Subaru charted into its own territory with bold unique lines, contours and lighting concepts–it will not be confused with another brand. The Future fun doesn’t stop there–with the cabin renderings providing a preview of the racing inspired seating and upscale vibe. read more

What the Bugatti Vision GT Sounds Like When Started

When it comes to speed and titles, few match the long-standing Bugatti Veyron. That said, some find the startup and throttle sound to be a bit too soft and gentle for such an epic monster. Queue the Bugatti Vision GT concept, it seems that the engineers took note (pun intended) of the situation when developing this nice lady and gave her a much throatier voice. Take a listen in the clip below!


This video was captured at the Frankfurt Motor Show where the Bugatti Vision GT concept was shown for the first time. Here you can see her showing off her looks and special sounds to the obviously captivated crowds: read more

Mercedes-Benz Checkmates in Frankfurt with Shape Shifting Concept

Mercedes-Benz IAA

So Mercedes-Benz just created a real transformer. The Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile (IAA) has just taken the annual Frankfurt Auto Show by storm—showcasing the first-ever automobile capable of changing shapes whilst driving down the road.

This technology is different than just the typical automotive ability to produce a rear wing at high speeds. The Mercedes-Benz IAA is essentially a shape shifter, able to alter its physical form at speeds exceeding 50 miles per hour. To make it even cooler, depending on preference, it is a hybrid. read more

Battle of the Brands: The 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show

2015 Frankfurt Auto Show

The 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show is in full swing—and the competition this year is fairly fierce. Automakers from all over the planet have gathered in Frankfurt, Germany to show off their wares and have a bit of a go with their people. It is an annual draw that is followed and looked forward to by millions. Without further fuss, let’s take a gander at what is happening this year in what I will call the ‘Battle of the brands’.

The year old Peugeot Quartz concept

While some companies use these types of shows to tout their upcoming models, some take advantage of a widespread arena to showcase fantasy creations—perhaps to test the waters, or just to tease. Some are production ready and some are mere concepts at various levels of project commitment. Still others are mere video game cars. The battle seems to be waging on as follows: read more

Video Action: Maserati Boomerang Concept

The Maserati Boomerang concept emerged back in 1972 and was perhaps ahead of its time. The spunky machine has proven what it is worth in today’s dollars when it changed hands for $3.7 million at Bonham’s recently. Check out the video clip below of the Boomerang in action:

The Maserati Boomerang concept was created to serve a special purpose—to show what the brand was capable of and that they were ahead of the curve, so to speak. At her very essence the Boomerang is a show car. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Boomerang appeared at the 1972 Geneva Motor Show packing a 4.7-liter V8 engine borrowed from the Maserati Bora. The spirited and angular Boomerang produced an impressive 310 horsepower. read more

Citroen Cactus M Concept Incites Thirst To Learn More

Citroen Cactus M

All photos ©Citroen 

French automaker Citroen just released sleek glimpses of their latest concept: Behold the Citroen Cactus M. The Cactus concept is actually far from dry and seems to have plenty to offer in several vital areas. It has been playfully described as the ‘French Jeep’ and certainly packs ample artillery in the way of a stylish and sporty option for those outdoorsy types who simply cannot tolerate the thought of a Land Rover. Let us learn more about the feisty new Cactus offering: read more

Official: The Bugatti Chiron Shall Pack a Hybrid Powertrain

The rumors regarding the Bugatti Veyron successor have been churning for quite some time, with little revealed but the name. Now it has finally been released by VW Group that the Bugatti Chiron shall indeed be packing a hybrid powertrain. This news comes as little surprise with super hybrids like LaFerrari and the Porsche 918 already out there competing, leaving just one very important question to be answered: Will this be the fastest car on the planet? And because there are no real photos leaked at this point– what will it look like? read more

Lamborghini Huracan Spyder: Success as a Successor

Lamborghini Huracan Spyder

The Lamborghini Huracan has been a phenomenal success. As the successor to the long-running Lamborghini Gallardo, the Huracan certainly had large tires to fill. Now that she has proven herself in terms of popularity, the nice lady is about to take off her top and become even sexier. Delicious renderings are leaking out of the digitally transformed Huracan in convertible format.

Does the Lamborghini Huracan look better with her top off? It is not likely that the Raging Bull would encounter any issues unloading all units if produced! The rendering above shows the potential Huracan Superleggera and Lamborghini Huracan spyder models. read more

Rolls-Royce Is Testing An SUV Chassis and Inviting Interaction

Rolls-Royce SUV

With all of the rumors of a potential Rolls-Royce SUV swirling around the depths of the Internets, there is now something more solid to cling to: Rolls-Royce is testing an SUV chassis on the winged Phantom and inviting the public to check things out as the development process proceeds!

Rolls-Royce testing SUV chassis with a winged Phantom—life behind the wheel could get a little more rugged for fans of the brand.

The brand has been busy releasing photos of the test mule, which is a short Phantom with a distinctive rear wing. While it may or may not end up looking like this, it is certainly a good indication of things to come. Rolls-Royce has made the first move, beating spy photographers out of their play by sharing the photos and information right up front—well played. They describe the vehicle as follows: “an engineering mule.” It serves as the testing chassis for a four-wheel drive version named ‘Project Cullinan’. They have shared that it will be important for the Rolls-Royce SUV to be capable off-road as well, perhaps puffing the chest out to a certain luxury SUV rival? Ahem…what’s up Land Rover? read more