When the season changes into wet in the first years after World War II ended, and people want something with a roof. So, people stopped buying motorcycles. And scooters, too. Even though the economy in Western Europe improved rapidly in the 50s, most people were still unable to buy a new car. Especially in Germany which basically rebuilds its infrastructure from scratch. So what is the German need in the wet season in the time? They need a closed scooter.
1955 Kroboth Allwetter Roller while on display. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/347Rwfz)
Luckily there're Willy Messerschmitt started building in a closed scooter with the help of designer Fritz Fend. Shortly thus was born the Messerschmitt Kabinenroller which been sold like a strudel until Willy could not meet the market demand. So, there are holes in the market. But, designing, developing and producing mass cars, even small ones, takes a long time. It needs almost two years in those processes before being sold of microcars in the time. But the market needs somebody to capitalize the most of the wet season as soon as possible. There's one person who tried to take that opportunity was Gustav Kroboth. He was designing a roofed vehicle back in 1953.
1955 Kroboth Allwetter Roller in an advertisement paper. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2Wo9k3t)
He started with a simple, but strong central tube frame chassis and then used as many off the shelf parts to finish it off as possible. Front suspension was two transverse leaf springs, with one longitudinal one for the single rear wheel. Like his scooter, it was mid-engined with a 9 horsepower 175 cc Sachs engine mounted behind the driver and in front of the rear wheel. This was the same engine that was then powering the Messerschmitt which meant it was easy to get serviced and find parts for.
Within 3 weeks, he had finished a bare prototype that was ready for testing. He knew he had to distinguish his covered scooter from the Messerschmitt, so he tried as possible to make it look like a real car even though it has only three wheels, and named it Kroboth Allwetter Roller or All-weather Scooter. It also used a ZF steering box, ATE brakes, and a VW windshield. One thing Gustav was particularly proud of was the column-mounted 4-speed shifter. The column shift was all the rage, so this was like being in a full-sized car but without reverse gear anyway. Even with 9 horsepower, its top speed was 46 mph which apparently felt quick on a lightweight chassis like the roofed Kroboth scooter has.
It made its debut, believe it or not, at a hill climb event in Austria where it won its class. Kroboth was certain he had a winner, but the press mocked the little car calling it the product of the 'tinkering of a refugee operation.' Undeterred, Gustav set about making preparations for production. Workers at Kroboth rigorously tested it, driving it over 20,000 kilometers and then taking it apart to check for wear and tear. The handling that had satisfied Gustav when it was a chassis proved pretty squirrely at higher speeds.
After having trouble getting investors to produce it, Gustav finally got it from Fransen and Sohnen, a Dutch bicycle company to make the Kroboth Allwetter Roller in the country. But bad luck returned back when a shipment of a thousand bicycles to India went unpaid, which made the Dutch company have to choose between canceling their offer or going bankrupt, and once again the little roofed Kroboth was forever orphaned. Over the spring and summer of 1955, Gustav Kroboth and his little factory had been built 55 units of Allwetter Roller with the remaining supplies before the factory was shut down permanently.😢 *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MICROCAR MUSEUM | WIKIPEDIA | SCOOTERHOOD | UPOST.INFO] Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.
At the 46th Tokyo Motor Show 2019 event, Nissan Motor Co. launched the Nissan Ariya Concept, an Electric-powered crossover vehicle that uses twin electric motors, has strong acceleration, with award-winning driver assistance technology. The new Nissan Ariya concept car was introduced at this time, intended to mark the new era for the company in redefining its philosophy for the next phase of motor vehicle evolution.
Nissan Ariya Concept has debuted at the 46th Tokyo Motor Show 2019. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/334jcSr)
The Ariya concept has a spacious premium cabin with high-tech features and a body that displays the pure and clean nature of an electric car. This design embodies Nissan Intelligent Mobility's vision for personal transportation that provides a seamless and adaptive travel experience that is free of accidents or harmful emissions through electrification and vehicle intelligence.
The Ariya concept revives the design elements that have been displayed through the Nissan IMx concept car when it was present at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show. The design elements include a bold V-motion electric shield that is bold and the rear light blades are striking short overhangs and a wider interior that looks more like a fancy lounge than a conventional vehicle cabin.
Although the concept car, bold style, and unconventional interior and exterior elements of this electric-powered crossover vehicle are very likely to be produced in the near future. "Ariya is a strong collaboration between design and engineering expertise. This is the next stage of Nissan's future design language," said Yasuhiro Yamauchi, the Executive Representative of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | ]
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Innovation in the automotive world continues to move towards the concept of environmentally friendly. Like the concept car on display at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, made from plants and agricultural waste. And then talking about environmentally friendly cars isn't just a matter of switching fossil fuels to electricity.
A Japanese 'sportscar' named Nano Cellulose Vehicle (NCV) made from recycled materials on display at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/33awUn5)
The car in question is the Nano Cellulose Vehicle (NCV) which is a new project from Japan. This concept car is environmentally friendly because the components of this car use materials from plants and recycling agricultural waste.
The Nano Cellulose Vehicle (NCV) project made by a consortium of 22 universities in Japan, research institutes, and several large companies and runs by the Japanese Ministry of Environment since 2016. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/33awUn5)
The NCV project does not work alone but through a consortium of 22 universities in Japan, research institutes, and several large companies. And this project has been run by the Japanese Ministry of Environment since 2016.
As quoted from Carscoops, which states that the NCV car uses Celloluse Nanofiber derived from recycled plant material and agricultural waste. For information, and on the NCV concept car, the material is used to build bodies including doors, roofs to hood and trunk. Not only the body, CNF is also used in the framework of this car.
In the interior of the Nano Celullose Vehicle (NCV) is dominated by wood materials, from the dashboard to the steering wheel. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/33awUn5)
It was also mentioned the use of these materials was 50 percent lighter than the material currently used. And according to one member of the consortium, the person in charge of exterior design from Toyota Customizing & Development, Yuzo Niimi, said that in general this car has a sporty design with sharp lines indentation.
To support the design, this concept car also uses a butterfly wing door model, multi-spoke wheels and taillights design that is reminiscent of the American car model Chrysler ME Four-Twelve. Looking into the cabin, the NCV is clad in an all-wood interior, with the steering wheel model of two bars that already have a gear shifter.
Besides being lighter, this car made from plants and agricultural waste also produces relatively small emissions. Not much is revealed about how under the hood, but it is mentioned for energy sources that are used using hydrogen fuel cells and can only run a maximum of 20 kilometers per hour (12 mph). Yes, all of this good effort returns to ourselves.Is there a desire to implement it in the automotive industry which may now be in the comfort zone with the use of existing materials such as metal, plastic, or glass fiber and so on.Let's wait and see. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARSCOOPS | MASHABLE] Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.
Tokyo will be the host of the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. Toyota Motor Corporation, as one of the Japanese automotive manufacturers is participating by offering mass public transportation facilities in the future. And reported, a total of 20 units of special vehicles that are labeled as Toyota e-Palette will support mobility during the world's biggest sports events taking place from July 24 to August 9, 2020.
Toyota e-Palette is a modern public shuttle vehicle concept that uses electricity as its main driver. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2pZHA9t)
The Toyota e-Palette is a modern public shuttle vehicle concept that uses electricity as its main driver. But what's interesting about this vehicle is the autonomous and special features to support the Tokyo 2020 events. This vehicle has undergone a number of calibrations, in particular, to adjust to the needs that are associated with the world's major sporting events.
Toyota e-Pallete is designed according to the needs of Olympic and Paralympic athletes to serve their mobility during the Tokyo 2020. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2pZHA9t)
Toyota e-Palette not only able to transport normal people but should be able to transport and support people with disabilities. "We have developed the vehicle by adapting to various conditions of passengers including people with disabilities," explained Takahiro Muta, Head of the Tokyo 2020 Version e-Palette development in a press release. "This vehicle is designed according to the needs of Olympic and Paralympic athletes to serve their mobility during the Tokyo 2020," he continued.
Toyota e-Pallete is designed to accommodate 20 seated passengers, 4 wheelchairs and 7 standing passengers. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/2WtLR14)
Actually, the e-Palette concept has been present since 2018 as the first Toyota autonomous vehicle. This car is a reflection of Toyota's future step into a transition to becoming a mobility company that carries the theme of Mobility for All. And now the vehicle concept is being on display at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show.
From its appearance, the Toyota e-Palette has a front and rear display with an almost similar design. Then the interior uses trim, floors, seating and other components by using contrasting colors so that it is very helpful for those who have deficiencies in vision. In addition, this vehicle is designed to accommodate 20 seated passengers, 4 wheelchairs and 7 standing passengers.
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics events, Toyota e-Palette will be operated and served the athletes' villages to transport athletes and staff around the area. But it does not rule out the possibility that in the future this vehicle will be mass-produced and made into urban public transportation rides. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | TOYOTA | AUTOCAR | DEZEEN] Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.
Jaguar follows in the footsteps of other world automotive manufacturers such as McLaren to Chevrolet which has developed virtual concept cars for the Gran Turismo video game under the Vision Gran Turismo brand. This time involving the Jaguar Coupe which was launched at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, the Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo Coupe became an electric sports car that will be available for download at the Gran Turismo Sports on the Sony PlayStation platform.
Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo Coupe is ready to compete in the Gran Turismo Sports arena. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/31RWb3J)
The appearance of this concept car looks futuristic, and Jaguar claims the Vision Gran Turismo Coupe's exterior design was inspired by two of its iconic racing cars from the 1950s namely Type-C and Type-D. However, the active rear wing of the car becomes a truly modern touch.
Likewise, the interior sector augmented reality glass features that can show information about the outside world and warn drivers about obstacles. This virtual concept car also has an AI assistant called KITT-E and a 3D image display. Jaguar actually works on 3D technology for production cars, even though it's not quite ready for prime time in public.
Interior view of Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo Coupe. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/31RWb3J)
"This project has been fully led by our young designers and represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them to create vehicles that are full of our extraordinary heritage but push the boundaries of future design. The team has done an extraordinary job in creating something that can clearly be identified as Jaguar, inspired - but not limited - by our iconic past," said Jaguar Design Director, Julian Thomson.
Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo Coupe was inspired by its iconic models like the C-Type and D-Type. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/31RWb3J)
Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo Coupe may not be a real car, but Jaguar has engineered it virtually. The car has a perfect front compared to the distribution of rear weight with a percentage of 50:50 and weighs 1.4 tons. Of course, this is not a heavy car, for a car that carries around a heavy battery. Jaguar said its Formula E racing team had a hand in designing the powertrain, which consisted of three electric motors. One motor powers the front wheels, while the other two power each one rear wheel, giving the car an all-wheel drive.
Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo Coupe was driven by 3 electric motors. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/31RWb3J)
Those three electric motors together drove the cars forward with power up to 1,005 horsepower and 1,199 Nm of torque. Jaguar claims the Vision Gran Turismo Coupe concept will accelerate from zero to 62 mph in less than 2.0 seconds, and reach a top speed of more than 200 mph. Like other real-existed electric supercars, it is expected to enter production over the next few years, such as the Tesla Roadster and Lotus Evija. But the performance claims of Tesla and Lotus remain like that because there has not been a car with powerful engine power.
Jaguar itself does not plan to incorporate the concept of the Vision Gran Turismo Coupe into its production line. And this sleek sports car was designed solely for the Gran Turismo Sport. But given Jaguar's current involvement in Formula E, as well as the secondary race series for the I-Pace electric SUV, it won't be surprising to see a more sporty electric Jaguar appear in the future based on this concept car. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | JAGUAR | GRANTURISMO | DIGITAL TRENDS]
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As if not yet satisfied after launching the enthralling figure of the Lamborghini Sián FKP 37 in Frankfurt some time ago, and the Italian supercar manufacturer re-launched a teaser that made the world's fast car enthusiasts feel curious again.
A teaser image of the newest V12-engine Lamborghini track-only hypercar. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/34htG10)
Yes, ahead of the final of the Lamborghini One-Make Series at the Jerez Circuit, Spain, which will be held this weekend, again Lamborghini is showing off its latest hypercar teaser planned to be released in 2020.
It was also stated that this hypercar was the first car developed by the company's racing division, the Lamborghini Squadra Corse. But until now the raging bull logoed manufacturer has not yet given the name of its latest racing track-only hypercar.
Reportedly, the hypercar will be equipped with a V12 6,500 cc Naturally Aspirated (N/A) engine that is capable of spraying power up to 830 hp. The hypercar will also be equipped with an innovative differential lock that can be adjusted by the driver to optimize the car's control depending on the circuit or asphalt conditions.
From this teaser, we can see a little appearance of the hypercar. Where seen the most prominent parts include a large-sized rear wing, a single airscoop attached on the roof, and large double air intake holes in the hood. The '63' graphics on the body are similar to those of the Aventador SVJ 63 and denote Lamborghini’s year of birth – 1963.
Furthermore, there is also information that says that the structure of this car is made from a mixture of aluminum material on the frame and carbon fiber for the monocoque and the car will be launched next year. The company also plans will be produced in limited numbers (only 40 units) and customer deliveries are slated to commence in 2021. Aside from its mysterious name, so does the same of its price. Lamborghini still hasn't leaked it yet. ***[EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | LAMBORGHINI | MOTOR1 | AUTOEVOLUTION]
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Luckily there're Willy Messerschmitt started building in a closed scooter with the help of designer Fritz Fend. Shortly thus was born the Messerschmitt Kabinenroller which been sold like a strudel until Willy could not meet the market demand. So, there are holes in the market. But, designing, developing and producing mass cars, even small ones, takes a long time. It needs almost two years in those processes before being sold of microcars in the time. But the market needs somebody to capitalize the most of the wet season as soon as possible. There's one person who tried to take that opportunity was Gustav Kroboth. He was designing a roofed vehicle back in 1953. 
