The futuristic biodynamic shaped truck by Luigi Colani

Head to the Future The world's car manufacturers are now more ready to welcome the future. This can be seen at least from the design of their very futuristic concept cars, some even have out of the box designs. This is in line with the growing trend of environmentally friendly vehicles, not only for small-sized vehicles, but also for heavy-duty vehicles such as the trucks.

The Innotruck is designed by Luigi Colani, and intended to serve as both a test bench and a demonstration vehicle for a number of emerging technologies. (Picture from: Autoevolution)

And some of them come as custom models, as shown in the design of a unique future truck called the Innotruck built in collaboration the Siemens, the German's global technology company with designer Luigi Colani, TU Munich (Munich Technical University) and Marchi Mobile. As reported by Autoevolution, the futuristic truck concept was launched for the first time in 2012 at the MobiliTec international trade show in Hannover, Germany.

The Innotruck posed along with Luigi Colani, and as you can see here, the front of the truck gives a unique access for the driver get into the cockpit by sliding its glass nose. (Picture from: Bubblemania.fr)

At that time, the truck design had attracted the attention of many pairs of eyes. Once realized, this truck does look very futuristic. As we could be seen an aerodynamics truck-trailer-designed with the eco-friendly drivetrain and the energy management is another major goal of it. The creation of the Innotruck is also claimed to be an important part in the development of research on digitalization and electrification.

The Innotruck is also claimed to be an important part in the development of research on digitalization and electrification. (Picture from: Autoevolution)

Described as a "smart microgrid", the vehicle is capable of managing the energy flow not only from its battery, but also from on-board solar cells, wind turbines and regenerative brakes. It even has power outlets along its sides, so other vehicles can recharge when stationary and thus free up energy on the city grid. The point is to cut the inefficiencies of the existing system and could also be a mobile power plant for places where backup power is needed.

The front of the Innotruck has a unique design that resembles the nose of a fighter jet. (Picture from: Bubblemania.fr)

As quoted from Motor1, the Innotruck is claimed to be completely hand-built based on the Mercedes-Benz platform, and has a unique design on the front of the truck that resembles the nose of a fighter jet with the luxurious cabin. This is a truly unique and (potentially) revolutionary design that integrates the trailer as a component combined with the spaceship cockpit. The drive section rotates under the digital cockpit. 

The Innotruck also provided a beautiful living room behind the cockpit that caters to the needs of truckers in long distances traveling. (Picture from: Autoevolution)

Besides it looks futuristic, it has to be said, the almost entirely glass cockpit seems to provide exceptional sight lines to its driver. The car is integrated into the trailer section allowing the drivetrain to be placed under the drive independent of the trailer. Controls are in the cockpit reminiscent of a fighter jet with a large amount of glass allowing optimal visibility. This space is connected to a beautiful living room that caters to the needs of truckers in long distances traveling. To enter the cockpit area, the glass canopy opens and the driver enters.

The Innotruck has an almost entirely glass cockpit that seems to provide exceptional sight lines to its driver. (Picture from: Bubblemania.fr)

The cab is connected to the drivetrain via driveby wire technology allowing easy integration into the trailer. Power comes from an electric motor powered by a diesel engine which is converted into a range extender duty. This allows for the most efficient powertrain that can still provide the distance needed to transport goods over long distances. Besides having an eccentric design and a unique drivetrain, plus its large size makes it not legal yet to use on the European Union roads.

Only two unit of the Innotruck have ever been made, and for those interested in having one of them, it sold on the JamesEdition website back in the 2020, but doesn't say how much it cost (certainly has an expensive price tag). This truck concept can be used as a show car for various business needs and educational programs or simply as a unique collectible items.

Besides the Innotruck, it turns out that the late Luigi Colani has also worked on several other truck designs in collaboration with many parties, ranging from automotive companies and other related institutions, as you can see here. Or You could be also seen another Colani's creation such Ferrari Testa D'oro from 1992.  *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | COLANI | JAMESEDITION | LUXURYAUTOCOLECTION | HOTCARS | MOTOR1 | BUBBLEMANIA | AUTOEVOLUTION ]

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An awesome performance of the Verge TS electric-motorcycle

Take A Ride Sooner or later electrification is believed to be a trend. Currently emerging new brands that make electric-powered vehicles, especially electric motorcycles. One of them is the Finnish brand, Verge Motorcycles, which is rumored to be launching the Verge TS, which is an electric sports motorbike. This motorcycle will compete in the high-performance electric motorcycle class with the Energica and Zero Motorcycles brands.

The Verge TS is an electric-powered sports motorbike introduced by the Finnish company Verge Motorcycles. (Picture from: Visordown)

As quoting from the Greatbiker page, the Verge TS had previously been introduced for the first time at the 2019 EICMA as the prototype in February 2019. It took 32 months for the company to officially launch its electric motorbike. As we know that the Verge TS is a rebranding and to be a new name for mass production of the previous motorcycle brand, RMK E2.

There are no detailed specifications regarding the battery. However, the manufacturer claims that this electric motor has a maximum power of 107 hp and an abundant torque of up to 1,000 Nm. The maximum speed is around 180 kph in under 4 seconds. When the battery is fully charged, the motorbike can cover a distance of 300 km, and 200 km for combined city and out-of-town road us.

The Verge TS is a rebranding and to be a new name for mass production of the previous motorcycle brand, RMK E2. (Picture from: RideApart)

In addition to the engine specifications, the Verge TS is interesting because it uses a hubless rear wheel. The rear wheel looks hollow so that it becomes a point more than the design side. Hub holes like this is actually not something new. However, motorcycle manufacturers who launch hubless are rare. 

Teemu Saukkio is a designer who created a hubless rear wheel mechanism from his workshop, he developed a hubless rear wheel by attaching a hub mount to an E2 motor (at that time) which was claimed to run very fast.

The Verge TS has also been pinned with a premium rear suspension of the Ohlins brand monoshock and brake calipers from Brembo. (Picture from: Visordown)

The wheel mechanism seems to float without being supported by the spokes on the rim and of course futuristic. It is also mentioned that the hubless on the rear wheel is one of the factors that makes the motor have great acceleration. In addition, the Verge TS has also been pinned with a premium rear suspension of the Ohlins brand monoshock and brake calipers from Brembo.

The Verge TS is claimed has a maximum power of 107 hp and an abundant torque of up to 1,000 Nm. (Picture from: Electrec.co)

Meanwhile, for rear braking that uses a hubless wheel mechanism, it is impossible to install conventional brakes like an ordinary motorcycle. So, this futuristic style motorcycle uses a rear brake which they call a 'regenerative braking system'. Furthermore, for charging the battery, it is claimed to be faster because it has embedded the Fast Charging system which is their charging standard.

The Verge TS has a hubless rear wheel mechanism by attaching a hub mount on the motorcycle which was claimed to run very fast. (Picture from: Electrec.co)

The Finnish company claim the battery of the Verge TS can be fully charged in just 2 to 3 hours, while the battery capacity is still unknown. For performance on the road, the Verge TS electric motor is capable of producing 107 hp (80kW) and a maximum torque of 737 ft-lb. As for the range that can be achieved by the Verge TS is as far as 124 miles or 199 km for use on the highway and 186 miles or equivalent to 299 km in the city.

It is very impressive the distance that can be covered, for an electric motorbike that has a futuristic design and the use of unusual rear tires. With all the sophistication that is buried into this futuristic motorbike, Verge Motorcycles sells it for $27,713. Are you interested?

Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of the two-wheeled monster and stay alive with true safety riding. May God will forgive Your sins and so does the cops..... *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | VERGE MOTORCYCLES | VISORDOWN | ELECTREC.CO | RIDESAPART ]

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Aquilla Gullwing makes the bug feels like a butterfly

Unique ONES As the true automotive enthusiasts, of course, we like and want to have an exotic beauty car, but due to financial limitations or other reasons, sometimes we have to throw away the desire to own it.🤔

Understandably, the price of an exotic-beauty car is not cheap, most of them have a fantastic price tag. It's a shame if we then have to give up that desire without looking for other alternatives that may be in accordance with the financial capabilities we have.😁

The Volkswagen Beetle of 1963 wore the FiberFab's Aquila Gullwing kit car, an exotic-sleek car with gullwing-style doors. (Picture from: ClassicCars)

Then maybe you will ask whether there is such an alternative? Is it true, there's an exotic-beauty car that can be owned without having to dig deep into our pockets. Yes, on this occasion we will talk about it. Especially if those of you are a fan of unique vintage Volkswagen cars such the Volkswagen Beetle. 

The Volkswagen Beetle of 1963 wore the FiberFab's Aquilla Gullwing kit car shown here is the 137th production car, which still uses the original paint color combination of ivory and beige. (Picture from: ClassicCars)

Just take a look the car image above! Who would have thought that the car was started its life as the Volkswagen Beetle of 1963? Well, in the hands of FiberFab, a Cupertino, Californian-based automotive company, the car figure who is familiarly known as 'The Bug or among the Indonesian VW fans known as VW 'Kodok' or 'The Frog' can be transformed into an exotic-beautiful like a butterfly.🦋

The Volkswagen Beetle of 1963 wore the FiberFab's Aquila Gullwing kit car with its gullwing-style doors openned. (Picture from: ClassicCars)

The automotive company founded by Robert Mueller since 1964 had designed a kit car named Aquila Gullwing on the chassis of an exotic and exclusive BMW M1 in the 1980s. But then the kit could be assambled on the standard chassis of the VW Beetle to meet the demands of low-budget customers. And one of the results as you can see in the picture above, in a form of an exotic-sleek car with gullwing-style doors and without the trace of the VW Beetle at all.

The Volkswagen Beetle of 1963 wore the FiberFab's Aquila Gullwing kit car has brown colored interior. (Picture from: Hemmings)

Although the original kit car price is no longer in the archives but that is enough to say it must have been relatively affordable, considering that the donor cars were readily available (and inexpensive) at the time.

The Volkswagen Beetle of 1963 wore the FiberFab's Aquila Gullwing kit car is powered by a flat-four 1,200 cc engine which is only capable bursting the power of 40 hp only. (Picture from: Hemmings)

As quoted from the HeritagePartsCenter, the Californian company only made 150 cars wore the Aquila kit. And specifically for the vehicle shown here is the 137th production car, which still uses the original paint color combination of ivory and beige with brown interior.

The Volkswagen Beetle of 1963 wore the FiberFab's Aquila Gullwing kit car is one of only 150 cars ever built in the 1980s. (Picture from: ClassicCars)

If from its appearance that is able to give the perfect impression of a supercar. But on the other hand, if you look at the engine, all expectations about the supercar madness will be disappeared at once, because from its Volkswagen flat-four 1,200 cc engine which is only capable bursting the power of 40 hp only. So in terms of performance the car remains like a bug rather than a butterfly.

The Volkswagen Beetle of 1963 wore the FiberFab's Aquila Gullwing kit car remains a bug rather than a butterfly in terms of performance. (Picture from: ClassicCars)

So when you make a choice on a car like this, it seems that you have made the right choice, in addition to having a beautiful and exotic shape, it turns out that it's included into a type of scarce car and rarely seen by the public. Which is likely now and so on the price will soar to be expensive, the question is can you afford it now? 

As qouted of the ClassicCars, this unique shaped car creation has been sold at price of $13,900 at the Mecum Auction back in the 2014. 😭 *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | FIBERFAB | HEMMINGS | HERITAGEPARTSCENTER | CLASSICCARS | MECUM ]

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The only one Italian-made Corvette

ONE-OFF As already known that the name of the Chevrolet Corvette always known as an American muscular car, with a body design that is not less muscular and always be dreamed in its homeland. However, the charm of the V8 engine's Chevrolet Corvette mainstay just seems not enough to attract consumers in Europe, where the typical European car has a more beautiful design.

1963 Pininfarina Rondine Coupe made taken base of Chevrolet Corvette C2. (Picture from: Otosia)

Then in 1963, one Chevrolet Corvette C2 had to undergo a makeover to be more pleasing to the eyes of Europeans. The result, Chevrolet in cooperation with Pininfarina, a famous Italian automotive coachbuilder that used to design a Ferrari, which later gave birth to the figure of Pininfarina Rondine Coupe.

Rear side view of 1963 Pininfarina Rondine Coupe. (Picture from: Otosia)

Unlike the Corvette C2 which has a body made of fiberglass, Pininfarina Rondinne has a metal made exterior, which makes its weight so increase, and control is also changed completely. The car's front overhangs are more longer, and the Corvette's typical pop-up lights are eliminated, and on the back there is nothing resembling to the original car, and it is more like a Fiat 124.

Inside, the car has a stock dashboard and seats, but attention to detail around the doors is exceptional. The door jams themselves are chromed and decorated panels are fitted. The greenhouse is quite bright due to the white leather upholstery and a large wraparound rear windscreen.

Because seeing the car's view which then triggered a fairly diverse responses, and finally made Chevrolet was reluctant to continue Pininfarina Rondine to the production line and now the only one ever made was sitting peacefully at the Corvette museum. *** [EKA[20092017] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SUPERCARS.NET]

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The most fiercest V12 engined supercar of Peugeot

Technology Breakthrough One of the rarest supercars in history would be discussed today comes from one of the French car manufacturers, Peugeot. We'll go into details on examples of this particular supercar in a moment, but first, let's talk about the origins of the Peugeot 907 Concept.

2004 Peugeot 907 Concept car while sits on displat at the at the Musée de l'Aventure Peugeot-Sochaux, France. (Picture from: Wikipedia)

The Peugeot 907 is a concept car built by Peugeot, and first revealed at the 2004 Paris Motor Show. The concept car was created by the company's head of styling Gérard Welter and designer Jean Christophe Bolle Reddat to celebrate the opening of the company's new design center in Vélizy and the closure of the forty year old design studio in La Garenne.

2004 Peugeot 907 Concept car is powered by two 3.0-liter V6 engines are combined together to form a V12 with a burst the power of 507 hp and features a sequentially controlled 6-speed manual gearbox. (Picture from: Supercars)

It was one of three concept cars unveiled by Peugeot at the show, alongside the Quark and 1007 RC. And the Fleet News described the concept car as "Peugeot's answer to the Ferrari 575M Maranello before it was unveiled in September 2004, where these two cars have the similar design, which is both have a long snout. 

2004 Peugeot 907 Concept car has the interior in combination of brown leather and light grey alcantara and is used to cover both the interior and the seats. (Picture from: Wikipedia)

The car concept was never designed for mass production, but rather was intended to be a prototype featuring Peugeot's new design techniques.

2004 Peugeot 907 Concept car was never designed for mass production, but rather was intended to be a prototype featuring Peugeot's new design techniques. (Picture from: Supercars)

The engine is mounted directly behind the front wheels, and side exhausts exit behind each of the front wheels. Unlike many concepts, the 907 can be driven like any other production car. Under the hood, two 3.0-liter V6 engines are combined together to form a V12 with a burst the power of 507 hp.

Then the monocoque body is made of carbon fiber and also uses four-wheel control arm suspension at all revolutions while a sequential shift transmission distributes power to the rear wheels. The windshield curves upward to form the roof, while the hood has see-through perspex inserts that reveal the engine's twelve intake trumpets. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | FLEETNEWS | WIKIPEDIA | SUPERCARS | DRIVETRIBE ]

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Seen Dodge Firearrow Concept series

Unique ONES - In the intriguing world of automotive design, the collaboration between America and Italy has produced some truly remarkable cars, and one shining example is the Dodge Firearrow Series.

1954 Dodge Firearrow II (left) posed along with the 1954 Dodge Firearrow IV (right). (Picture from: VintageRaceCars)

Conceived in the early 1950s by Virgil Exner, the design chief at Chrysler Corp, and crafted by the esteemed Turin-based coachbuilder Carrozzeria Ghia, these concept cars stand as a testament to the fusion of style and innovation. Now, let's us talking about those Firearrow concepts as follows;

1. Dodge Firearrow I

In 1953, the first Firearrow concept came out of Chrysler's advanced styling studio and was a dummy. Later, three Firearrows followed led to Dual Ghias. The Firearrow I was a true roadster and painted in Red and Gray, while the interior was yellow with maroon piping. Its wheels were full wheel covers and the bodyside molding wrapped all of the ways around the car and has dual headlights.

1953 Dodge Firearrow I Concept sat alongside with Abarth Fiat 1100 (Ghia) at the 1953 Turin Motor show. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru)

The Dodge Firearrow, a sleek, 34-inch-high sports roadster, is a new 'idea' car of the Dodge Division, hand-crafted by Ghia of Turin, Italy. At that time, William C. Newberg, president of Dodge, says that certain design features of the experimental body may well be reflected in future Dodge production models, but there are no present plans to produce the Firearrow.

1953 Dodge Firearrow I Concept was designed by the Chrysler Corp design chief in the time, Virgil Exner and built by Carrozzeria Ghia. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru)

The car is shown for the first time on November 12, 1953, at Chrysler Corporation's annual new car press party in Detroit. And today, it is on display at Petersen’s Museum although the seats are now brown.

2. Dodge Firearrow II

The second series of roadster-styled concept car of Dodge itself is built on a 119-inch chassis and equipped with a Red Ram Hemi (241 cubic inch engine) combined with a four-speed Gyro-Torque semi-automatic gearbox, so then the car is claimed to be capable of spewing power up to 150 horsepower.

1954 Dodge Firearrow II Concept appeared with different front and rear sections than the previous model. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)

It painted in yellow and looked a lot like Firearrow I, except the body side molding didn’t wrap around the car, chrome wire wheels replace the full hub caps, single headlights replaced the dual, and Firearrow I’s split bumper was changed.

Rear three-quarter view of the 1954 Dodge Firearrow II Concept. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)

But, it retained the two-seats behind the dashboard and striking frameless windshield when it appeared in 1954.

3. Dodge Firearrow III

In 1954, the two-seat Firearrow Sport Coupe appeared and proclaimed as the third series of the Dodge's models. As with the earlier roadster, the metallic blue coupe was essentially a 1954 Dodge.

1954 Dodge Firearrow III Sports Coupe shown at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance. (Picture from: Supercars.net) 

Dual headlights returned and now flanked a concave grille cut with narrow verticals. It also featured with the crash protection front and rear was provided by modest bumperettes. A wraparound backlight gave the Sport Coupe a particularly rakish aspect.

Rear three-quarter view of the 1954 Dodge Firearrow III Sports Coupe. (Picture from: Supercars.net) 

The third in a series of four unique Firearrow concept cars made, it has been said that this concept car had the skillful blending of the best ideas from Europe and the American design studios of Virgil Exner and brought an entirely new kind of beauty with a look of poised power.

4. Dodge Firearrow IV

The fourth series of Firearrow convertible arrived late in 1954. Despite being the series' first four-seater model, it shared many styling cues with the previous Sport Coupe model, or can be said, it was basically a soft-top version of the coupe.

1954 Dodge Firearrow IV four-seater convertible concept car and share the same design as the previous sports coupe version. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)

The Dodge Firearrow IV was the only road-legal concept car that was actually prepared to enter the production line and adorn many car shows in the United States in 1954. And if you look at the specifications, this concept is similar to the Firearrow II which was also designed by Exner and built-in Turin by Ghia on a 119-inch chassis by using the same drivetrain.

1954 Dodge Firearrow IV convertible leather interior's with a black and white diamond pattern. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru)

The concave grille returned, though it now carried a grid treatment instead of the coupe's slim verticals. As for the convertible's leather interior, as it was a diamond pattern done in hard-to-ignore black and white, it was definitely an acquired taste. Additional sizzle was provided by the car's bright red body.

Rear three-quarter view of the 1954 Dodge Firearrow IV four-seater convertible. (Picture from: Automotivereport)

Although these timeless creations, though never mass-produced, continue to captivate the hearts of automotive enthusiasts, serving as a reminder of the innovative spirit that defined an era. The Dodge Firearrow series stands as a testament to the boundless creativity and collaboration that can emerge from the marriage of American and Italian automotive design.. *** [EKA[13072020] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARSTYLING.RU | AUTOWEEK | SUPERCARS.NET ]

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One of the unique retro concepts made by Pininfarina

Elegant ONES One of the most interesting concept cars ever made by the famous Italian automotive design house, Pininfarina, is the one they built in early 1956, named Nash Rambler Palm Beach. It has a striking appearance, the Palm Beach is a new sports car concept and is a perfect replacement for the Nash-Healey model. And the Nash Rambler Palm Beach was introduced in early 1957, but unfortunately, it was never mass-produced.

1956 Nash Rambler Palm Beach by Pininfarina. (Picture from: OldCarConcept)

Uniquely, instead of being a mere "show car", Palm Beach turned out to be a prototype that made as a fully functional vehicle and can be driven normally, where's the car should be made its production version shortly after the car introduced to the market.

The Nash Rambler Palm Beach is built on a wheelbase of 101.5 inches, with a height of only 49.7 inches, a width of almost 68 inches and an overall length of 176 inches. The exterior of Palm Beach features a round central air intake surrounded by two unique oval-shaped air holes.

Left side view of the 1956 Nash Rambler Palm Beach by Pininfarina. (Picture from: OldCarConcept)

Its front looks were so elegant and combined with stylish plastic headlights. These lines are meticulously carved and don't use a lot of chrome, which when compared with other cars of the era, makes Palm Beach look so unique and futuristic.

Interior view of the 1956 Nash Rambler Palm Beach by Pininfarina. (Picture from: OldCarConcept)

Despite being a sports car, Palm Beach has plenty of room for two passengers and plenty of room for luggage. All major mechanical components, including the start system with the popular clutch pedal, come from Rambler with a wheelbase of 100 inches. This clutch pedal system replaces the starter button below the clutch pedal.

Engine view of the 1956 Nash Rambler Palm Beach by Pininfarina. (Picture from: OldCarConcept)

And its engine, Nash Rambler Palm Beach relies on a six-cylinder flathead engine capable of producing power of 82 hp at 3,800 rpm, with 138-ft.lbs of torque at 1,600 rpm. Because the low hood does not allow enough space to accommodate the manufacturer's size carburetor, and Weber's carburetor is used instead.

The Palm Beach's interior is laid out nicely, featuring individually adjustable bucket seats, covered with cowhide with large cushions placed between them. Large map bags are placed at each door, while a long, thin gearshift lever is mounted on the floor, operating a three-speed manual transmission.

The Nash Rambler Palm Beach is actually a very interesting luxury sports car concept, unfortunately, when the car finishes its debut, the American Motors Company (AMC) which has acquired Rambler is no longer interested in showing sports cars in their vehicle lineup. Palm Beach eventually became a show car that AMC brought to various auto shows as an additional attraction, but it never put it into the production line. *** [EKA[26112021] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | OLDCONCEPTCARS]

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