auto

Mini? Mini who?

Audi has released photos of its Audi A1, aka the Audi Metroproject Quattro concept car that it plans to debut at the 2007 Tokyo auto show next week.

The Audi wins hands-down in terms of a sophisticated and elegant look for a sub-compact, inexpensive car compared with its intended rival, the BMW Mini Cooper.

The Audi A1 makes BMW's Mini Cooper look like Minnie Mouse, a colorful, fun and quirky friend you once thought was cute as a child. But now that you're an adult your interests lie more toward Heidi Klum or Seal.

My … Read more

If the robust HyperBike is the bicycle equivalent of a Hummer, then the high-tech Yamaha Bobby is the BMW one.

The Bobby prototype from Yamaha Motor is an electric bicycle that lets riders connect to the Internet. Ubergizmo pointed out that the bike can also be turned on and off from select cell phones.

Bobby is one of 19 concept bikes Yamaha Motor plans to show at the 2007 Tokyo auto show. The Bobby is part of Yamaha's "Art of Engineering" theme for this year's show, according to Yamaha.

Yamaha Motor also seems to be partnering … Read more

Where do you draw the line between a motorcycle and a car?

Toyota's iQ Concept, a concept car that debuted in Frankfurt and will be at the 2007 Tokyo auto show, might be better suited for the next rally in Sturgis, SD.

Toyota is in collaboration with two Japanese companies to develop a 1-liter engine for the iQ that will be based on a Yamaha motorcycle engine, according to reports from Auto Blog and Automotive News Europe.

Toyota plans to produce about 80,000 iQ cars for Europe by 2009 and possibly more for the Indian and Chinese markets. … Read more

Honda is thinking very much inside the box for next week's Tokyo auto show, where it will unveil its latest hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered concept. The Puyo, whose name--according to Honda--is intended to convey "the sensation of touching the vehicle's soft body," is designed to be "kind to both people and the environment".

To achieve this, the bubble-shaped vehicle (we can't bring ourselves to call it a car) has no sharp edges and features a "gel body" made from soft materials to minimize injury to pedestrians. Those unfortunate to be hit by a … Read more

As part of the LA Auto Show this November, leading automakers were asked to submit ideas for a design challenge.

This year's theme was the "RoboCar of 2057" and the submissions are as far out as that date.

The concepts take into consideration environmental concerns and safety as well as imagination. General Motors based its car on the ant; Mazda has you thinking like a samurai; and Nissan wants to give you a pet that does the grocery shopping.

Check out CNET News.com's gallery that includes photos and concepts from Audi, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, … Read more

As far as we now know, Lexus plans to unveil two concept and six production vehicles at the 2007 Tokyo auto show, which opens in late October.

The Lexus concept cars that will be on display: the LF-Xh and the LF-A.

THe LF-A, a two-seater sports car, features a V10 engine and carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) body.

The LF-Xh, as you can see, is slightly similar in looks to the Lexus IS-F that debuted at the Detroit auto show earlier this year.

The LF-Xh is an all-wheel-drive, hybrid-electric vehicle with a V6 gas engine. The vehicle promises "outstanding … Read more

Photos of the Toyota i-Real robot/car that will debut at the 2007 Tokyo auto show are already making their way across the Web.

But what's all the fuss?

The i-Real is a battery-powered vehicle with three wheels.

The rear wheel can kick back further for a low-to-the-ground fast movement with great stability.

While the i-Real looks neat, it's really no different than other Toyota car/robot hybrids we've written about before.

Remember the i-Foot, the i-Wing and the i-Unit?

If you are interested and want to see more, AutoBlog Green has a nice gallery.

We've seen press releases and photos heralding Nissan's, Suzuki's, and Mitsubishi's car lineups for the upcoming Tokyo auto show, and now Subaru showed full details of what it will bring to the floor. Car enthusiasts will be eager to get a look at the new WRX STi, which will hopefully reinject a little fun into the disappointing 2008 WRX. Subaru also has a couple of interesting concepts to show off: the all-electric G4e and the Exiga seven-passenger touring car. Look for our blog and photos from the Tokyo auto show starting October 24.

Click here for pictures of Subaru's lineup.… Read more

With the barrage of hybrid cars announced at Frankfurt and the focus on electric drive trains, hydrogen has taken a break from the alternative-fuels limelight of late. But Mazda is bringing H2 back into focus with the launch of a new hydrogen model at this month's Tokyo auto show. The Premacy Hydrogen RE (essentially a modified Mazda5) makes use of a transversely mounted hydrogen/gasoline rotary engine similar to that in the automaker's RX8 Hydrogen RE.

Like the BMW Hydrogen 7, the Premacy Hydrogen RE burns its hydrogen in its combustion engine; unlike the BMW, it then converts … Read more