Concepts

General Motors and Segway plan to take a two-wheel concept vehicle for a spin around New York City on Tuesday.

The prototype vehicle, called Project PUMA (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility), is designed to ease congestion and pollution problems in cities. It is based on the Segway Personal Transporter but holds two people, instead of one, and lets them sit, instead of stand.

A PUMA runs on lithium ion batteries, can reach 35 miles per hour, and can travel up to 35 miles between charges.

It includes some high-tech touches, including GM's wireless OnStar communications technology that lets a … Read more

Now that its electric roadster is in production, Tesla showed off prototypes of its upcoming electric sedan. The sleek-looking car, which launches in late 2011, should come in at around $50,000, making it half the price of the sports car and able to hold three times as many occupants.

Looking ahead to the future, the trainees of Daimler AG at the Sindelfingen Mercedes-Benz plant have built a Roadster with fuel cell drive, the company announced today.

For about a year, more than 150 trainees and dual education system students worked on the overall concept, development, assembly, and completion of the F-Cell Roadster. This project involved junior employees from the fields of automotive mechatronics, model building, electronics, coating technology, manufacturing mechanics, product design, and interior appointments. The project focused on ways to integrate alternative drive systems into training with hands-on experience.

The Roadster incorporates stylistic elements from every era of … Read more

Carbon Motors is hitting the road with its next generation law enforcement vehicle to meet with state and federal government officials and promote its E7 police car.

The E7 prototype a step above the Ford Crown Victorias you typically see patrolling the streets. The high tech vehicle was designed in part based on input and suggestions from more than 3,000 law enforcement professionals. Chase ready, the E7 is equipped with a 300-horsepower clean diesel engine that propels the car from 0-60 in 6.5 seconds and has a top speed of 155 mph. … Read more

Some might call it a bit of an extravagant gift for a girl who doesn't even exist, but VW helped Barbie celebrate her 50th birthday by creating a pink custom convertible Barbie car for her dream home in Malibu.

Five colors were mixed to create the perfect hot pink. The New Beetle is outfitted with a custom white leather interior and convertible top, hand-stitched floor mats, pink quilted leather-lined door pockets and armrests, and plenty of rhinestone accents and vanity mirrors. In the trunk is what every girl will be asking for in her next car: a motorized vanity. … Read more

Jaguar Land Rover, a subsidiary of Tata Motors, has received a grant worth 27 million pounds--more than $37 million--to mass-produce a "green" crossover vehicle.

The car will be a street version--or a more practical variation--of the LRX concept vehicle that Jaguar Land Rover debuted at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2008.

The concept version was a hybrid 2-liter turbo diesel crossover vehicle, combining features of a car and an SUV. The concept got about 50 mpg on average, according to its specs.

Jaguar Land Rover's announcement comes as the U.K. government held a meeting Wednesday … Read more

Last December, James May, co-host of the UK car show "Top Gear," flew to LA to test drive the Honda FCX Clarity prototype, which he calls "the most important car since the car was invented."

The Honda FCX Clarity is a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle that uses compressed gas to generate electricity and power the car's electric motor. The Clarity has a driving range of 280 miles per tank, delivers 135hp, can travel up to 100 mph, and can reach 60 mph from a standstill in under 9 seconds.

The video clip made it onto … Read more

Due to high gas prices and narrow roads, Europeans have always appreciated small cars. Two new concepts from Ford and Kia show how small can be big, maximizing interior space and utility on a short wheelbase. Check out our photos from the 2009 Geneva auto show for details.

Nissan unveiled its Qazana crossover vehicle at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show on Wednesday.

The concept was inspired by beach buggies, according to Nissan. With its oversized tires it does look like some sort of futuristic rally car.

The ultra-low rolling resistance tires, which enable a car to get better gas mileage, were made from nano technology materials by Kumho Tyres, a U.K. company known for its eco-credentials.

An obvious younger sibling to the Qashqai SUV sold in Europe, the Qazana is a very compact hatchback at approximately 13 feet long and 6 feet wide. (For comparison, BMW's … Read more