Ford in the USA has created an online graphics tool that allows prospective commercial vehicle customers to overlay their company design, and get a quote for a vinyl wrap of their artwork prior to purchase.
It’s a crafty way to get buyers involved in the purchase process early … and a lot of fun.
As you can see,Wheels has had a crack at a few topical designs.
Click here to have a go yourself.
Credit for political caricatures: Andy Dolphin.
Kia has taken the wraps off a sinister new concept, developed for this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show (Sept. 12-22), called Niro.
The Korean maker says the all-black beast offers a taste of a possible future compact hatch/SUV, and its time on display in Frankfurt will be used to “gauge potential customer response for future showroom models.”
Developed at Kia’s Frankfurt design studio, the project was led by the brand’s chief designer for Europe, Gregory Guillaume.
Drivetrain details are yet to be confirmed.
One of two gold Nissan GT-Rs made for Olympic gold-medallist Usain Bolt, has been delivered to its Melbourne owner, after he paid $US187,100 for the eye-popping car in a charity auction late last year.
All proceeds from the sale go to the Usain Bolt Foundation, to assist children in Jamaica.
Aside from the glowing golden paint scheme, the car features a plaque calling out the Usain Bolt Foundation and the sprinter’s autograph on the glovebox lid.
Fiat’s performance arm, Abarth, is marking the 50th anniversary of the unveiling of its original Abarth 595, with a tribute version, based on the current, re-born Fiat 500.
At this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show (Sept. 12-22), Abarth will display an example of the original 595 and its 21st century reinterpretation.
The original car, created by Carlo Abarth’s eponymous tuning company in 1963, features an increased capacity for the rear-mounted four cylinder engine (499 to 593cc) as well as upgraded pistons, camshaft, exhaust and carburettor. The result? A jump in power from 16kW to a stonking 22kW.
The new Abarth 595 ’50th Anniversary’ is limited to 299 units, all powered by a 134kW four, and matched with a five-speed dual clutch gearbox.
No word at this stage on right-hand drive versions within that production run.
Meet Caterham’s vision for its future car range – the all new AeroSeven concept.
Revealed at least weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, the two-seater speedster is said to utilise Caterham’s F1 knowhow and should launch from 0-100km/h in less than four seconds.
Based on the current Seven CSR platform, the AeroSeven boasts all-new carbonfibre bodywork (sculpted by Caterham’s F1 aero gurus) and produces 177kW from its 2.0-litre Ford Duratec engine.
But don’t get too attached to the rev-happy 2.0-litre petrol, Caterham says it’s considering several other engines for the production car, including the 1.6-litre turbo from the Renault Clio RS.
Power is shifted to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual ’box, but the car’s bigger dimensions and added interior luxuries means it weighs in at 600kg – 75 more than the CSR 175.
Caterham says final production versions of the AeroSeven should be delivered to customers by late 2014.
This is what you get when you jam the world’s greatest muscle cars into a blender, add an extra dose of ‘all-American patriotism’, and hit ‘Churn’.
It’s called the Equus Bass 770 – a car that takes the best bits from the proven muscle car elite and mashes them together.
The end result is a muscle car greatest hits, with the Equus featuring design cues stolen from the Mustang and Challenger and the massive 6.2-litre supercharged LS9 V8 from the Corvette ZR1 under the bonnet.
Carbon brakes, an all-aluminium chassis and a rear-mounted six-speed dual-clutch ’box completed the package, with the Equus capable of a 0-100k/h charge of just 3.4 seconds.
All that speed isn’t cheap, though, with the base car starting at US$250,000.
Yee-haa!
It was news to make petrol heads rejoice – we finally had a voice in Federal politics thanks to the freshly elected Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party.
The largely unknown party had secured a seat in the Victorian Senate, with 4WD-loving, father of five Ricky Muir winning 0.5 percent of the primary vote at the September election.
But before the AMEP could so much as examine a road rule, bitter infighting is threatening to undermine its unexpected success with the party today sacking its Victorian arm.
Based in Queensland, the AMEP’s founders have terminated its Victorian leadership – effectively leaving Mr Muir as the leader of a party that doesn’t exist.
The party executive has cited a number of breaches by the Victorian arm, including the creation of an unauthorised Facebook page and unauthorised contact with the media, as the reasons behind the sacking.
The Queensland-based central executive will fulfil a caretaker role until a new federal state council can be elected.
In a further twist, the former Victorian chairman of the AMEP, Scott McDonald, is claiming Mr Muir has disappeared since his election in September.
“Nobody’s been able to contact him since the 10th of September,” Mr McDonald told the ABC. “I’ve had no correspondence as to how he’s going, if he’s okay. To my knowledge he did not attend a meeting for newly elected senators last week. No one knows where he is, what he’s doing or what’s happening.”
McDonald is also claiming the sacking of the Victorian arm is a ‘power grab’ by the Queensland hierarchy which expected to win its Senate seat in its home state, not in Victoria.
More details as they develop.
Want a BMW 4 Series with a million miles of headroom? Here it is – the new 4 Series convertible.
Unveiled ahead of its Los Angeles motor show debut next month, the convertible sports a folding three-piece hardtop and the same engine range as its coupe sibling.
That means a 135kW/380Nm 2.0-litre diesel and the choice of two petrol engines – a turbocharged 2.0-litre four cylinder producing 180kW/350Nm or a 225kW/400Nm turbo straight six found in the range-topping (at least until the M4 arrives) 435i.
The roof itself can be raised and lowered in 20 seconds at speeds up to 18km/h.
Expect the convertible to command a $10,000 premium over the coupe, with local deliveries tipped to begin by mid-2014.
It’s getting rave reviews around the globe, but now we have numerical proof Alfa’s sexy new 4C isn’t just a pretty face.
The new, sub-$80,000 sportscar has shattered the lap record at the Nurbugring for a car with less than 185kW, clocking a time of 8m04s.
To put that into perspective, it’s exactly the same time as the superbly-balanced, and considerably more expensive, Porsche Cayman S, a second quicker than an E92 BMW M3 and four seconds faster than the razor-sharp Renaultsport Megane 265 Trophy.
The 4C did get specially-developed, super-sticky, Pirelli P Zero Trofeo AR Racing tyres to hustle it around ‘Ring, but now there’s no doubt the 4C has the performance to match its good looks.
Bugatti has ripped the covers off the third instalment in its ‘Legends’ series – this one dedicated to double Targa Florio champ and former head of Bugatti’s motorsport arm, Meo Costantini.
Just three of these multi-million dollar Veyron Grand Sport Vitesses will be built, with each example modified to pay homage to Costantini’s racing achievements and the iconic Type 35 Bugatti in which he competed.
Design touches include a painted silhouette of the original Targa Floria circuit underneath the rear wing, bespoke leather embroidered with Costantini’s signature and unique blue paintwork representing France’s classic racing colours.
The car’s body is made primarily of carbonfibre, although the wings, doors and corners of the front bumper are rendered in hand polished aluminium.
The Meo Costantini Veyron will make its world debut at this week’s Dubai Motor Show.
