Mazda Shows Off Japanese Style in Milan, With KODO-Inspired Chair

We're the kind of people who like carmakers to stay focused on what they are supposed to do – make automobiles. However, in the modern world of design, which is an entire sub-culture in and of itself, it seems that it doesn't matter what you come up with, as it can easily be translated and made into something else entirely, while keeping its relation to the first inspirational object very clear. Read more »

Maserati's New Lounge Chair Somehow Pays Tribute to New Quattroporte

Designers can be a funny bunch sometimes, seeing things that ordinary people will likely never notice. What would you say if we were to tell you that this black leather lounge chair was directly inspired and conceived as an homage to the new Maserati Quattroporte? Read on, think about it, and then tell us your opinion in the comments. Read more »

Fast & Furious 6 Trailer Parody with Radio-Controlled Scale Models

While the cast from the upcoming Need for Speed movie just started filming this week in California, Former FBI agent turned-to-street racer Brian O'Conner and his fugitive friend Dominic Toretto, played by Paul Walker and Vin Diesel respectively, are counting down the days until the sixth installment of the fuel-injected Fast & Furious hits theaters on May 24.

We already know about the screenplay and have seen the official trailer that was released during this year's Super Bowl XVLII in February. As with most installments of the Fast & Furious franchise, this one too is bound to ignite several parodies, the first, or at least one of the first we've seen, is this one from radio-controlled (RC) vehicle specialist and retail seller NitroRCX.

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Man Buys 2007 Porsche Cayman S for 300… Digital Bitcoins, Which Initially Cost $1,200!

Ever heard of a Bitcoin? Apparently, it's the most widely used alternative currency, entirely digital and based on an open-source, peer-to-peer protocol. Introduced in 2009, the Bitcoin has gained ground ever since and exploded approximately two weeks ago with the banking crisis in Cyprus.

As of March 2013, Bitcoins have reached a monetary base of $1.28 billion, with 11 million of them in circulation. Their number will continue to grow until 21 million Bitcoins are in circulation. The digital currency isn’t regulated by a central bank and all transactions are peer-to-peer.

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Digital Gauge Clusters' Popularity Rising, Watch How the One on the Volvo V60 PHEV Works

One of the perks of writing many stories from the automotive world, and especially those about all-new cars, is that you get to see patterns which all manufacturers follow. In recent times, we had autonomous braking and lane departure warning (LDW) systems, which are slowly becoming standard, and now it's digital gauge clusters.

While covering the NY motor show, it struck me just how many manufacturers have started offering the technology that is no longer limited to high-end cars.

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Two-Ton Diesel-Engined Mantis "Spider" Can Go Where No Wheeled Vehicle Can

Meet the Mantis, the world’s largest hexapod robot in the world. It took Micromagic Systems and its founder/chief designer Matt Denton four years to design and build the walking robot that is big enough to carry a human passenger.

The all-terrain robot weighs 1,900 kg (4,188 lbs), is 2.8 meters (9.18 ft) tall and is powered by a 50hp Perkins 2.2-liter turbo diesel engine which sets the hydraulics into motion. It’s fitted with a series of sensors that help it walk, with its movements being controlled by a Linux PC running the HexEngine software that coordinates the 18 hydraulic actuator in its legs.

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Pirelli Says Tires of the Future Will Be Tall and Skinny

It seems that if we want to go further and improve the whole concept of the automobile, making it even more efficient, will require a radical rethink of tires, their size and look. According to Pirelli, the increasingly strict European Union regulations for tires will force them to try to find new ways of achieving the best ratings. Read more »

Russians Mod Old Opel Vectra and Remotely Control it Via an iPad

Pairing a modern iPad tablet with an old-school, first generation Opel Vectra may look like an impossible thing to do for most people. We’re not talking about fitting the iPad into the Vectra’s dashboard, but controlling the car via an iPad app. Read more »