VIDEO: Chris Bangle Butts Heads with Jason Castriota at SAAB's Geneva Motor Show Stand

You might think watching two world-renowned designers talking cars would be entertaining . . . and you'd be right on the money. Rising star and Saab's current hot shot design director Jason Castriota penned the PhoeniX concept. Chris Bangle, known for turning BMW on its head with his flame surfaces and unique rear ends, was hanging around Geneva and decided to chat with Castriota about his "aero" style.

Check out the video below for a minute and a half of a little (friendly?) banter between two polarizing designers as they discuss what makes the PhoeniX a Saab.

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VIDEO: What if Toyota Made a Cute Darth Vader Commercial?

Everyone seemed to love Volkswagen's Darth Vader Super Bowl commercial. In fact, some people out there liked it so much that they wanted to see what it would be like had Toyota made the ad. Well now we know (which is half the battle). Needless to say, the Toyota version isn't as heartwarming. It is quite entertaining, though. Check out the clip below for 1:08 of dark-sided hilarity.

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Hseih’s Aerius: The Hypercar Goes Green in a Fictional 2025

Imagine it’s the year 2025. The Bugatti Veyron is an overpriced collector’s item outlawed on U.S. streets as it doesn’t meet the nation’s recently introduced (and some say draconian) emission laws. Dozens of tired Corvette Z06’s prowl America’s heartland, their engines in need of servicing and their paint peeling, their hick driver’s desperately avoiding the iron fist of the DoT. E85 costs US$9.00 a gallon and hydrogen is relegated to interstate trucks and some high priced luxury cars.

Into this Mad Maxian world comes the Aerius: a high performance EV with electric motors in the wheel hubs, carbon nanotube super-capacitors for energy storage and solar panels to recharge them on the go. With organic, jet fighter-like styling and the green cred disenchanted motoring enthusiasts have longed for, the Aerius is sure to be 2025’s Car of the Year...

Okay, so let’s get back to reality. The Aerius is a design study by Pei-Cheng “Patrick” Hseih and frankly, it looks fantastic. We’ve seen a lot of these studies here at Carscoop, and this is my current favourite. It’s like a weird crossbreed between a shark, BMW’s M1 Homage concept and an F-35 fighter jet. And as a design it somehow works! You can check out our full gallery below and leave your piece in the comments section.

By Tristan Hankins

Source: Yankodesign

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Volvo's Iconic P1800 Turns 50 This Year

Even if you are not a specialist in classic cars, you know you have seen this one before. And you're right, its fame came from being Roger Moore's ride in the TV series “The Saint”. In fact, the man who played Simon Templar liked the car so much that he bought one for himself.

Revealed at the 1960 Brussels Motor Show, the unmistakably-shaped Swedish coupe was not the first choice for the part in “The Saint”. The producers first asked Jaguar for the E-Type, but the British refused, arguing that the car didn't need more publicity. Volvo said yes and so the P1800 became known worldwide.

Production started in 1961 and almost 46,000 units of the model were made in various versions until production ended in 1973.

Probably the second most famous P1800 driver after "The Saint" is American Irv Gordon, who drove his Swedish coupe for 45 years, reaching more than 2.8 million miles (4.5 million km) without changing the engine, the transmission or the axles. A statement for the durability and the quality of an outstanding vehicle.

To celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the P1800, Volvo will participate at the TechnoClassica show in Essen (March 30 – April 3) with six special models: the X1 (the first prototype), a 1961 first series model assembled in the UK, a 1963 P1800S Rally, a 1966 1800S Volvoville (US-built convertible), a 1971 1800E and a 1971 1800ES.

Volvo P1800 timeline:

1959 – Volvo announces P1800 prototype built by Frua.

1960 – The car is showcased in Brussels, first pre-production cars tested.

1961 – Production car: 2-door coupe, steel body, 2+2 seating, 1.8-liter twin carburettor engine, 100 bhp/5,500 rpm. First 6,000 cars assembled in the UK by Jensen Motors.

1963 – P1800 is renamed 1800S to mark the start of Swedish assembly. Introduction of the 1964 model with improved 108 bhp engine, improved brakes and modified seats.

1964 – Revised interior, straight bumpers with rubber inserts.

1965 – Power increased to 115 bhp, diaphragm clutch, sealed greasing, improved brakes.

1966 – Modified front grille, chrome side trim introduced.

1967 – Three spoke steering wheel, minor interior changes.

1968 – 2.0-liter engine type B20, 118 bhp/5,800 rpm, fitted with emission equipment. Dual circuit braking system introduced.

1969 – 1800E model with Bosch electronic fuel injection developing 130 bhp at 6,000 rpm (B20E). ZF gearbox, disc brakes on all wheels, alloys, new dashboard.

1970 – Stronger Volvo-built manual gearbox or optional Borg-Warner 3 speed automatic introduced.

1971 – 1800ES estate car launched.

1972 – 112 bhp B20F engine USA-emissions compliant.

1973 – Production ends.

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Foxy Mustang vs. Tree: Tree 1, Mustang Nil [with Video]

What enterprising youth hasn’t hooned around an empty car park in a car? I think it’s safe to say that most motoring enthusiasts would have at one stage in their lives, before they had the bravado to exercise their “skillz” [sic] on the track (or, in some cases, a nasty accident that makes them take pause). Well, think of this video as the interim stage between, “Parking Lot Racer” and “Certified Track Demon”.

So we have this guy (it would have to be, yeah?) in a post-1987 Mustang. He’s participating in some sort of coned off track racing shenanigans. It’s all fun and games power sliding through the cones until the 1:05 minute mark. Then...BAM! On the plus side, the car hit on the passenger side, which appears from the video to be unoccupied.

One thing’s for certain; it’ll be a long time before this driver takes another Fox body Mustang around that tree-lined car park. Check out the video below and leave your piece in the comments section.

By Tristan Hankins

Via: Autoholics

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Report: A Look at the Average Fuel Prices in Europe and the USA in February 2011

Without doubt, American drivers are feeling the pinch at the gas pump again as fuel prices have recently surged well past the $3 per gallon mark, recording a 20 per cent increase in the past year. According to the U.S. Energy information Administration, the nationwide average in America on February 21, 2011 was $3.19 for a gallon of regular gasoline (€compared to $2.66 the same day a year ago.

Nevertheless, that's nothing compared to Europe where motorists paid between $6.21 and $9.08 per gallon in mid-February, 2011, according to data from the European Road Information Centre. The countries with the cheapest unleaded gasoline were Latvia at $6.21 per gallon or €1.19 per liter, and Bulgaria and Estonia, both at $6.28 per gallon or €1.20 per liter.

On the other side of the spectrum, we find Norway where motorists paid a whopping $9.08 per gallon or €1.75 per liter, and the Netherlands at $8.59 per gallon or €1.65 per liter.

One of the main reasons for the huge difference in fuel prices is that European governments put a much higher tax on gas compared to the USA. Whereas taxes in many European countries account for more than 60% of the total price, in the U.S., the Federal and average State tax made up for just 13% of the price of a gallon of regular gasoline in January 2011, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Unfortunately for motorists, the recent troubles across the Middle East can only have a negative effect on oil prices in the foreseeable future.

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Notes:

*Figures are converted to US dollars based on the currency exchange rates on February 23, 2011

*European fuel prices were sourced from the European Road Information Centre (ERIC) and are for February 18, 2011.

*USA prices were sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), and are for February 14, 2011.

Sources: The AA, EIA and ERIC

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BMW Bankruptcy Bust Up in the Bush: The Price of Luxury Car Loans Down Under

AU$18 million or about US$18.1 million at the current exchange rates. That’s how many Australian dollars some 226 plus Aussies owe BMW’s unimaginatively named financial arm "BMW Finance". The Bavarian automotive giant is now perusing bankruptcy proceedings against these persons in Australia’s Federal Magistrates’ Court in an effort to recoup the debt from hundreds of unpaid car loans.

It’s all rather depressing, really, especially in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis. Take one man who bought an AU$80,000 Lexus on credit shortly before he lost his AU$110,000 job. Or the woman who signed her name on a car loan for her and her husband, only to have him leave her and get stuck with the debt. "They repossessed the car, but they still want [AU]$25,000. I don't know what to do,” said the 34 year-old.

That the woman earns just AU$36,000 a year is of no concern to BMW Finance. Peter Malone, a bankruptcy expert at CRS Warner Kuegel told the Sunday Herald Sun newspaper that creditors could, through a bankruptcy trustee, seize many of a debtor’s assets including their home, cash and shares.

Even if the car is repossessed or sold on, debtors still owe on the shortfall which can sometimes be big money. In Australia, one can be made bankrupt over as little as AU$5,000. Most of the claims the Herald Sun inspected fell into the AU$30,000 plus category, with one debtor owing a whopping AU$190,000.

It just goes to show that that old saying still stands up today, “They that dance must pay the fiddler.” Though in retrospect, why anyone would want to dance to a AU$190,000 tune is beyond my comprehension...

By Tristan Hankins

Source: Herald Sun

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VIDEO: A MINI Cooper S Powered by a Helicopter Jet Engine

Rolls-Royce and MINI may have the same owner, but the two iconic British brands have never been intended to cross paths. That was until a Texas-based firm called BMP Design decided to squeeze a Rolls-Royce Allison 250-C20B jet engine sourced from a helicopter in the back of a MINI Cooper S. Yes, that's right, just behind the front seats.

The consequences of this action are easy to imagine: the 420-horsepower, 400 lb-ft of torque RR engine drives the rear wheels, turning the MINI into a 4WD monster. Managing to drive the car is a major achievement, since the driver needs to balance the conventional controls with the separate levers that command the jet engine.

As you are about to see, the speed and the acceleration of this little rocket are mind-blowing. As is the noise coming from the turbine engine. Watch the videos after the break.

By Dan Mihalascu

Source: Jalopnik

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Two Germans Travel Across Australia in a Wind Turbine Car [with Video]

When it comes to crazy-cool engineering, nobody can top ze Germans. If it’s even vaguely plausible, you can bet that some German crackpot inventor has done it. Well, now two Germans – Stefan Simmerer and Dirk Gion – have broken three Guinness World Records in a ... wait for it ... wind turbine powered electric car.

That’s right, an EV that’s powered by a wind turbine, those big robotic looking windmills you may have seen in farms atop hilltops in Scotland or Pennsylvania. Here’s how it works:

At night, Simmerer and Gion park the Wind Explorer – that’s what it’s called – and erect a nifty looking collapsible wind turbine. While they sleep, the lightweight turbine generates enough energy to recharger the Wind Explorer’s batteries. If they’re running low on energy during the day, they can whip out a kite that helps powered the vehicle forward.

Simmerer, Gion and the Wind Explorer have recently completed a 4,800 kilometer (2,983 mile), 18 day trek across Australia where they either broke or established three Guinness World Records: the first to cross the Great Southern Land in a wind powered car, the longest distance travelled in a 36 hour period and the most distance travelled overall in a wind powered car.

You can check out some sweet videos of the Wind Explorer’s journey below.

By Tristan Hankins

Source: Wind-Explorer

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Two Germans Travel Across Australia in a Wind Turbine Car [with Video]

When it comes to crazy-cool engineering, nobody can top ze Germans. If it’s even vaguely plausible, you can bet that some German crackpot inventor has done it. Well, now two Germans – Stefan Simmerer and Dirk Gion – have broken three Guinness World Records in a ... wait for it ... wind turbine powered electric car.

That’s right, an EV that’s powered by a wind turbine, those big robotic looking windmills you may have seen in farms atop hilltops in Scotland or Pennsylvania. Here’s how it works:

At night, Simmerer and Gion park the Wind Explorer – that’s what it’s called – and erect a nifty looking collapsible wind turbine. While they sleep, the lightweight turbine generates enough energy to recharger the Wind Explorer’s batteries. If they’re running low on energy during the day, they can whip out a kite that helps powered the vehicle forward.

Simmerer, Gion and the Wind Explorer have recently completed a 4,800 kilometer (2,983 mile), 18 day trek across Australia where they either broke or established three Guinness World Records: the first to cross the Great Southern Land in a wind powered car, the longest distance travelled in a 36 hour period and the most distance travelled overall in a wind powered car.

You can check out some sweet videos of the Wind Explorer’s journey below.

By Tristan Hankins

Source: Wind-Explorer

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GP Organizers Cancel F1 Season-Opener in Bahrain Due to Protests

Formula 1 will not begin the 2011 season in Bahrain as planned, due to anti-government protests and unrest in the Gulf country. After a week of discussions and speculations, the inaugural race of the year has been cancelled, at the Bahraini Crown Prince's request.

"We must focus on immediate issues of national interest and leave the hosting to a later date," said the king's son, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in a phone conversation with Bernie Ecclestone, the F1 supremo. Instead of the March 13 debut, F1 will start two weeks later, in Australia.

Held each year since 2004, the Bahrain GP could be rescheduled, but it is too early for such talks right now. "It is sad that Bahrain has had to withdraw from the race, we wish the whole nation well as they begin to heal their country," F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone was quoted as saying by the BBC.

The testing session due to take place on March 3 in Bahrain has been cancelled as well, with the teams going to Barcelona instead for the final pre-season tests.

The loss of the Bahrain GP means the 2011 season will have 19 venues, just like last year. For the organizers, the cancellation is very expensive, since they had to pay $40 million for a place in the 2011 calendar, plus another $20 million for the privilege of hosting the first race of the season. That is before we mention the 2010 modernization of the track that cost $50 million and the direct and indirect revenue generated by the race, estimated at around $600 million in 2008.

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Kansas Thieves Targeting....Jeep Wrangler Doors

We've heard of thieves stealing wheels, tires, GPS and audio systems from cars, but pinching off doors from Jeep Wranglers is something new. However, that's exactly what's happening in Overland Park in Kansas, as thieves are taking doors off Jeep Wrangles and selling them online. Local police told KMBC news that four such thefts took place in the past few weeks alone.

According to the report, because the Jeep Wrangler's doors are hinged on the outside of the vehicle, it's very easy to remove the bolts if the vehicle is unlocked. The Overland Park police suggested that owners should keep their cars locked [maybe a warning sticker similar to the one found on mirrors could help...] adding that there are special bolt kits that make it very difficult to remove the doors.

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