
In the course of its history, BMW has repeatedly provided impulses for the further development of personal mobility through innovative vehicle and drive concepts. Last year’s special exhibition ‘Concept Vehicles’ at the BMW Museum presented a selection of these unusual concepts. Now two more vehicles from the recent past are about to be added to the exhibition. Known as SIMPLE and CLEVER, this brace of concepts goes on show at the Museum...

At the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, Ford of Europe is revealing the first of a fleet of Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) prototypes based on the Ford Focus, and specially developed to participate in the UK Government’s “Ultra-Low Carbon Vehicles” demonstration initiative next year. The research programme aims to test the technology’s suitability for potential future application in Ford’s European passenger car range. A consortium...

In the course of its history, BMW has repeatedly provided impulses for the further development of personal mobility through innovative vehicle and drive concepts. Last year’s special exhibition ‘Concept Vehicles’ at the BMW Museum presented a selection of these unusual concepts. Now two more vehicles from the recent past are about to be added to the exhibition. Known as SIMPLE and CLEVER, this brace of concepts goes on show at the Museum...

With its BB1 concept car, Peugeot has pushed back the conventions and boundaries of current automobile manufacturing to create a totally new solution to the current and future needs of urban mobility. Capable of seating four people in a vehicle just 2.5 metres long, the BB1 concept car is a full electric vehicle that reinvents the automobile in every way: architecture, style, interior design, interior space, connectivity – while all the time...

The world of automobiles and individual mobility is moving towards energy efficiency, environmental compatibility and uncompromised safety – along with dynamic attributes and driving fun. In its efforts to offer pure driving enjoyment, while meeting its ecological and social responsibilities, Mazda has been focusing on weight reduction as a core base technology. For 20 years, reducing weight has been a tradition with the MX-5. It provided the inspiration...

Exclusive design, the greatest possible comfort and trailblazing innovations – the latest Mercedes-Benz S-Class is once again accepted to be the pacemaker for automotive progress. During the development of the world’s most successful luxury saloon, the focus was however not only on further improvements relating to the classic core values. In addition, the engineers and technicians were able to achieve decisive further progress towards...

A refined flow of power in conjunction with superlative comfort and an elegantly understated appearance: this is the new Audi S6. It is the sporty top model in the luxury-class family of models comprising the Audi A6 sedan and A6 Avant, which took the market by storm following their launch in 2004 and have since garnered countless accolades worldwide from both customers and experts within the trade. The S6, the latest product to result from...

The Toyota Prius, the best-selling gas-electric hybrid vehicle in the United States and the world, offers a more engaging driving experience for 2007 with the availability of a new Touring Edition model. In addition, the 2007 Prius gains standard driver and front passenger seat-mounted side airbags and front and rear side curtain airbags, which were previously optional. The new 2007 Prius Touring Edition provides more spirited driving responses...

Based on the all-new Hyundai i20 B-segment car, premiered at the 2008 Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris, this ‘blue’ variant incorporates a number of real-world modifications to further enhance the standard car’s already-impressive environmental credentials. These improvements are achieved without compromising performance, reliability or driver satisfaction, making the Hyundai i20 blue a realistic solution for motorists. The...

With 3.6 sqm of photovoltaic cells giving an exceptional yield of 21%, and covered by a film composed of nano-prisms enabling denser concentration of solar energy, Venturi Astrolab is the first high-performance solar vehicle to be commercialized in the world. ELECTRO-SOLAR HYBRID Capable of working with very little energy (16 kWc engine) and of recharging even when in motion, this vehicle of another era does not need to be permanently exposed to the...