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art

Techno-Fantastical Original Artwork, On Sale for Cheap

You might not know the name Matthias Adolfsson, but chances are that his artwork will look familiar. Not so much traditional steampunk as fantastical and techno-fantastical (I just made that last term up btw, so don't memorize it or anything), many of Adolfsson's original watercolors are on sale at his Etsy store. While it's small at just 8"x5", this original called Racer goes for a reasonable $100 while most pieces are priced below $200. Adolfsson retains reprint rights. You get some quirky, original art. Sounds like a deal. [Etsy via superpunch]

10:10 AM on Fri Oct 10 2008
By Mark Wilson
2,021 views, 10 comments

Latest by ae89194: [www.rotten.com] more »

engines

Free-Piston Engines Are Ultra-Efficient, Could Replace Gas and Diesel

As we move toward battery and hydrogen cell breakthroughs that could wean us off our addiction to oil, here's at least one engine design from yesteryear that ought to be examined a bit more. The free-piston engine, first invented in 1920, is cheap to build and roughly twice as efficient as current gas engines. More »

12:30 AM on Fri Oct 3 2008
By Elaine Chow
28,575 views, 43 comments

Latest by spawnofbill: @LelandPhrixus: Because every inch of steel that connects your engine to your wheels sucks a little bit of power out more »

question of the day

Question of the Day: How Do You Use Your Cellphone in the Car?

Yesterday's news about the train incident in LA got me thinking. We all know about the dangers of using a cellphone in the car, but let's face it—most of us do it anyway. So, this question isn't meant to judge. I am simply curious to know how you use your phone in the car. In other words, do you stick with the cellphone? Do you use a Bluetooth headset? Or do you have a hands-free system in the car itself? More »

5:00 PM on Tue Sep 16 2008
By Sean Fallon
9,330 views, 116 comments

Latest by matthewlavin: the tickets are $100 my speakerphone is free and works great. you do the math. more »

bmw

BMW Vehicles Gaining Google Maps

2009 model BMW 1 and 3 Series automobiles are getting a pretty neat GPS-based search option. The BMW Assist and Navigation system, running $199 a year, supports Google Maps searching in one's car through AT&T's 3G network (along with EDGE we're sure). Reminiscent of Google Maps mobile, users can find a local restaurant, get directions and even dial the destination with any paired Bluetooth phone. (And from what we can tell from the version already out in Germany, there's turn by turn GPS within the system as well.) It's just too bad that users can't take advantage of their cell plan's wireless internet to save on the subscription. More and more, it looks like car manufacturers and phone service providers want to double dip with wireless data plans. Here's the international teaser of the tech that hit last year: More »

4:20 PM on Tue Sep 16 2008
By Mark Wilson
3,267 views, 19 comments

Latest by JEmlay: @reactionsok: You weren't cheap when you bought your car! ;p more »

tesla motors

New Tesla Gearbox Ups Range to 244 Miles, Hits Zero to 60 Time of 4.0 Seconds

Tesla Motors is finally rolling out its long-awaited single-speed transmission for the all-electric Tesla Roadster, which will pare down durability issues while upping torque and range. The new gearbox, made by transmission whiz kids Borg Warner, lets the Roadster hit its promised zero to 60 time of 4.0 seconds while upping travel distance to 244 miles per charge. More »

2:30 AM on Fri Sep 12 2008
By Elaine Chow
9,373 views, 36 comments

Latest by sdunlimited: I worked on the Iron Man and one of these babies was in Mr. Iron Man's garage / kitchen / more »

suck on this lead foot

Nissan's Eco Gas Pedal Fights Back To Help You Save Gas

I'm all for exploring new technologies that help us save gas, but I think Nissan has gone a little too far with their "Eco Pedal." This new technology calculates the most fuel efficient rate of acceleration and then fights back against the driver's foot when it feels that rate has been exceeded. Nissan claims that the system can improve fuel efficiency by as much as 10 percent, which is why they plan on implementing it into their cars next year. As asinine and unsafe as all of this sounds, at least Nissan had the good sense to implement an on / off switch. [Detroit News via Jalopnik]

3:50 PM on Mon Aug 4 2008
By Sean Fallon
4,092 views, 62 comments

Latest by mm1234: I heard ... I mean I know for a fact that wearing a seatbelt will strangle you and you will more »

freak car

Crazy Kassou Car: Confusing, Like a Giraffe With Batwings

As a tall guy I can appreciate that designer Nicholas Lee Dunderdale incorporated an adjustable roof into his 3-wheeled Kassou concept car. The rubber "neck" can be raised or lowered depending on the passenger's need for headroom or better aerodynamics. But, to be honest, this thing looks like some sort of crazy science experiment. Like an unholy mixture of a giraffe, bat and a vacuum that surely goes against the laws of nature. I mean, what are those wings for anyway? Despite its odd appearance, the Kassou actually earned second place in the Car Design News Contest for 2008—although I wouldn't expect to see it on the street anytime soon. [Car Design News via The Design Blog via Gearfuse]

8:30 PM on Thu Jul 31 2008
By Sean Fallon
2,913 views, 31 comments

Latest by punisher-prime: solar pannels anyone? more »

security

SVATS Anti-Theft System Bands Cars Together to Fight Crime

What if all of the cars in a parking lot were wirelessly keeping an eye on one another just in case a member of the "herd" was damaged or stolen? Sencun Zhu, an assistant professor at Penn State University, wants to make this concept a reality with his new Sensor Vehicle Anti-Theft System (SVATS). This is how it works: each car is given a coin-sized sensor that wirelessly calls roll with other cars inside a certain range. If one of these cars fails to respond to the roll or issues a "goodbye" signal when it is unlocked, the system will assume that the car has been stolen and would respond by alerting a base station. More »

3:20 PM on Tue Jul 29 2008
By Sean Fallon
4,130 views, 47 comments

Latest by taodude: @Miguel Valdespino: Self-driving cars that communicate - I like that image! If they recognize a would-be thief, the whole more »

cars

Ferrari Going Hybrid in 2015

In case you hadn't heard, Ferrari will have a hybrid car by 2015. Yes, this announcement is kind of inevitable and/or vague, but this is Ferrari we're talking about. And when Ferrari starts to go green, you know you have a widespread automotive trend on your hands. [Jalopnik]

4:02 PM on Wed Jul 16 2008
By Adrian Covert
5,032 views, 12 comments

Latest by toyotaboy: Woo, that means it'll get 3mpg instead of 2? *watch first episode of top gear, season 11* more »

german engineering

A Look Inside Futuristic German Car Factories

Today's list from OObject features a collection of 10 videos focusing on German car factories. Why? Because they are gadgety, first and foremost—but the architecture of the factories is significant as well. In other words, German car manufacturers are realizing a vision where both the product and the factory are an integrated work of art. Examples include the VW factory in Wolfsburg that features 200-foot-tall robotic silos at the end of the production line and an eco-friendly VW assembly plant in Dresden that is transparent and sits right center of the city. German engineering at its finest folks. [OObject]

8:00 PM on Wed Jul 9 2008
By Sean Fallon
9,239 views, 5 comments

Latest by Silentbob: @dingus: I'm sorry, but you are completely wrong. In September, Porsche will hold 36% of VW stocks (today 31%), so more »