2016 Lamborghini Ankonian Concept

The Lamborghini Ankonian Concept was done in my second term as part of the Lamborghini Raw Materials Project led by Prof. Dr. Othmar Wickenheiser, where all students at the school could take part in.

Following the Lamborghini tradition I named the car 'Ankonian' after the bull type which is famous for his black hair (that's why I chose black).

The concept is a mid-engined supercar that is not 'green', but yet shows environmental responsibility, and therefore is downsized.

Designated after the bull type which is famous for his black hair, the black Lamborghini Ankonian concept has been created by a German student named Slavche Tanevschi - a very talented one. The design was done in 2008 and it was chosen by the Chef designer of Lamborghini in the top 3 designs, and I got sponsored to do the model. The model was done in clay (1/4 scale) and took me much time and much effort. The hard model was finished in July 2009,” he added.

Technical aspects of the concept are sketchy at this point, but what we do know is that this is a mid-engined super car for 2016, housed in a rather narrow body, cab backward classical GT silhouette. In addition, the hot-rod stance gives it a push forward, and the symbolic presence of wings and the arrow-like door graphic make the car very dynamical, even when it is in standing position, Tanevski explains.
 

By leaving the usual headlight graphics, and having very thin OLEDs embedded between the surfaces, an eccentric and mysterious feeling is achieved. The same principle was applied at the back too, by doing an alien-like face with two big exhausts as eyes, and diffuser as mouth. Again, the lights are put on a position man would not expect, he concluded.

One may consider current automotive design to already be pushing the limits. But given the limitless possibilities of carbon fiber, 3D printing and hydroforming of body panels, we should demand such staggeringly dramatic designs of our supercars as the Ankonian, which makes the current crop of supercars look staid by comparison.

When we first tried to imagine how the driver of this car would look like, we said Batman. But taking a closer look at this 2016 ride and at its name (Ankonian - Anakin Skywalker), we found that Darth Vader would be more suitable to get behind its wheel.

New Honda next-generation Acura NSX sports car

Acura: Old NSX Was “Too High a Halo,” Next Sports Car to Be Less Ambitious :-
The on-again, off-again next-generation Acura NSX sports car is pretty much off for good, at least as we have come to expect it. The low-slung, mid-engined, quasi-exotic sports car that Acura built all through the 90s and into a good part of the this millennium was expected to become a front-engine GT with extreme styling in its next iteration, but alas, due to many factors, the car has been shelved.

The NSX was “too high a halo,” said Watts. “For it to be fully effective [as a halo vehicle for the brand], it couldn’t be too far removed” from Acura’s other products. In other words, it would be less expensive than the NSX—which was expected to have an MSRP approaching six figures—and probably derived from a current product platform. That’s bad news for those who got attached to the concept of a Honda-built exotic sports car, good news for Nissan, whose GT-R won’t be facing a Honda-built rival any time soon. We are intrigued, however, by what kind of sports car Honda can build in the $50K–$60K range.

2014 Mazda6 Review

The 2014 Mazda Mazda6 ranks 2 out of 22 Affordable Midsize Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of published reviews and test drives of the Mazda Mazda6.

After a complete overhaul, reviewers say the Mazda6’s excellent fuel economy, engaging performance and large, upscale cabin make it a strong choice in its class.

The 2014 Mazda6 has a four-cylinder engine mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. A V6 engine is no longer offered on the Mazda6, but a new four-cylinder diesel is coming later this year. The EPA says Mazda6 models with the manual transmission should get 25/37 mpg city/highway, and automatic models will get 26/38 mpg, which are very good ratings for non-hybrid affordable midsize cars. The transmissions also receive praise from critics, who say that the excellent manual has precise shifts and a light clutch. Reviewers agree that the 2014 Mazda6's nimble, sporty handling makes it one of the most fun cars to drive in the class. 

The majority of reviewers think the 2014 Mazda6’s cabin is attractive and filled with upscale materials. They agree that the 2014 Mazda6 has plenty of passenger space and that its seats are comfortable. Notable standard features on the base 2014 Mazda6 with the manual transmission include push-button start, a six-speaker audio system and auxiliary and USB inputs. If you opt for the automatic transmission, you’ll also get standard Bluetooth, a rearview camera, a 5.8-inch touch-screen display, HD Radio, Pandora Internet radio connectivity, voice-controlled audio controls and hands-free text messaging capability.

The Mazda6 can be equipped with features like dual-zone automatic climate control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, adaptive cruise control, an 11-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system, satellite radio, navigation, a blind spot monitoring system, Mazda’s Smart City Brake Support system, a lane departure warning system, forward obstruction warning and a rear cross traffic alert system. Critics like the layout of the controls, and say that most are easy to use.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 has been on the market for eight years now, but we can’t say we’ve grown tired of it yet. In its most recent iteration, the Grand Sport Vitesse, it’s actually the fastest roadster on the planet—recently setting an open-top speed record of 254.04 mph on Volkswagen’s Ehra-Lessien test track. Now Volkswagen’s ultra-luxury subsidiary is offering the Bugatti Legend Jean-Pierre Wimille, a model designation that masks the fact that it’s actually an elaborately made-up Grand Sport Vitesse.

The Legend Jean-Pierre Wimille, of which just three examples will be built, is named after a former Bugatti test driver and two-time Le Mans winner. It’s the first in a series of six “Legend” models, which the French marque will launch throughout the year—all of them based on the Grand Sport Vitesse. And right now, Bugatti will say only that each Legend edition will bear the name of a person that has played a pivotal role in the brand’s history.

2014 Nissan GT-R

The 2014 Nissan GT-R represents the fifth revision of the R35 series GT-R since its launch. We hear that at least two more updates to the present Godzilla are in the works and that the R35 will live on until at least 2015, though our source says it could be around until as late as 2017.

The extended timeframe could be good news, as we've heard that Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn only recently lit the green light to begin development of a new GT-R. So what's next? Let the speculation begin! The most significant changes to the new GT-R will most likely be to its exterior design and engine. As you can see from this artist's impression the next GT-R, the basic proportions should remain the same, while the headlights and aerodynamic package are likely to receive a big makeover in an effort to further maximize downforce and high-speed stability.

Nissan’s GT-R

Takes One to Know One: Nissan’s GT-R :-

Hiroshi Tamura is Japan’s Car-Guy-in-Chief. At 52, he’s the chief product specialist at Nissan for the current R35-generation GT-R and for the NISMO performance division. When he’s not at work building faster Nissans, he’s at home doing the same: tweaking his classic 1989 R32 Skyline GT-R.

C/D: So you have an R32?
HT: Actually, I had an R32 and an R34 [1999–2002 edition], but I sold the R34. The R32 was always my dream car. I worked on the R34, but when the R32 was produced I was only a kid. So it was only a dream to me.

C/D: The Skyline GT-Rs have a reputation as Japan’s greatest hot rods. How important is it with the R35 to maintain that heritage as a car to tune and modify?
HT: A car should be perfect, but a car can never achieve perfection. Because humans aren’t perfect, we cannot achieve perfection. My ideal is for the current customer not to have to touch anything. Not now. But in the near future—five years later or 10 years later—the customer will say that it can be better. Then he can do something like what I’ve done with my R32.

2015 Mini Cooper John Cooper Works Concept

 2015 Mini Cooper John Cooper Works Concept

View first look photos of the new 2015 Mini Cooper John Cooper Works Concept ahead of its Detroit reveal.

Compared to the previous-generation JCW models, the 2015 MINI will increase from 208 hp and will be about 20 percent more power than the Cooper S. Expect the 2015 MINI JCW to accelerate to 60 mph from a standstill in less than six seconds and its top speed will likely be around 150 mph.