So, you think your car is efficient. Maybe you have a Toyota Prius or a Volkswagen Golf diesel, two cars known for stretching a tank of fuel and going the distance… but they’ve got nothing on the weird looking cars of the Shell Eco-Marathon. These cars, no matter how good or downright ugly they might look, are designed to squeeze every bit of energy out of their small fuel tanks. The winner of the Gas Powered Prototype devision crushed the competition this year in the Americas, turning in a result of 1524.7 kilometers on just one liter of gasoline. In conventional figures that’s 0.066 l/100km or 3586 miles per gallon! [Read more...]
The Silence of Dogs in Cars by Martin Usborne
It’s no wonder that dogs have been labeled “man’s best friend.” Who else waits by the door excited as can be just because you’re coming home? Who else listens to all of your secrets and never tells a single soul? Dogs are amazing creatures and once they become a part of your family, you share an everlasting bond. Although it’s illegal in 14 states, many people still leave their beloved pets in their cars while running errands. UK based photographer Martin Usborne captures what those dogs might feel like in this beautiful, emotional set called The Silence of Dogs in Cars. Although the photos are not candid, as much time goes in to planning the location and finding the perfect vehicle and pup, Usborne captures those puppy dog eyes in a way that begs “Don’t leave me!” [Read more...]
Visual Bits #392 > Cool Cars and Crazy Things
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Formula 1 2013 Season At A Glance
Formula 1 racing is one of the biggest sports in the world behind soccer, and it’s also one of the most thrilling. Cars zoom down straightaways at speeds up to 200 mph (320 km), slow and accelerate out of corners, and tweak their way through impossible hairpin turns. These frequent cliff hanging race moments are what make the sport so spectacular. This year the anticipation of time trials, pole position, and insane passes is starting to build to a crescendo that will climax on 15 March in Australia. This graphic features the Formula 1 2013 season at a glance. [Read more...]
A Bird’s Eye View of Damaged Cars in Brazil
In Brazil, the city with the most vehicles is the metropolis of Sao Paulo. Located in the southern part of the country, the large place has over 6 million cars on the street. It is the chosen way to travel through the city and there are all sorts of makes, models and colors. What happens when they lose their function or form through old age or an accident? [Read more...]
Air Drive: Classic Cars Take to the Air
Looking like some gravity defying retro-futuristic vehicles out of the movie Gattaca, or maybe Earth-based versions of Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder, the automobiles of Paris based photographer Renaud Marion might look even cooler than their wheeled counterparts. Calling the series ‘Air Drive‘ the effect is pretty simple, but the result is seriously captivating… a quick removal of the wheels on each of these cars makes them take the leap into the future of flying cars. [Read more...]
Stenciled Wheels: Hand-Painted Car Posters
When I first ran across artist Christopher Holewski’s great video about how he creates his car themed posters, I was seriously impressed with the results. His print shop Manual Designs specializes in creating automotive based designs of both classic and modern cars (with an obvious love for anything BMW). The most unique thing about his work? He creates the posters using stencils and spray paint. The result is posters with bold details and just enough overspray to reveal their cool hand-made origins. [Read more...]
Retro Love for Motorcycles, Cars, Girls and Guitars
If you’re a fan of retro cool style you’re going to love the work of Gianmarco Magnani (aka Silence Television). This spanish illustrator has a knack for creating seriously crisp work that ranges from a distopian punk aesthetic to happy mod chic… and he does it all by harnessing the power of vintage motorcycles, the seduction of stylish girls, and the ear popping tunes of flying-V guitars. [Read more...]
Smart Highways: Safer Roads Coming Next Year
For anyone who has had the pleasure of driving through a seasonally cold area in the hot summer time, you were probably treated to one of the funny anomolies of such areas: road signs warning of icing on a hot day. It might be a scorcher outside, but that sign is still warning every car going by to watch out on the next curve… it could be icy ahead. Now, as part of the first prototypes for his ‘Smart Highway‘ project, Dutch designer and innovator Daan Roosegaarde has come up with an interesting solution for alerting drivers of a cold road – and it’s far smarter than the signs of the past. [Read more...]
Beautifully Detailed Paper Models You Can Build
When I ran across these tiny models recently at London’s Design Junction, I couldn’t believe how detailed they were… each looked like a small jewel of clever design. Most people are accustomed to finely detailed plastic models, but these seemed to convey the same sense of precision using only eco-friendly recycled paper. Looking closely at the vehicles in the lineup you’ll notice that their structure is built up with carefully planned ribs which are slotted together to create 3D forms. These range from round rally car wheels to opening Jeep doors and articulated bulldozer scoops. It’s really quite impressive. [Read more...]















