Porsche TranSport Pickup Truck Designed for Jewel Smuggling

Nouphone J. Bansasine, the designer who envisioned the Volvo SC90 4-door coupe, is clearly no purist when it comes to nameplates. How else could you explain his Porsche TranSport design?

The TranSport would fill a huge (and autoofcars2011.blogspotxistent) gap in the Porsche lineup for people who move "500 pounds of gold", diamonds, rubies and emeralds on a regular basis.

No, really. Going by Yanko Design's overview, this truck's purpose is to haul mobsters', oil sheiks', and Russian oligarchs' precious gemstones from point A to point B. I guess Fords, Chevys, and Rams are clearly just too plebeian.

All kidding aside, if Porsche ever decides to finally go off the deep end and build a truck, it should be like the TranSport. A big, brutish 4X4 in a suit that would be capable of giving Cadillac's Escalade EXT something to worry about.

By Phil Alex

Via: Yankodesign

Pininfarina Shows All-Electric Nido Mini

Marking the celebrations of the its 80th anniversary, Pininfarina unveiled a new all-electric mini-car prototype called the Nido EV. It is an evolution of the original Nido concept that Pininfarina showed in 2004.

According to the Italian design house, the Nido EV is a "veritable laboratory designed both to explore the electrification of a small city car and to develop a modular floorpan."

The 2,905mm-long two seater prototype uses a tubular steel frame, but the final version will have a lighter aluminium space frame. Pininfarina claims that the structure was designed to be able spawn up to four different, completely electric or hybrid vehicles including two-seater, 2+2, pickup and van models.

This particular version of the Nido uses a rear-mounted electric engine producing 30kW to drive the rear wheels. Power is stored in a Zebra Z5 Ni-NaCl battery. When fully charged, it offers the Nido EV a driving range of 140 km or 87 miles.

Pininfarina says that the Nido EV can accelerates from 0 to 60 km/h (37mph) in 6.7 seconds and reach an electronically limited top speed of 120 km/h (75mph).

There are no current plans to put the Nido into production.

NIDO EV SPEC SHEET

Roominess ----------------------------------2-seater City Car

Electrical drive------------------------------Rear

Measurements (Length/Width/Height)--- 2905/1683/1507 mm

0-60 km/h acceleration-------------------- 6.7 sec

Top speed (limited electronically) -------- 120 km/h

Range fully charged ------------------------140 Km

Weight empty (ready for road) -----------~900 kg

Engine----------------------------------------Synchronous with permanent magnetos

Maximum power output-------------------- 30 kW

Maximum torque to wheels---------------- 125 Nm

Drive battery-------------------------------- ZEBRA Z5 (Ni-NaCl)

Rated voltage--------------------------------278 V

Rated capacity------------------------------ 21.2 kWh

Charge time--------------------------------- 8 hours

Topless Chevrolet Trailblazer for Sale

Seating for seven, 4-wheel-drive, and no top. No, it's not a Defender 110 on safari, it's this 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer that's been converted (or cannibalized) for Rose Bowl parade duty. Seller Jeff is hoping to get $15,000 for the car, but it's not even really a convertible. It's just topless. On the upside, it's only covered 29,500 miles. If sold, this one's probably going to a collector of the weird.

By Phil Alex

Source: Motorz TV, Via: Autoblog

Mercedes-Benz Reprises Role in Sex and the City 2 Film [with Video]

Question for our readers: In your opinion, how do four cougar-aged women who can't keep their panties (or their brains) on after one shot of tequila and a guy named 'Mr Big' relate to Daimler's Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products/brand?

While you think about it let us tell you that, as with the first installment of the male-snoozefest that is "Sex and the City", the sequel to the movie that hits cinemas on 27 May will see most characters driving or being driven in a bunch of Mercedes-Benz and Maybach models.

If you're still here, in addition to the Mercedes-Benz S400 HYBRID, Mr. Big (Chris North) now also drives the new E-Class Cabriolet while Samantha (portrayed by actress Kim Cattrall) ditches her GLK soft off-roader from the first film for the more masculine G-Class.

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Hyundai Kicks Off Countdown to 2010 World Cup with i10 Football-Themed Cars

Being the official car supplier of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Hyundai is doing its best to associate its cars with the sporting spectacle that kicks off on June 11. This time Hyundai's UK arm commissioned the build of two football-themed cars.

Interestingly, these two i10s were previously used by Jeremy Clarkson in his DVD 'Duel' and ended up damaged. Instead of repairing the creased panels, Hyundai decided to give both cars a second shot at fame.

Both promotional i10s are covered in artificial turf while the centre circle on the roof is home to a giant 1.5 meter-tall football. Other exterior features include the goal posts on the bonner, the soccer ball wheels and the football shoe mirrors.

Each car has a unique interior, with one featuring a 'grass' look to match the exterior, and the other a football theme, right down to the soccer-ball headrests.

Hyundai said that the i10 football cars will be used for promotional World Cup activity at various events up and down the country.

2015 Volvo SC90 Sports Sedan Concept is Hot

Technically sanctioned by Volvo, the S90 was thought up by Nouphone J. Bansasine while studying at the Volvo Monitoring and Concept Center.

With a more aggressive nose and its fastback roof line, the slippery 4-door coupe would be a very welcome successor to the oh-so-bland S80. Something like the S90 could help Volvo reinvent itself as truly stylish, mid-range luxury in order to tackle the world.

With the new S60 sedan already poised to fight the 3-Series, a car providing CLS looks at an E-Class price is definitely going to be necessary for Volvo to keep its momentum going.

Since this is just a design study, there's nothing official about the power train. Even so, it wouldn't be a stretch to picture this with a hybrid setup for people who bleed green and a higher-output T6 and all-wheel-drive for those who still bleed red.

If this is a hint at where Volvo is going, it might be in good hands.

By Phil Alex

Designer: Nouphone J. Bansasine , Via: Yankodesign & Carbody