As was pointed out earlier, Top Gear is back on the air in the UK. While BBC America is a bit slow to show us the new episodes, we have torrents to keep us up to date.
In the first episode of the season, we saw a Bentley Continental Supersports and the new reasonably priced car, a Kia Cee’d. Yet, that wasn’t the best bit. What really capped the episode off was some Jeremy Clarkson stupidity.
Clarkson decided to find out why there aren’t more three-wheeled cars in the world. He set out on a 14-mile journey that was shown to us on a map of Europe in the beginning of the clip. The car he selected to drive was the good old Reliant Robin, the same type of car that was used to build the space shuttle a few years back.
You’ll have to watch the video below to find out what happens, but it was quite amusing. Sorry about the poor video quality, but that’s life on YouTube.
Hit the jump for the video.
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Shadow Hawk Vehicles has announced the Street Hawk "Super Terrain Vehicle", a €1 million vehicle that combines the performances of a road machine with the capabilities of an off road vehicle. It will be limited to just 12 units per year with sales beginning in late 2011 and will be built upon request.
The Street Hawk develops a total of 1100 HP and 1805 lbs-ft and returns a fuel economy of 22mpg. With a total weight of 4,800 lbs, the Shadow Hawk can make the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 3.5 seconds and has a calculated top speed of 208mph. The vehicle is all-wheel-drive and sits 40 inches tall with 15.5 inch wide tires and 22 inch wheels.
Customers will be able to chose from a two door or a four door version as well as being able to choose the exterior color, interior fabrics, satellite systems, five-point harnesses, run flat systems, sleeper, towing packages, right-hand drive, armament, and much more.
Does anyone else think this vehicle looks like a cross between a Hummer and a Winnebago with a killer instinct? Anyone?
If the sight of this vehicle makes your nose scrunch up and a "what the f*@%!" bubble appear above your head then you are not alone. This vehicle is one of the strangest we have ever seen with its unique Mercedes-inspired design language and its crazy structure. What in the world could anyone possibly use this vehicle for? Creator and Iranian engineer Siyamak Rouhi Dehkordi will tell you this vehicle was designed for “adventurous customers and people who need to move in extremely difficult conditions and terrains.”
This extreme off-road vehicle was designed after the jointed structure of insects and operates on a flexible frame and six wheels. This unique body, along with the diesel engine mated to a flexible hydraulic power transmission system, allows it to crawl over almost any obstacle with ease. The vehicle’s dimensions consist of a total length of 4.8 meters, two equal wheelbases of 0.95 meters, and a ground clearance of 46 cm.
The only place the engineer seemed to fail at, other than with the utter hideousness of the vehicle, is the space. The Hexawheel concept is only a three-seater and offers up a very small trailer space in back. Other than that, it is an awkwardly cool vehicle.
Is this what the Hyundai of the future will look like? This concept was designed by Shane Baxley from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. It is called Aebulle ("aebulle" means "cocoon" in Korean) and represents a futuristic three-wheeler vehicle with an electric powertrain and a magnesium frame.
"The main idea was to design a personal vehicle that delivers the mobility and speed of a motorcycle while offering the safety that a cocoon offers a butterfly. The Aebulle is targeted for the Los Angeles region where it would utilize the commuter lanes allowing its occupant a quick commute."
The concept was designed to be powered by compact in-wheel electric motors coupled with lithium batteries stored in the floor of the vehicle. It’s front wheels are connected to separate independent swing arms that allow the Aebulle to glide around corners. The body is made up of an aluminum frame and the "windshield" is made up of aluminum oxynitride glass. The whole top of the three-wheeler lifts up, taking with it the center console and allowing the passenger to make his exit.
Hit the jump to watch a short video portraying the nooks and crannies of this unique transportation device.
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The dead are becoming more and more famous here on Topspeed, and it’s not because of reasons you might think. After featuring a young Puerto Rican and the rather unusual way he was displayed at his wake, we now have another dead car-loving fanatic who still wants to remind people just how much he loves cars even after he has passed on.
Steve Marsh, who was affectionately called BMW Steve by those close to him, passed on last year at the age of 51. We don’t know if he specifically wanted this type of tombstone on his grave, but his family, after being granted permission by the local authorities, went out and imported a one-piece granite scale model headstone of a BMW M3 convertible, BMW Steve’s favorite car in the world. And just to make sure that the granite M3 has BMW Steve’s imprint on it, his family personally designed the car, including the customized silver-painted lights, a dashboard, BMW logos on the wheels, and even a personalized license plate bearing the name ’Steve 1’.
And the cost of the car? That would be £50,000, which, if you didn’t know, is about the same price as a real BMW M3.
Photo credits: Peter Lawson
