VIDEO: MINI Diesel gets V8 Roar Thanks to Active Sound Design System

Diesel engines have a lot of advantages over their petrol counterparts, the most significant being their impressive fuel economy and monstrous torque. But there's one thing they don't have and that's the right sound. However, the BMW Group appears to have a solution for the problem - albeit in prototype form for now.

It's called Active Sound Design or ASD for short and it has been applied on two prototype diesel-powered models, a MINI Clubman and a BMW 635d Coupe.

ASD is an electro-acoustic system that makes use of microphones and the vehicle's sound system to change the engine's sound characteristics. The further enhance the acoustic experience, BMW's engineers also used different sound and vibration deadening materials in the engine bay and under the body of the car.

Read more �

Laptop Exotics: New Asus Lamborghini VX6 and VX7 [with Videos]

Continuing its cooperation with the famous Italian supercar maker, Asus unwrapped its latest Lamborghini-branded laptops at this week's Computex 2010 convention in Tapei, Taiwan.

The new ASUS-Lamborghini VX6 comes with a 12.1-inch screen while its VX7 sibling features a larger 15.6-inch screen. Both laptops feature a sexy-looking glossy case inspired from Lamborghini's supermodels, but the real eye-catcher is the bigger VX7 with its Gallardo / Murcielago themed rear section.

Read more �

VIDEO: World's Fastest Lawnmower Sets New High-Speed Record

At the end of May, Don Wales set a new world land speed record for a ride-on lawnmower racing a modified machine called Project Runningblade up to a top speed of 87.833 mph or 141.235 km/h at Pendine Sands - and this here is the video from the event.

Read more �

VIDEO: Rocket Car Running on 108 Bottles of Coke and 608 Mentos

We all know what happens when you mix Coca-Cola and Mentos breath mints together- yes, Coke will bubble and shoot up in the air. Now how about if someone harnessed this chemical reaction between the soda and the candy and used the explosive power to propel a car? Well, it won't solve the energy problem but it sure sounds like fun.

The experiment was performed by the same guys who brought us the sky-scraping Mentos/Coke geysers, Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz. Their "innovative" three-wheeled vehicle was attached to a complicated PVC pipe crate holding 108 two-liter Coke Zero bottles and 648 Mentos tablets.

Read more �

James Bond's Original '007' Aston Martin DB5 up for Sale! [Plus 125 High-Res Photos]

Along with George Barris' 1966 Batmobile, James Bond's 1964 Aston Martin DB5 is if not the, one of the most recognized movie cars of all times. And now, for the first time in history, it's going under the hammer by RM Auctions, a leading auctioneer of classic cars. The auction will take place in London on the 27th of October, but don't get your hopes high as 007's original Aston is expected to fetch north of US$5 million.

And all for good reason as the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 with UK registration number FMP 7B is one of only two, and the sole remaining, of the original '007' DB5s featured on the big screen with Sean Connery behind the wheel in the classic 'Goldfinger' and 'Thunderball' movies.

Read more �

Yabba Dabba Doo Porsche 911 GT3 RS: Pedal-Powered Sports Machine Made from Cardboard and Aluminum Foil

This here is the Ferdinand 911 GT3 RS - without doubt, the most technologically advanced and at the same time environmentally-friendly and fuel efficient Porsche model ever to see the light of day.

It uses a high tech chassis bonded together with a special adhesive tape coated in polyethylene while the body is finger-made from exotic lightweight materials such as thin sheets of paperboard covered in a space-age aluminum foil that serves various purposes.

In this case, power is provided by a left-to-mid-mounted human-boxer unit capable of delivering a yawn-inspiring 1 fhp (foot horsepower) when fully fed, relaxed and emotionally happy.

Read more �

Audi's �ber Cool Soccer Table Enters Production, on Sale for �12,900 / US$15,900

Remember that awesome -conceptual then- soccer table from Audi's design team that we showed you back in the summer of 2008? Well, almost two years later and Audi has taken the decision to produce the soccer table in a limited series of hand-made models.

Read more �

VW Develops Customer Magazine as an App for Apple's iPad

Volkswagen is the latest automaker to jump into the bandwagon of Apple's iPad by developing a digital customer magazine as an app specially for the tablet computer. The magazine goes by the name DAS, which stands for "Digital Automotive Space". It will be published quarterly in five languages and will be accessible throughout Europe.

"DAS is an important building block in Volkswagen's digital marketing strategy and gives us the opportunity for an interactive dialog with our customers," says Luca de Meo, Head of Marketing at VW. "Our goal is to transmit the fascination of the brand and its products in a new digital dimension, creating a global experience."

Read more �

Is this the Start of Google Motors? Google Tech to Connect Chevy Volt Customers

General Motors has announced that OnStar will be working with Google in order to help connect the Chevrolet Volt even more.

Google has some add-ons in development for version 2.0 of the upcoming Volt app. There will be a navigation tab that uses Google Maps with a lojack-type setup, showing owners' proximity to the car (and possibly solving the Seinfeldian parking problem for good).

Read more �

Ford Hires Santos, a Virtual Soldier Turned Into Worker

After GM announced its R2 space robot, how long could it be before the Blue Oval had something futuristic to show off? Ford recently introduced Santos, a new virtual-reality stress-testing digital man.

Santos, derived from the Department of Defense's Virtual Soldier Research program, is Ford's next stage of virtual work assistance. He works in a simulated Ford factory and measures the effects of real-world stress by combining a "complete biomechanical muscular system" with "predictive dynamics".

Ford ergonomics technical specialist Allison Stephens thankfully explains it in layman's terms:

Read more �

Spyker C8 Laviolette LM85 Available on Forza Motorsport 3 / Xbox 360

Xbox 360 gamers are offered their first opportunity to take a virtual place behind the wheel of a Spyker supercar as the Dutch firm's C8 Laviolette LM85 is now available as the gift car of the Exotic Car Pack for Forza Motorsport 3, which was released on 11 May for 400 Microsoft Points.

"We've created something very special and unique with the LM85," said Victor Muller, CEO of Spyker and recently, of Saab Automobile as well. "It's very exciting to share our creation and passion with the Xbox and Forza Motorsport community, and we can't wait to see how players put it through the paces on the track."

Read more �

Infiniti Presents Limited Edition Timepiece Designed by Bell & Ross

Following in the footsteps of other premium automakers, Infiniti has announced the release of a limited edition wristwatch engineered by the Swiss specialist watchmaker Bell & Ross. Only 100 examples of the watch are being produced, and will be offered exclusively through Infiniti Centres in Europe starting from June 1st at a recommended retail price (RRP) of �2,809.97 or about US$3,576.

Read more �

Lamborghini Opens its First Boutique Store in Canada

Since most will never be able to afford a real-life example of their cars, Lamborghini folks are keen on making a profit off the rest of us through its official memorabilia. Following the openings of its new boutique stores in Los Angeles and Beijing in late 2009, Lamborghini opened its first store in Canada this past Saturday (May 8).

Read more �

Money Well Spent: Rolls Royce Ghosts Shredded in Iron Man 2 Were Real [with Video]

There's something to be said for keeping it real. Making a movie? Keep it real. Getting interrogated by the cops? DO NOT KEEP IT REAL.

While it's obvious that a film like Iron Man requires a planet's-worth of special effects, stuff like wrecking cars usually shouldn't. We all saw how poor choice of CGI affected Ithe fourth Indiana Jones movie.

That's why it's refreshing to see that some of the fancy cars destroyed in Iron Man 2 were real. Tony Stark's Rolls-Royce getting destroyed at a race in Monaco was legit (but filmed in California).

Read more �

Rolls-Royce Releases Ghost App Configurator for iPhone, iPod Touch

Got an iPhone? Or maybe an iPod touch? Good, because that means you'll be able to download Rolls-Royce's first official smart phone application ever (and its free!). The app gives people the ability to customize their very own small roller, the Ghost.

If you've got the time there are a bunch of variables to choose from: 12 colors (although any color you can dream up they'll do), three kinds of wheels, and a Ghost-exclusive Silver Satin hood (although with the right investment, people could probably get it on any model they choose).

Read more �

Mercedes-Benz Opens Styling division, Reveals Concept Interior for Eurocopter

Mercedes-Benz Style is the Daimler equivalent to all the other fancy design houses run by auto manufacturers (think BMW's DesignworksUSA and Porsche Design). The goal is build product portfolios for more than just cars (like furniture, household utensils, etc.) using Merc's international design studios.

Mercedes-Benz design head Professor h.c. Gorden Wagener explains, "Our unique design expertise is appreciated throughout the world. We have therefore decided to establish the Mercedes-specific styling outside the automotive field too � and so far we have met with a very positive response from a great number of manufacturers in a variety of sectors."

Daimler's latest firm will both take on commissions (where the project originator is sold the styling user rights) and create original work (where the styling rights remain at MBS).

Read more �

Lexus Brings its AWD Hybrid Bike to the UK

Lexus has been drastically improving its designs for the past few years now, evolving from tricked-out Toyota and outdated Mercedes clone to having its own, relatively unique lines throughout its model range. Now, Lexus wants to do the same thing for bikes with its Hybrid Bicycle.

Having first shown up at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, Lexus brought one of two examples to the UK for the Lexus-sponsored Great British Bike Ride.

Read more �

GM Teams up with NASA to Create Robonaut R2 for International Space Station

NASA plans on solving the aging-astronaut problem by partnering with GM to create the Robonaut 2 (or R2), a new "permanent resident of the International Space Station".

R2 is the result of a co-op between NASA and GM to create a robotic assistant for human workers (that looks like Cobra Commander). Weighing in at 300 pounds, R2 is going into space for some zero-gravity operation and electromagnetic/radioactive interference testing within the station...BUT HE WON'T BE ALONE.

Read more �