Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Frankfurt 2011: VW Nils EV Go-Kart Video

VW Nils revealed at Frankfurt There have been quite a few of these very small, go-kart-style urban commuter cars cropping up of late, but perhaps the Volkswagen Nils is the most promising. The most promising because if – and it’s a very big if – commuters take to the idea of a grown-up version of a soap-box Kart with an engine for getting to work, the VW Nils will possibly offer the best combination of practicality, refinement and cost. Yes, there’s the Audi Urban Concept to consider, but that will be more expensive (there’s a reason Audi makes VW 40% of its profits), so if commuters do actually find appeal in this route then the Nils is probably the front-runner.

Design and Technology at Siggraph 2008

From 11-15 August over 28,000 artists, research scientists, developers, filmmakers, and academics from around the world gathered in Los Angeles for the 35th Siggraph Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques. The Siggraph conference includes courses and technical paper presentations, new technologies demos, an art gallery, computer animation festival, and an exhibition by software and hardware vendors. While the New Tech Demos and the technical programs are focussed on technologies that designers will have to wait several years for, several automotive software and hardware suppliers announced new shipping products at Siggraph.

Smart Forspeed concept signals new design direction

Smart will unveil a new concept at the forthcoming Geneva motor show that signals a new design direction, hints at future product and confirms parent company Daimler's renewed commitment to the brand. Car Design News was granted early access to the concept, baptized Forspeed, at a secret photography studio in Stuttgart last week and heard the head of advanced design, Steffen Kohl, explain how the two-seat, electric-powered vehicle prefaces design themes in both the next Fortwo and the revived Forfour, which will be launched in 2014. "The fullness of this concept's exterior surfaces is important and will be reflected in future production models," said Kohl, "Smart will still be short, spacey, agile, and with wheels at the corners of the car, but with an added sporty and emotional design and without losing all the brand's iconic elements like its ‘plastic fantastic' aspect and the safe and hi-tech modular tridion shell assembled with all these changeable body parts.