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Most of us know when we see an ‘M’ on the back of the BMW passing us on the freeway, there’s virtually no way we’re going to catch up even on 2 wheels. The ‘M’ division BMW has recently revealed its latest concept – a tribute to their first mid-engine supercar originally manufactured by collaborative efforts of BMW and Lamborghini thirty years ago – the M1.

In the world of supercars, the M1 certainly looks like it will hold its own – an effortless blend of retro cool with revolutionary elegance. The new Liquid Orange M1 may only be a concept right now, but just know if you see those beady headlights quickly approaching from your rear view mirror, move out of the fast lane. BMW seems to have realised form sometimes has as much place as function. look out for the BMW Moto GP bike post coming soon. Where this has 2 too many wheels the Triple-powered MotoGP machine is beauty and brawn all in one.

Fiat has opened a new London flagship showroom - worth the visit even if you have no desire to purchase one of the dinky new 500’s. The Marylebone store features a heavily chromed interior - fresh and modern without being intimidating or overbearing – think Austin Powers love den meets the science lab of the future.

The space is split over two floors. The first floor is the showroom with a handful of vehicles, a whole lot of shag pile carpet and a gift shop to boot. Here you can purchase pretty much anything for the Fiat enthusiast from cufflinks to handbags to miniature models that open up to become USB sticks.

Downstairs is a more minimalist white multi function space designed for corporate meetings, fashion shows and art and design exhibitions. This space currently features the ‘Fiat Workpop 500′ exhibition where prototypes of Fiat accessories that have been designed by 22 young product designers are on display. The public can vote for its favourites, and in a Survivor like contest, the winner’s product will go into mass production and eventually on general sale. Where will you be able to purchase these you may be asking? In the gift shop of course.

Japanese architect Akihito Fumita has designed the Nissan Grandrive event hall in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa as part of a renovation of the car maker’s test facilities.

The building is used by Nissan for exhibitions, presentations and lectures. The vehicle track is used to test vehicles in development but also for employees and guests to experience driving the vehicles.

Fumita intends the angle of the building to evoke the anticipation associated with driving a fast car.

The following information is from Fumita:

NISSAN GRANDRIVE
THE EVENT HALL

“GRANDRIVE” is the name of the-450,000m2-vehicle proving ground, located in Yokosuka, Kanagawa. This is a renovation project launched in May 2006 and completed in September 2007, including the improvement of the test course that was originally built over 40years ago.

The course is built for the engineering development but also allows Nissan employees, dealers or journalists to experience the pleasure of driving.

Our role in this project was to design the sign by the main gate and a multi-purpose event hall that is right in the middle of the course.

The hall houses rooms for exhibition (2 vehicles maximum) and presentations or lectures. The window-side lobby is for the guest to enjoy the view while waiting for their turn to drive at full throttle.

On designing the hall , “Passion” is a word given from the client. That is what they expected their visitors to feel. We came up with the inclined architecture to express the speed of vehicles and the emotion or anticipation of driving a fast car. Using the brand’s colour red should help uplifting the mind too.

The cantilevered canopy shelters the front paddock from the rain.

Client : Nissan Motor
Site : Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Japan
Site area : 450,000m2
Building area : 741.7m2

Designer : Akihito Fumita , Fumita Design Office Inc.
Site execution and construction : Obayashi Corporation

Ok so you know I love the open road, and whilst these tyres are for the 4 wheeled variety, its a pretty great idea. These tyres from are an all season, retractable stud tire, that performs well on wet and dry days. When needed, the Celsius uses existing tire pressure to inflate a secondary chamber, pushing studs through the surface for snow and ice, all at the push of a button. If conditions improve, air from the second chamber can be expelled and the studs will be pulled back inside. Ok so in the UK we may never need this extreme change in our cars footwear but the thought that it could make a few bad drivers better.

It would be remiss of me not to post this, especially as the amount of dodgy car drivers out there are on the increase.

This technology, which amounts to a personal, wearable airbag for motorcyclists or if you are particularly accident prone. 

The hyper-aerodynamic Mazda Taiki is the fourth vehicle in Mazda’s Nagare series of cars based on the concept of “flow.” Inspired by Japanese koinobori (decorative carp-shaped streamers), Taiki’s design is meant to visually express the flow of air (incidentally, taiki means “atmosphere” in Japanese). With outstanding environmental and driving performance, Taiki’s next-generation rotary engine and front-engine rear-drive layout may well figure into Mazda’s future sports cars designed to help achieve a more sustainable society. For more dreamy car creations see www.pinktentacle.com/2007/10/dreamy-concept-cars-at-tokyo-motor-show-2007/