Ever wondered why it’s called the “silly” season? Initially you’ll think of the crazy spending sprees that the masses indulge in – although, after this you’ll see why the motoring industry gets downright wacky during this time of the year.
30 years ago, James Bond’s Lotus Esprit submarine inspired a new school of thought (or maybe just fuelled already over-active imaginations), particularly of vehicles being able to do a little more than just plane on water. This crucial sequence of shot was shot in animation however and during this time nothing quite like the diving Esprit has seen life.
Swiss manufacturer and automobile designer Rinspeed has now given details of a concept that makes Bond’s Esprit look like a duck out of water. Dubbed sQuba, the concept will be on show at the Geneva Motor Show during March of 2008.
Besides being able drive on any road, at the push of a button the sQuba not only sails but dives as well – due to the assistance of two propellers in the stern and two powerful jet drives in the bow that propel the sQuba. It has a lightweight body and futuristic Carbon Nano Tubes that allow the sQuba to dive to a depth of 10 metres. The open top design might have some perplexed as to where they can store their aqualungs, but the driver and passenger won’t have to hold their breath, thanks to a self-contained on-board air system. There are also no qualms about pollution here, because the sQuba uses an electric motor when in and out of out of the water.
Now this is a bit more like it – another supercar to add to our christmas wish list. The Splinter, designed by North Carolina State University students, is powered by a twin-supercharged 440 kW V8 engine, which should make for quite some fun in a body weighing lust 1 100 kg. Of course you’re wondering why this all sounds just a bit too normal – the oddity of the Splinter is that the chassis, body, parts of the suspension and wheels are made entirely of wood. Don’t worry about heat destroying that wood though, because the exhaust exits through the top of the engine cover out of a non-wooden (it’d be cool if it was carbon-fibre) wing.
“We aren’t trying to sell anything, we aren’t trying to save the world, and we aren’t advocating that everyone should drive a wooden car. This project is a scholastic endeavor in which we are simply trying to explore materials, learn, share ideas, and stimulate creativity”, say the students who are building the Splinter as a graduate project.
If there isn’t much water where you are situated, and the ground isn’t even enough for the likes of low supercars, then maybe the Cell Craft G440 Concept by is a more viable alternative. Though it looks more like a vehicle straight out of the G440 just might be the next big thing in daily commuting, given that there is a lot more space from the tallest structures on earth skyward.
Assisted by four turbines, the G440 Concept is capable of VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing), high-speed horizontal flight and easy handling. It’s not all high-tech and gadgetronics though. With seven seats, it is very practical and with only two levers (one for thrust, the other for tilt and direction) that give you all the control you need – there might not be a reason to not get one of these in the “near” future.
