Sports car enthusiasts get ready to start your engines. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the first theme park dedicated to the Prancing Horse will open its doors to the public at 12 noon on 28 October 2010. Touted as the “world’s largest indoor amusement park”, this homage to the ultimate Italian muscle car promises a vast array of attractions to suit guests of all ages and tastes.
This otherworldly Audi Avatar concept throws out all kinds of unlikely performance figures–the 2.9-second 0 to 62 mph time and 223 + mph top speed seem like pretty tall orders from an electric. Then again, why not throw out all kinds of ridiculous numbers; it’s just a concept, anyway. Plus the designer has until the self-imposed 2032 to get the tech up to the vision. High performance hopes aside, the odd-looking mechanical creature features four, wheel-mounted electric motors powered by long-range supercharge-ion batteries. Assisting the motors with performance is an aerodynamic, lightweight body. The car is designed to deliver drivers with the “joy of driving that they had playing racing games when they were kids”. That is, assuming they can find the wheels. Designed by Edwin Conan. [via Coroflot]
Ever stare at vintage pictures of the giant-wheeled Penny Farthing bikes and wonder exactly how anyone balanced and moved forward with one? Now you can find out, albeit on a shrunken, streamlined version. With a big wheel in front, small wheel in back and handlebars on the sides, the Yike Bike looks about as counterintuitive and foreboding as the original Penny Farthing. It’s a folding electric “mini-Farthing” that gets up to 10 kilometers per charge–perfect for commuting to work so long as you don’t mind looking like a total dufus…and spending 3,500 Euros on an automated Big Wheel. On the plus side, it folds down small and weighs only 21 pounds thanks to carbon composite design. It’s expected to ship in the middle of next year. More info. [via Core 77]
Seeking to design a car that “allows one to interact and accomodate the outside world”, a design team led by Himanshu Bhardwaj presents this concept vehicle. Unfortunately, it appears to bring the driver a little too close to the outside world, what with its door holes and apparent lack of windshield. Bhardwaj calls it the Aston Martine Agora. We call it the most unsafe looking vehicle we’ve ever seen. While the design certainly leaves a visual impression, its incomplete body leaves a bit to be desired. But since it’s just a sketch on paper, safety concerns are minimalized. Enjoy pictures in the gallery after the break and check out the link to IDS for a video that is more dramatic than a car should ever be. [via Industrial Design Served]
When a superyacht just won’t do for privacy and luxury, why not hop into a submarine and enjoy the depths of the ocean in style? I can’t tell what’s more impressive, the very idea of luxury submarines, or these 3D drawings from U.S. Submarines. Forget AutoCAD, says U.S. Submarines President L. Bruce Jones, it was banned from the company in favor of Ashlar’s Graphite and Cobalt software. Jones hates on Windows as well, saying “we are also an all Mac company.” If you don’t care about that stuff and just want to know more about a life of underwater luxury, check out U.S. Submarines’ very entertaining FAQ on buying and manning your own sub. [U.S. Submarines via Core77]
By removing the seat, the pedals, and all the chains that go with them, Koga has made the bicycle much more portable. On the downside, the Bergmoench Backpack Bike is functionally worthless unless you’re going downhill, and even then it’s somewhat frightening without a means to accelerate. The idea is you stow all your hiking necessities in the accompanying back, and strap the entire package on your back. Then, you climb the hill our mountain, and take a joyride back down. The bike takes about two minutes to assemble from its backpack configuration. Asking price is 1,499 Euros. [via DesignBoom]
There are superyachts, and then there’s the new Live on Water concept. Put together by Monaco-based yacht maker Wally Construct and Paris-based high-fashion luxury brand Hermes, the new watercraft not only stuns with an exquisite design, it also makes for a green wave commuter. Dubbed WHY (Wally Hermes Yacht), this colossal luxury yacth is 58 meters long and 38 meters across, enough to feature a 25 meter pool and a 36 meter beach for ultimate sea-faring relaxation. Other than its high end amenities and the contemporary living spaces, it comes with a 900 square meters solar panel array and a waste management systems capable of holding both organic and inorganic waste. Not sure about you but WHY looks like the ultimate party boat to us. [via flylyf]
While it may not nail the Harley-Davidson aesthetic, the ZEVS electric motorcycle is designed to be “the first electric motorcycle for the real biker,” according to designer Bernhard Ranner. Bikers who may be quick to dismiss an electric bike as hippie stuff might delight in the red and black tones and the slick design. And hey, if we ever have an oil-free future, the ZEVS will be a front-runner. It’s not clear what will happen to this concept, so just admire the look for now. And hope that if the ZEVS becomes real, it includes some sort of loudspeaker to emulate the rumble of a real motorcycle engine. [creativeDNAaustria via Yanko Design]
Can Mini Cooper owners ever “feel they are cut above everyone else as far as coolness is concerned”? Many would answer with a huge N to the O, but The Cool Hunter seems to think its customized designer car wraps can inspire just that level of confidence. Whether or not they give Mini owners a decisive leg up on the global coolness scale, the artistic wraps certainly help the Mini Cooper to pop in a big way. The Pink Floyd prism is especially captivating, particularly when you notice its extension to the front rim. TCH says that it’s in discussion with Mini Cooper globally on the wraps and is also seeking input from designers with their own unique Mini visions. Hit the TCH link for more info if you’re interested in submitting. [via TCH]
