2012 Geneva Auto Show: Smart ForTwo with a Trailer
Crazy Rinspeed. An electric Smart ForTwo with a trailer.
Why worry about longer-range batteries or faster recharge times when you can just hitch up a trailer? A trailer with its own battery pack, or maybe a fuel cell, that can drive your rear axle, which is actually now the middle axle of the Smart EV… ah, yes, the world is our oyster.
Or, if we’re content with the stock Fortwo ED’s 98-mile range, we could hook up one of Rinspeed’s proposed “Dock+Go” lifestyle trailers, which would apparently just be along for the ride. There’s a trailer with a hot plate in case we want to fast-track a pizza delivery career, and another with a toolbox for a contractor needing to carry… uhm, a rachet set. Other trailer themes include camping, golfing, skiing (water, snow, we’re not sure), the beach, and “party” (which suggests cake to us but might just indicate a 12-pack-capable ice chest).
“Plenty of good and creative solutions for a brighter future mobility,” intones the Rinspeed press release translated from the German. “Take 3 instead of 2 — and who came up with it? A Swiss, who else?”
Right. Darling animation of the Smart with the trailer after the jump.
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Gumpert teases new supercar before Geneva debut
Gumpert, the maker of the Apollo supercar, has released a teaser for its new and upcoming model that will debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.
No details on what the model is or what it will be called but Gumpert said it recently tested the car at Altenburg airport.
It would be nice to see Gumpert to jump in on the fastest car in the world battle with Bugatti and Shelby Supercars.
Waiting for the 2013 Subaru BRZ Unveil
If you are like us, you are counting down the days until the official unveiling of the 2013 Subaru BRZ at the Tokyo Auto Show on November 30th. Here’s something to hold you over while you wait. A full, 360-degree panorama of the Subaru BRZ STI concept on the stand in all it’s glory at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.
As you spin around, you’ll also get a good look at the Mini stand with the $ 65K Mini Inspired by Goodwood prominently displayed among several variations of Cooper, Clubman, Coupe, and Countryman. Enjoy!
Infiniti Releases Teasers of Electric Sports Car Concept Ahead of Geneva Debut
Infiniti has released two teaser photos of a new electric sports car concept that it’s bringing to the Geneva Motor Show next March.
Andy Palmer, Executive Vice President, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd and Infiniti said: “At the Geneva Show next year, we will present our vision for a totally new kind of inspired premium performance car. Infiniti already has hybrid and clean diesel models on sale. And with an all-electric sedan on the way, the natural next step was to push the boundaries where performance and the environment intersect.”
Stay tuned…
Infiniti Electric Sports Car Teased For Geneva Debut
Infiniti is already planning for the 2012 Geneva Motor Show where they will be unveiling a new range-extending electric sports car concept.
Details? Well, nothing frankly, expect that it will be a high performance, low emission electric car. The teaser image don’t reveal much either, but the design seems to be an evolution of the Essence concept.
Explaining the strategy behind the concept, Andy Palmer, Executive Vice President, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd and Infiniti said: “At the Geneva show next year, we will present our vision for a totally new kind of inspired premium performance car. Infiniti already has hybrid and clean diesel models on sale. And with an all-electric sedan on the way, the natural next step was to push the boundaries where performance and the environment intersect.”
Infiniti to Show Mid-Engine, Rear-Wheel-Drive Sports Car Concept at Geneva Auto Show [UPDATE: PHOTOS]
November 17, 2011 at 9:00am by Justin Berkowitz
![Infiniti sports car teaser 02 626x382 Infiniti to Show Mid Engine, Rear Wheel Drive Sports Car Concept at Geneva Auto Show [UPDATE: PHOTOS]](http://blog.caranddriver.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Infiniti-sports-car-teaser-02-626x382.jpg "Infiniti sports car teaser")
Infiniti will show a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive concept sports car at the 2012 Geneva auto show next March, we have learned. The company likely will release more information in the coming weeks—based on Infiniti’s affinity for teaser shots in its introduction of the JX crossover, we may be in for a long slog—but in the meantime we’re left without further confirmed details.
The layout means it won’t simply be a reworked Infiniti version of the Nissan GT-R or any other vehicle in the lineup—unless the engineers decided to do something, er, interesting like turn a front-engine, front-wheel-drive platform backwards. We don’t know what kind of powertrain the mid-engine sports car will have: Anything from Infiniti’s vigorous 5.6-liter V-8 to the twin-turbo six from the GT-R to an electrified powertrain (à la BMW i8) seems possible. We’ll bring you more information as soon as it emerges.
UPDATE 11/17, 8:00 a.m.:
Infiniti has revealed the car will feature a range-extended electric powertrain, and also released two teaser images of the concept. The automaker did not provide any details on the powertrain.
Nissan to electrify the Tokyo Motor Show
Nissan will showcase its electric powertrain expertise at the upcoming 2011 Tokyo Motor Show (December 3-11, 2011) by presenting three concepts that highlight the Japanese automaker’s ambitious plan to revolutionize zero-emission mobility.
First, the Nissan PIVO 3 will make its world debut as their ”smart urban EV of the near future.” The PIVO 3′s claim to fame is its fully autonomous valet park feature. In what Nissan envisions to be the parking lots of the future, the PIVO 3 will drive, find a parking spot and park itself without driver assistance.
Standing 3 metres long, this three-passenger concept boasts futuristic looks and outstanding manoeuvrability. Nissan says that the PIVO 3 can make a U-turn on a 4-metre wide road.
Two other electric vehicles will be on display alongside the PIVO 3 including the ESFLOW concept, launched in Geneva this past March, as well as the TOWNPOD concept unveiled in Paris back in 2010.
Visitors of the Tokyo Motor Show will also get to see the all-new Nissan NV350 light commercial van prototype, not to mention the NSH-2012 ”Smart House of the Future,” which draws electricity from the Nissan LEAF.
