Kief Cars

The Japanese Auto Manufacturer will introduce this concept vehicle at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show later this month. The Toyota FT-86 has been nicknamed the “Toyobaru” because Toyota is actually developing this vehicle in conjunction with Subaru. This rear wheel drive sports car is rumored to be close to going to production. The Toyota FT-86 concept car design apparently draws from the dramatic Toyota FT-HS hybrid sports concept which was shown at the 2007 Detroit Motor Show. The Toyota FT-86 refers to the Toyota Corolla AE-86 (a rear-drive coupe that became Japan’s rally car in the 1980s). The Toyota FT-86 is fitted with a 2.0-litre boxer engine from the Subaru Impreza and a 6 speed gearbox. It’s highly unlikely that we’ll see this vehicle on the Toyota production line in South Africa soon.

The Japanese Auto Manufacturer Honda has unveiled the Honda EV-N Concept ahead of the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show (later this month). This retro-styled electric car looks like something out of the 1960s, in my opinion. Honda are keeping some secrets at this stage. They have not released details about the motor and battery that will be fitted in this vehicle. A U3-X Segway-like unicycle is smartly strapped to the passenger door. One could easily mistake this for a hardcore speaker system. The Honda EV-N Concept will be part of the HELLO display for Honda at the 2009 Tokyo Motor show. This exhibit will showcase Honda products that could be part of a low-carbon society of the distant future. The Honda EV-N Concept is also fitted with a solar roof panel. This 4 seater car pays homage to the Honda N360s and N600s of the 1960s and 1970s. I will probably not be buying a car like this in the nearby future. There is no clarity if this car will be introduced in South Africa and there is no indication whether Honda will be making this part of their production line-up.

In 2001 Peugeot introduced the radical Peugeot Moonster Concept. The talents behind this project were found via an internet design competition. People were asked to submit design sketches via the French Auto Maker’s website. The designs were narrowed down from 750 to 50. An online vote was then cast to find out which design users / enthusiasts found the most appealing. Marko Lukovic (from Yugoslavia) won with this design. The Peugeot Moonster Concept was introduced at the Frankfurt Auto Show. The car’s design was presented in fluid form. No engine, transmission or suspension systems were in place. The Peugeot Moonster Concept was hand-formed from sheet aluminum and polished to perfection. This resulted in the most reflective car to date. All praise to Peugeot for the type of competition they set up. Peugeot handed over complete creative feedom to the designer and also embraced the internet to seek out talented designs. Quite impressive if you ask me. This will probably not be built or seen on roads in South Africa, but a man can still dream.

About a week ago, Mini released the first pictures of the Mini Coupe Concept, a car set to be unveiled officially at the Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany this month. At first look this car looks almost exactly the same as it’s close cousin, the Mini Cooper. This concept car features a radical side profile, an aluminum roof with a “reverse baseball cap” appearance, massive wheels, a sporty rear bumper and dual center-mounted exhaust pipes. The Mini Coupe Concept is fitted with a 208 bhp 1.6-litre Turbo engine.

It’s unclear whether the German automaker, BMW, Mini’s parent company intends to put the Mini Coupe Concept into production. It’s also expected that this car will weigh at least 100 kg less than the Mini Hatch (most likely because the Mini Coupe Concept only has 2 front seats). It’s expected that the car should be able to reach 0 – 60 mph (100 km/h) in about 6 seconds. The Mini Coupe Concept was introduced in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Alex Issigonis’ original Mini design. I’ve always been a fan of Mini. This car truly looks stylish. Since this is not available to the public yet, I should probably look for a 2nd hand Mini in the classifieds instead. Or maybe I’ll just twiddle my thumbs and admire this Mini Coupe Concept for a day or two.

In 2006 Audi introduced this electric concept car at motor shows around the world, the Audi R-Zero Concept. This supercar is a good example of how perfect union of the dynamism of sports car designs and the importance and respect for the environment can be merged. The original idea for the Audi R-Zero Concept came from students at the ISD (Internation School of Design) in France. If released the Audi R-Zero sports car will be fitted with 4 engines. Each engine will be powered individually by a lithium-ion 800 volt battery. Each capable of releasing a lot of power, more than 450 watts / kg to be exact. Because of this the Audi R-Zero Concept is expected to reach a top speed of 460 km/h (286 mph). The car will be able to reach 100 km in less than 3 seconds. The Audi R-Zero Concept can put out a projected 1089 hp.

If you look at the Audi R-Zero’s design you’ll see that this concept car’s design definately was influenced by the Audi TT and the Bugatti Veyron. The car’s engine is cooled by making use of an airflow system. This also improves the aerodynamics of the Audi R-Zero. The car is only a concept. There has been no intension or announcement from Audi to indicate that they will be releasing a production model of the the Audio R-Zero. It’s still a very nice car to look at it. I wonder if I could find a replica model of this car in the classifieds. The chance is highly unlikely though and it might possibly be very pricey.

Related Link:
Audi – Official Website