Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Artist imagines eerie world where cars have no wheels]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/24/artist-imagines-eerie-world-where-cars-have-no-wheels/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/24/artist-imagines-eerie-world-where-cars-have-no-wheels/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/24/artist-imagines-eerie-world-where-cars-have-no-wheels/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



The wheel ranks right up there with the telescope and four-slice toaster in the pantheon of inventions that have moved humankind forward. But what if a circle in three dimensions had never occurred to anyone, and we all had just moved on without it? Perhaps we'd be driving around in Lucas Motors Landspeeders with anti-gravity engines. Or maybe we'd have the same cars we do today, just without wheels.

That's the thought experiment that seems to have led French photographer Renaud Marion to create his six-image series called Air Drive. The shots depict cars throughout many eras of motoring that look normal except for one thing: they have no wheels. The models used include a Jaguar XK120, Cadillac DeVille (shown above), Chevrolet El Camino and Camaro, and Mercedes-Benz SL and 300 roadsters.

Perhaps one day when our future becomes our past, you'll be able to walk the street and see with your own eyes the rust and patina of age on our nation's fleet of floating cars. Until then, Monsieur Marion's photographs will have to do.

Artist imagines eerie world where cars have no wheels originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Jan 2013 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>air driveautomotive artcadillaccar artcars without wheelschevroletfloating carshover carhovercraftjaguarmercedes-benzrenaud marionThu, 24 Jan 2013 14:16:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20437815/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/24/artist-imagines-eerie-world-where-cars-have-no-wheels/20437815/article-detail.xml 20437815 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/air-drive-3-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/air-drive-3-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Where it's going, the DeLorean hovercraft doesn't need roads]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/18/where-its-going-the-delorean-hovercraft-doesnt-need-roads/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/18/where-its-going-the-delorean-hovercraft-doesnt-need-roads/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/18/where-its-going-the-delorean-hovercraft-doesnt-need-roads/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

DeLorean Hovercraft - video screencap

Our favorite DeLorean-turned-hovercraft is back. The Kickstarter-funded project was originally the brainchild of grad student Matthew Riese, and the last time we saw it, the floating car was busily hovering around McCovey Cove in San Francisco. This time, Riese's creation has taken to bombing beaches down by the Golden Gate Bridge. The video below shows the hand-built machine busting along the bay before taking to land for a quick flat spin. We can't convey how badly we want to operate this thing. We'd even find ourselves a Michael J. Fox-spec puffy vest for the occasion.

You can take a look at the latest clip below or, click back to our original post from last year. You can also take a look at the story of the hovercraft's genesis over at MAKE.

Continue reading Where it's going, the DeLorean hovercraft doesn't need roads

Where it's going, the DeLorean hovercraft doesn't need roads originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Jan 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>de loreandeloreandelorean dmc-12delorean hovercraftdmc-12hoverhovercraftvideoFri, 18 Jan 2013 12:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20432911/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/18/where-its-going-the-delorean-hovercraft-doesnt-need-roads/20432911/article-detail.xml 20432911 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/delorean-hovercraft-video-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/delorean-hovercraft-video-628.jpg <![CDATA[Did a California company just perfect hover bike technology?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/22/did-a-california-company-just-perfect-hover-bike-technology/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/22/did-a-california-company-just-perfect-hover-bike-technology/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/22/did-a-california-company-just-perfect-hover-bike-technology/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Aerofex hover bike - video screencap

Will we soon be commuting on real-life hovercraft soon? It depends on what you mean by "soon," "commuting" and "real-life."

Aerofex has released video showing its two-rotor, one-manned vehicle lifting off the ground, negotiating turns and landing.

But Gizmag says the most amazing claim from Aerofex concerns the tandem duct vehicle's guidance system. The company says its prototype uses no flight software or electronics of any kind to give the "pilot" complete control over pitch, roll and yaw. The gadget site, though, isn't totally convinced, stating the videos "appear to show successful test flights." The italics are Gizmag's.

Watching the video, it's hard not to be impressed by how well the prototype seems to work. It's also not hard to notice the complete lack of sound, leading us to believe the hoverbike is a long way from cruising down Main Street. Watch the silent test flight video below.

Continue reading Did a California company just perfect hover bike technology?

Did a California company just perfect hover bike technology? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aerofexhover bikehover crafthoverbikehovercrafttandem ductvtolWed, 22 Aug 2012 15:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20305728/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/08/22/did-a-california-company-just-perfect-hover-bike-technology/20305728/article-detail.xml 20305728 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/aerofex-testflight-vid_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/aerofex-testflight-vid.jpg <![CDATA[DeLorean hovercraft shows up in McCovey Cove]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/11/delorean-hovercraft-shows-up-in-mccovey-cove/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/11/delorean-hovercraft-shows-up-in-mccovey-cove/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/11/delorean-hovercraft-shows-up-in-mccovey-cove/#commentsFiled under: , ,

DeLorean Hovercraft in McCovey Cove

What's better than any Back to the Future tribute DeLorean? This. Because hovercraft.

And thanks to the guys at Deadspin, we can present video of it frolicking in McCovey Cove outside last night's Giants/Rockies game. As Deadspin reports, the DeLorean hovercraft's build was Kickstarter-funded and previously covered by MAKE. The finished product, which you can watch in action below, is fantastic.

Continue reading DeLorean hovercraft shows up in McCovey Cove

DeLorean hovercraft shows up in McCovey Cove originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Aug 2012 09:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deloreanhovercraftmccovey coveSat, 11 Aug 2012 09:49:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20298771/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/08/11/delorean-hovercraft-shows-up-in-mccovey-cove/20298771/article-detail.xml 20298771 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/delorean-hovercraft_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/delorean-hovercraft.jpg <![CDATA[<i>Spaceballs</i> hovercraft floats in from obscurity]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/15/spaceballs-hovercraft-floats-in-from-obscurity/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/15/spaceballs-hovercraft-floats-in-from-obscurity/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/15/spaceballs-hovercraft-floats-in-from-obscurity/#commentsFiled under: ,

spaceballs hovercraft

The Mel Brooks Star Wars send-up Spaceballs may be most memorable for its flying Winnebago, but a hovercraft also features in the hilarious action. Like a lot of movie prop vehicles, the hovercraft that carted Dark Helmet around had no power source of its own (other than a Napoleonic Rick Moranis in some scenes).

The Just a Car Guy blog found the hovercraft in the Justice Brothers Museum, and it turns out that after the movie, this prop became an honest-to-goodness working vehicle much like Lone Star became a prince at the end of the film. Originally built by famous customizer Dean Jeffries in just two weeks, the hovercraft now has a rear-mounted engine and can carry up to eight people in out-of-this-world style. Hit the link for the full story.

Spaceballs hovercraft floats in from obscurity originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Apr 2012 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hover crafthovercraftmel brooksmovie carmovie propspaceballsspaceballs hovercraftSun, 15 Apr 2012 12:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20215984/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/15/spaceballs-hovercraft-floats-in-from-obscurity/20215984/article-detail.xml 20215984 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/spaceballs_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/spaceballs.jpg <![CDATA[Video: Zero wheels, all awesome - Homebuilt Kiwi 'hovercraft']]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/14/video-zero-wheels-all-awesome-homebuilt-kiwi-hovercraft/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/14/video-zero-wheels-all-awesome-homebuilt-kiwi-hovercraft/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/14/video-zero-wheels-all-awesome-homebuilt-kiwi-hovercraft/#commentsFiled under: ,

Homebuilt Hovercraft
Homemade flying hovercraft - Click above to watch video after the jump

Rudy Heeman, an inventor in New Zealand, has created a flying hovercraft. We'll admit right now that it has little nothing to do with cars, but it is ridiculously cool. Heeman wants to make and sell them for only $13,000. Maybe it's time for us to just sell the car and move someplace with waterways for roads. Follow the jump to check it out. Hat tip to Duy!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Zero wheels, all awesome - Homebuilt Kiwi 'hovercraft'

Video: Zero wheels, all awesome - Homebuilt Kiwi 'hovercraft' originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flyinghovercraftnew zealandNewZealandSun, 14 Mar 2010 18:03:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19391179/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/03/14/video-zero-wheels-all-awesome-homebuilt-kiwi-hovercraft/19391179/article-detail.xml 19391179 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/kiwihovercraft_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/kiwihovercraft.jpg -1 2