Autoblog

Click to view the Coggiola T-Rex in our gallery

The original HUMMER H1 was far from the prettiest truck on the market. But then, beauty wasn't part of the design brief, as it was originally developed for military use before Operation Desert Storm and Arnold Schwarzenegger propelled it into celebrity. At the 2000 Geneva Motor Show, Italian design house Coggiola unveiled its idea for a more "stylish" take on the ultimate utility vehicle. The T-Rex you see here was the result. Powered by the H1's 6.5-liter turbodiesel, it measures a very HUMMER-like 17.7 feet long and 7 feet tall, dwarfing everything else on the road this side of a semi.

The one-of-a-kind concept vehicle is now up for auction on eBay in Italy with a €500,000 asking price. The buyer is pretty well guaranteed never to see another one on the road, but that's the closest we'd want to see the word "pretty" in the same sentence as this Italian-American tough guy.

Gallery: Coggiola T-Rex

Click above for more pics of the proposed redesigned T-Rex

When we had our first close encounter with the T-Rex at the 2007 Montreal Auto Show in this blogger's hometown, it had just undergone a minor cosmetic update. Now on the market for 14 years, local industrial designer Johnatan Côté of Morelli Designers is proposing a complete redesign to bring it up to date.

The biggest change is the removal of the roof, which consisted of little more than a couple of tubes in the first place, but added vital roll-over protection and structural fortitude to the vehicle. Coupled with a more dynamic, modern design, the updated T-Rex proposal also incorporates more storage space, doing away with the optional saddle-bags on the current model while increasing much-needed capacity for things like crash helmets and groceries. Overall, the design makes a compelling case for an updated T-Rex, but makes us wonder what it is about the Canadian province of Quebec that makes it a breeding ground for sporty reverse trikes like this, as well as the Bombardier Can-Am-Spyder and the Cirbin V13R. Well, we guess you need to have something to do when hockey season is over. Thanks for the tip, Jarrett!

Gallery: T-Rex design by Johnatan Cote

Click above for high-res gallery of the Cirbin V13R

Does anyone know where the line that differentiates a car and a motorcycle exists these days? Because we just can't tell anymore. Take this, the Cirbin V13R, first unveiled at SEMA and due to hit the streets imminently. The Harley-powered roadster/trike takes a similar form to the T-Rex we checked out in Montreal (near where the Cirbin is also made, incidentally), only while the T-Rex is more rice-burner, the Cirbin is more custom chopper. Think modern racecar vs. 50's hot rod crossbred with a tricycle and you won't be far off.

The retro fiberglass body hides the tubular steel chassis that includes a front crash zone and cradles the 1250cc v-twin from the Harley-Davidson V-Rod that's mated to a five-speed sequential transmission. The cabin incorporates two seats with chrome roll-over hoops, adjustable pedals and an instrument cluster that includes a speedometer, tachometer and fuel gauge. The full lighting system incorporates headlights with high-beams, low-beams and daytime running lights, turn signals, brake lights and reverse indicator. It's even got a trunk up front. Heck, you could confuse this thing for an actual car, especially after learning of the $40,000 sticker price. All in all, this looks like one pretty sweet... whatever it is. Check out the information in the press release after the jump and the big gallery of big pictures below.

Gallery: Cirbin V13R