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[Discolor tire shows you when it's time for new rubber]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/04/discolor-tire-shows-you-when-its-time-for-new-rubber/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/04/discolor-tire-shows-you-when-its-time-for-new-rubber/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/04/discolor-tire-shows-you-when-its-time-for-new-rubber/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Discolor tire concept

Two designers that have already won a Red Dot concept design award for the Bevel Cup, Gao Fenglin & Zhou Buyi, have come together again on an idea called the Discolor Tyre. Understanding it couldn't be simpler: A layer of colored rubber beneath the black casing will appear when the outer tread depth falls beneath a certain amount. Fenglin and Buyi estimate that 20,000 kilometers of driving, or about 12,400 miles, will cause the colored tread to show, but there's no reason why harder rubber compounds couldn't increase that number. A side benefit is that it would also quickly reveal tears in the casing and the sources of leaks.

This isn't the first concept to use alternate hues to detect tread depth, with other ideas having already been patented. The patented Colored Wear Indicator for Tires uses not just one, but several colors to indicate how far the tread has worn down. The patent for a Vehicle Tire Tread Depth Determining System, conversely, doesn't use a fixed color, it uses an ultraviolet-sensitive layer that changes color after enough tread has worn down so that it is exposed to sunlight. We're sure there are more out there; point being that designers are already thinking about how we'll check our tires when the last car parts store closes for good... and we run out of pennies.

Discolor tire shows you when it's time for new rubber originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Jan 2013 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conceptdiscolor tirediscolor tyrediscolor tyre conceptGao Fenglintire treadtirestread depthyanko designZhou BuyiFri, 04 Jan 2013 08:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20415697/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/04/discolor-tire-shows-you-when-its-time-for-new-rubber/20415697/article-detail.xml 20415697 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/discolortireconcept_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/discolortireconcept.jpg <![CDATA[Designer imagines a motorcycle for Hyundai]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/19/designer-imagines-a-motorcycle-designed-by-hyundai/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/19/designer-imagines-a-motorcycle-designed-by-hyundai/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/19/designer-imagines-a-motorcycle-designed-by-hyundai/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

concept hyundai motorcycle

Designer Min Seong Kim envisions a rather interesting world where Hyundai, alongside its automobiles and heavy equipment, also builds motorcycles.

The structure of the bike is, in true conceptual fashion, made of a material that can tighten or relax, which the designer believes would aid in steering similar to the way our muscles aid in... well, pretty much everything we do. There's a cage around the rider, apparently to aid in protection, but we wonder how easy that would be to see around. The six-cylinder powerplant sports bold HYUNDAI lettering across the valve covers, and probably comes with a great warranty as well.

We do have a problem with the rider, however, who is clearly rooting for a different motorcycle manufacturer. There's nothing wrong with Suzuki bikes, but if you're going to be shilling for a futuristic manufacturer, you should also be wearing their branded leathers. Regardless, the concept is interesting from all angles, and you can check it out for yourself in the gallery.

Designer imagines a motorcycle for Hyundai originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>concept hyundai motorcyelconcept motorcyclehyundaihyundai motorcyclemin seong kimyanko designFri, 19 Aug 2011 15:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20022162/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/08/19/designer-imagines-a-motorcycle-designed-by-hyundai/20022162/article-detail.xml 20022162 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/hyundaibike-1313775156_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/hyundaibike-1313775156.jpg <![CDATA[The Amatoya: Meet the next generation of fire fighting vehicles]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/the-amatoya-meet-the-next-generation-of-fire-fighting-vehicles/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/the-amatoya-meet-the-next-generation-of-fire-fighting-vehicles/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/the-amatoya-meet-the-next-generation-of-fire-fighting-vehicles/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Amatoya Reconnaissance and Suppression Vehicle - Click above for image gallery

Designer Liam Ferguson's vision of how to fight fires almost makes us wish we were firemen - as long as we could have the keys to one of these. The Amatoya is a site recon and light tanker vehicle designed with a philosophy much more military than civilian. The seating position is like that of a AH-1 Cobra gunship, with the co-pilot up and behind the driver. The Amatoya is built on a monococque steel body, like armed forces MRAPs, insulated with NASA's aerogel, and painted with "military grade sacrificial thermo ceramic intumescent paints."

The Remotely Operated Suppression Cannon Outfit (ROSCO) can has a 2,200-liter (581 gallons) total water capacity, all the better for the fact that the crew members don't need to leave the vehicle to employ it. Nor should they have much problem getting to the fire, with absurd clearances all around, directional spotlights, and a thermal imaging camera. The only weak point would appear to be the rubber tires, which would melt long before the Space-Shuttle-worthy body would.

Still, we'd take one in a second. Take a peek at it yourself in the gallery of photos below.


Gallery: Amatoya Reconnaissance and Suppression Vehicle


[Source: Yanko Design]

The Amatoya: Meet the next generation of fire fighting vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amatoyaconceptfirefightingliam fergusonLiamFergusonyanko designYankoDesignTue, 01 Dec 2009 10:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19258462/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/12/01/the-amatoya-meet-the-next-generation-of-fire-fighting-vehicles/19258462/article-detail.xml 19258462 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/amatoya_ffv_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/amatoya_ffv.jpg <![CDATA[Could it work? Eight-way adjustable wheels for more cornering force]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/12/could-it-work-eight-way-adjustable-wheels-for-more-cornering-fo/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/12/could-it-work-eight-way-adjustable-wheels-for-more-cornering-fo/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/12/could-it-work-eight-way-adjustable-wheels-for-more-cornering-fo/#commentsFiled under: ,

DAWS concept - Click above for gallery

When Charles Pyott considered the possibility of on-the-fly adjustable camber, he looked at motorcycles, the human foot and cars like the Mercedes F400 Carving and the BMW Clever. What he came up with isn't something you'll find on any of them: the Dynamically Augmenting Wheel System, or DAWS.

Instead of making a wheel that adjusts its angle, Pyott created a wheel split into eight sections that can slide laterally on a special hub and bearing. That means the wheels can have an effective camber change without altering their angle relative to the car, and you keep the vehicle's entire footprint in contact with the ground. Not mentioned, it could also be used to alter the car's track. You probably shouldn't expect to see this in action any time soon, but by the time John Connor gets here...


Gallery: DAWS Concept


[Source: Yanko Design]

Could it work? Eight-way adjustable wheels for more cornering force originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>concept carsConceptCarsdawsdynamically augmenting wheel systemDynamicallyAugmentingWheelSystemtechtechnologyyankoyanko designYankoDesignThu, 12 Mar 2009 13:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1485302/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/03/12/could-it-work-eight-way-adjustable-wheels-for-more-cornering-fo/1485302/article-detail.xml 1485302 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/03/daws_camber6_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/03/daws_camber6.jpg <![CDATA[Yanko Designs renders one-off Ferraris]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/13/yanko-designs-renders-one-off-ferraris/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/13/yanko-designs-renders-one-off-ferraris/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/13/yanko-designs-renders-one-off-ferraris/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


UPDATE: The designs that Yanko's got on its website are from a past Ferrari design competition, thanks to all the sharp eyed readers who caught it.

As we reported not too long ago, Ferrari is not stupid, and if you've got the obscene cashflow, you can get your own design rendered in Rosso Corsa with a gen-yoo-wine Prancing Horse on the fender. Trouble is, not everyone has a shelf full of sketchbooks with multitudinous supercar designs lying in wait. Even if you do, they're probably not very good. Mastering foreshortening and perspective is not a weekend project, and designing a body that's actually capable of production is also not something the common man, even the uncommonly rich common man, is familiar with. Yanko Design has done some of the heavy lifting for those talentless hacks wanting to join the Jim Glickenhaus society. The Glick went to Pininfarina, but Yanko's collected some former Ferrari design competition candidates to remind us of what could be. The designs are from students, and Yanko's showing some of the ones that didn't make the cut. If these are what students can do, just think of what experienced hands could come up with. Some actually look good, though others would be better off as Hot Wheels cars. Wouldn't it just be cheaper to get one of those Fiero bodykits and put the leftover millions into retirement accounts?

Gallery: Yanko Design Ferrari concepts


[Source: Autofiends]

Yanko Designs renders one-off Ferraris originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Jul 2008 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>custom ferrariCustomFerrariferrariyanko designyanko design ferrariYankoDesignYankoDesignFerrariSun, 13 Jul 2008 12:02:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1251584/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/07/13/yanko-designs-renders-one-off-ferraris/1251584/article-detail.xml 1251584 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/07/yanko_bespoke450_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/07/yanko_bespoke450.jpg -1 2