Gm unveils its Chrysler Peaops electric car

Along with an electric sports car, minivan and Jeep, today Chrysler also unveiled a new all-electric car from their GEM subsidiary called the Peapod. The Peapod is first of a new generation of GEM electric vehicles that will be more user-friendly and more efficient.

"We have evolved the GEM design language to better reflect its eco-friendly performance and its upbeat, positive image," said Peter Arnell, Chrysler's Chief Innovation Officer who led the design process. "These vehicles use no gasoline and emit no pollutants. So whether it's a trip around the neighborhood or the drive to school or work, the GEM Peapod is the ideal way to contribute to a greener planet, and a healthy lifestyle."

Unlike some past GEM vehicles, the Peapod is fully enclosed and designed to be more aerodynamic. Chrysler hasn't released any details about the Peapod's range or any new battery technology it may incorporate, but it's likely it will be an improvement over previous models. Chrysler has released some information about the driver comforts, though. The Peapod will have a built-in interface in the dash for your iPod or iPhone and will interface with the iPhone for hands-free calling. The seats will be made from a mesh material to allow better air circulation and will be made from eco-friendly and recycled materials.

GEM hopes to have the Peapod into production in 2009, and will follow it with more new models. For now, future plans include an electric light-duty commercial truck and a large city electric car with more range and performance, both of which GEM hopes to get into production next year along with the Peapod.

Chrysler also announced today that the GEM name will be changed from Global Electric Motors to GreenEcoMobility, in what appears to be an obvious marketing stunt to cash in on environmentally-friendly buzzwords.

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Mercedes benz Concept Fascination

Mercedes-Benz builds the world’s most desirable coupés – a claim which the Stuttgart-based car maker is underlining at the 2008 Paris Motor Show with its ConceptFASCINATION design study. This unique vehicle, whose innovative and unconventional proportions interpret the emotional appeal of a coupé in a new way, represents an exciting and intelligent combination of sporty and elegant design with stylish practicality. Wood, aluminium and smoked glass give a particularly exclusive look and feel to the luggage compartment which incorporates a refrigerated compartment and a humidor as well as offering a large load space. These attributes embody the two objectives of ConceptFASCINATION – to provide a high level of practical usability and to create a coupé which appeals to the heart with fast, thrilling lines. In developing this design study, Mercedes-Benz has given fresh impetus to the long-established (although now rarely seen) ''shooting brake'', a vehicle category with its own distinctive charisma. Freed from the constraints of a specifications book, the designers have created an automotive sculpture with great aesthetic appeal which once again demonstrates Mercedes-Benz’s high level of design expertise. ConceptFASCINATION is a unique jewel of compelling automotive design which is distinguished by its irresistibly dynamic lines yet still offers the benefits of a large luggage compartment. A particularly notable feature of the design is that the practical load space develops organically from the exciting and elegant lines of this lifestyle coupé, giving it its special charisma. Inside, the tone is set by fine, exceptional materials hand-crafted to the highest standard. Absolute perfection and attention to detail make this design study an incomparable gem which conveys at one and the same time a sense of sporty forward movement and elegance, savoir-vivre and exclusivity of the highest level.

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GOOD Wood Motor Circuit 60th anniversary

This weekend over 100,000 people gathered to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Goodwood Motor Circuit and the 10th anniversary of the Revival meeting. This unique event, with a period atmosphere, gives those of us who were too young the opportunity to see what racing was like in the 1950s and 60s. For those who were there it brings back great memories. Racing Dentist Tony Brooks was honoured together with many other of the Legends that competed at the British track back in the day. Off track entertainment was supplied by a recreation of the Earls Court Motorshow and Airplane displays. What really mattered was the on track activity, which consisted of fifteen hotly contested races. They were headlined by a race into the sunset on Saturday evening and the Tourist Trophy Celebration on Sunday with a grid with an estimated value of over $150 million. To pilot the historic racing cars the owners were often joined by the stars of the past and the present like Sir Stirling Moss, Derek Bell, Henri Pescarolo, Martin Brundle and Jean-Marc Gounon. The high speed track is not for the faint of heart and the racing was hard, but fair.

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