Important Innovations

  Audi's New Grandsphere Concept Car                                                       Source:  Audi Technologies That Define Next-G Driving Audi has unveiled a truly extraordinary concept car.  The Audi Grandsphere is the ultimate in new technologies, luxury and style.  It is Audi's vision of the future of driving vehicles with electric, digital and autonomous technologies.  In essence, the Grandsphere and its technologies may define the next generation of driving.  The vehicle sports a disappearing steering wheel that folds into the dashboard and disappearing pedals to allow the EV to be converted into a luxurious lounge while the car drives autonomously.  And that is just the beginning of what Audi's technology platform into the future of driving offers. Grand Auto Experiment Grandsphere is a concept vehicle which serves as a grand experiment for Audi engineers and designers to create the ultimate, epic ride.  The Grandsphere team says if a piece of new, highly advan

  Weisman Thunderball Goes Electric                                     Source: Weisman Thunderball EV All Electric Cabriolet Weisman Automobile GmbH has just unveiled its Thunderball all-electric Cabriolet, which is a very sporty, stunning concept that is going into production. Weisman is a Germany-based automotive manufacturer that specializes in hand-built, custom convertibles and coupes.  They two brothers who founded the business have been in business since 1988.  Their new Thunderball is getting the automotive world's attention because of its power, beauty and performance. One major automotive magazine called it "a tour de force".  Weisman calls the vehicle "the world's most exciting sportscar".  Thought you would like to take a look at it as I did. Tech Specs & More The Thunderball sports car is a zero emissions vehicle that can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds.  It has two electric motors mounted in the rear to give the back wheels a lo

Weisman Thunderball Goes Electric                                     Source: Weisman Thunderball EV All Electric Cabriolet Weisman Automobile GmbH has just unveiled its Thunderball all-electric Cabriolet, which is a very sporty, stunning concept that is going into production. Weisman is a Germany-based automotive manufacturer that specializes in hand-built, custom convertibles and coupes.  They two brothers who founded the business have been in business since 1988.  Their new Thunderball is getting the automotive world's attention because of its power, beauty and performance. One major automotive magazine called it "a tour de force".  Weisman calls the vehicle "the world's most exciting sportscar".  Thought you would like to take a look at it as I did. This is something I'd love to give it a go and take a drive on a country road or on the turnpike from Boston to Cape Cod and back. Tech Specs & More The Thunderball sports car is a zero emissions vehi

  VW Files a Patent for Hydrogen Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Vehicle                                                       Source:  VW Very Long-Range Vehicle with Zero Carbon Emissions Volkswagen has a late November big surprise.  It just confirmed that it has filed a patent for a hydrogen car that it is developing with a 1,243-mile range. The patent also covers what appears to be game-changing, hydrogen fuel cell technology.  Automotive experts believe that this could be a major breakthrough for the deployment and potential widespread use of H2 cars.  Such vehicles have the capability of travelling very long distances with no refueling.  Ironically, until recently, VW executives have downplayed the prospects of hydrogen powered vehicles reaching critical mass and being impactful.  Apparently, VW has radically changed its mind and is developing highly impactful, potentially breakthrough green fuel technology. Technological Breakthrough The hydrogen fuel cell that VW is working on appears

   Rome's Vertiport at Fiumicino International Airport                                                  Source:  Volocopter 1st Piloted eVTOL Flight in Italy German electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle startup Volocopter has just successfully completed its first crewed public test flight in Rome.  The flying taxi launched from a new vertiport at Rome's Fiumicino International Airport.  The test was designed to showcase both the Volocopter flying taxi and Rome's 1st vertiport. It also provided the public with a new perspective on how urban air mobility vehicles might effectively work to ferry passengers between the city of Rome and Fiumicino Airport.  The Airport is planning to go fully commercial and operational with the vertiport, which will be a first for Italy.  Volocopter expects to be fully operational in Rome, Singapore and elsewhere with flying taxi services in 2024.  What The Flight Achieved The Volocopter 2X did a figure 8 in the skies over Rome at

  Rome's Vertiport at Fiumicino International Airport                                                  Source:  Volocopter 1st Piloted eVTOL Flight in Italy German electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle startup Volocopter has just successfully completed its first crewed public test flight in Rome.  The flying taxi launched from a new vertiport at Rome's Fiumicino International Airport.  The test was designed to showcase both the Volocopter flying taxi and Rome's 1st vertiport. It also provided the public with a new perspective on how urban air mobility vehicles might effectively work to ferry passengers between the city of Rome and Fiumicino Airport.  The Airport is planning to go fully commercial and operational with the vertiport, which will be a first for Italy.  Volocopter expects to be fully operational in Rome, Singapore and elsewhere with flying taxi services in 2024.  What The Flight Achieved The Volocopter 2X did a figure 8 in the skies over Rome at

  Elegant, Highly Creative New Car Design                                                                      Source: Mercedes Benz Mercedes Work of Art That Exists in Virtual Reality This is one of German luxury car maker Mercedes Benz' most creative and imaginative concept cars.  It's a car created in virtual reality which Mercedes calls its first "virtual show car".  The car will be showcased in the upcoming "League of Legends" World Championships.  With this concept, Mercedes has created a vehicle unlike anything it has ever imagined before as a concept or production car.  It is truly an automotive work of art. Flights of Imagination The VR car is so conceptual that it has no name.  One of the many stunning features about it are the wheels, which are huge, transparent and seem to be encased in a glass-like substance.  The vehicle, which we assume is electric, has a bubble-shaped interior cabin for multiple passengers. The car's body is elegantly fut

  Elegant, Highly Creative New Car Design                                                                                                           Source: Mercedes Benz Mercedes Work of Art That Exists in Virtual Reality This is one of German luxury car maker Mercedes Benz' most creative and imaginative concept cars.  It's a car created in virtual reality which Mercedes calls its first "virtual show car".  The car will be showcased in the upcoming "League of Legends" World Championships.  With this concept, Mercedes has created a vehicle unlike anything it has ever imagined before as a concept or production car.  It is truly an automotive work of art. Flights of Imagination The VR car is so conceptual that it has no name.  One of the many stunning features about it are the wheels, which are huge, transparent and seem to be encased in a glass-like substance.  The vehicle, which we assume is electric, has a bubble-shaped interior cabin for multiple passengers

  Fascinating New, Self-Driving, All Electric Car                                                  Source: Volkswagen VW's Gen Travel - A Tech Showcase on Wheels Volkswagen has developed a remarkable, new, Level 5 autonomous, electric travel pod that's futuristic, wild and very cool.  Called the Gen Travel, the self-driving, all electric, pod-like vehicle is an innovative design study which VW has already produced as a prototype.  It can carry 4 passengers and the interior can be customized for the nature of each trip. For example, it can be equipped with a conference table for businesspeople to work on.  Or it can be outfitted as an entertainment center on wheels with augmented reality.  And, for those just off a red-eye flight, it offers dynamic, restful lighting and reconfigurable seats that can help induce a snooze.  The cabin is bubble-like glass designed to promote autonomous relaxation as you're driven along the road.  With its gullwing doors for easy entrance and ex

  SUV That's like a Hypercar                                                                           Super:  McLaren Car Concepts High Performance Driving British supercar manufacturer McLaren is famous for its performance sports cars.  The cars are always gorgeous, "lightweight and performance" vehicles.  Until now, McLaren has not joined the global SUV craze because they don't want to dilute their sports car brand and deviate in any way from their historic DNA.  With a new CEO, McLaren may be ready to change. New CEO Who Loves SUVs German born, PhD in Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Michael Leiters is McLaren's new CEO.  He has a distinguished automotive career.  He's the former chief Technology Officer of Ferrari and is the person who developed the new SUV for Ferrari, the Purosangue.  He also created the highly popular Cayenne SUV for Porsche.  He obviously loves SUVs, their sales and ongoing market growth potential.  He is more than open to devel

  SUV That's like a Hypercar                                                                           Super:  McLaren Car Concepts High Performance Driving British supercar manufacturer McLaren is famous for its performance sports cars.  The cars are always gorgeous, "lightweight and performance" vehicles.  Until now, McLaren has not joined the global SUV craze because they don't want to dilute their sports car brand and deviate in any way from their historic DNA.  With a new CEO, McLaren may be ready to change. New CEO Who Loves SUVs German born, PhD in Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Michael Leiters is McLaren's new CEO.  He has a distinguished automotive career.  He's the former chief Technology Officer of Ferrari and is the person who developed the new SUV for Ferrari, the Purosangue.  He also created the highly popular Cayenne SUV for Porsche.  He obviously loves SUVs, their sales and ongoing market growth potential.  He is more than open to devel

  "Engineered Wood" as the Most Sustainable, Superior Building Material Source: Iceland FABRIC, Portland's Sideyard Apartments, Maine's Ecology School, London's Dalston Works Apartments, Zurich Airport Terminal Purpose:  Fight Climate Change & Fires Future cities built of high tech, fire-resistant, non-combustible, lightweight wood could help reduce the ravages of Climate Change and be the best defense against destructive fires.  That is the startling but growing conclusion among numbers of global architects and engineers.  There's a growing belief that wood, specifically cross laminated timber (CLT), is a superior and more sustainable building material than the concrete and steel that are currently used.  One of the biggest proponents of this new thinking is the prestigious Potsdam Institute for Climate Change Research in Germany.  There are increasing global examples of CLT buildings including Iceland's mix use FABRIC, Portland, Oregon's Sideyard