Articles by Aiden Taylor

With eight wheels, a hot tub and a BBQ, a Cadillac Eldorado Biarittz currently up for auction at Shannons is not your average commuter car. But it’s far from being the strangest vehicle around, so we’ve taken a dip into the feverish world of car design to bring you the standouts when it comes to weird wheels FlatmobileThink the custom dropped suspension on your favourite local hoonmobile is low? Trust us, compared to the 46cm tall ‘Flatmobile’ that car’s a giraffe. But the Flatmobile’s oddness doesn’t stop at its bitumen-hugging height. It’s based on a 1963 Hilman Imp and powered by the Imp’s standard 875cc engine. But because in standard form that means it struggles to shoot fire from its exhaust, the car’s creator decided to install a jet engine. As you do.Brooke Swan CarSwans are beautiful creatures: regal, classy and elegant – although inclined to get beakily nasty when upset.  So, any time you design a car that looks like a swan, you shouldn’t neglect that aspect of their personality. Which is why the 1910 Brooke Swan Car – which in its day cost three times as much as a Rolls-royce -- not only looks like the bird, but also shoots boiling water out of its beak to clear the road ahead. However it does have some upmarket features, including Indian silk upholstery, gold leaf accents, and brushes to keep the wheels clean. And it deposits imitation excrement at the rear.Colim Detachable CaravanLooking for something that blends your love of caravans and science-fiction terminology? Look no further, because this modern Caravan comes complete with a ‘motorised living pod’ (or car, in other terms) that can be detached from the main body of the van when you inevitably decide to go and look at a historical fort, or a jam shop -- or a rock. You know… the things that caravaners are interested in. We can see just one small flaw in this design. It’s already possible to detach your tow vehicle from your caravan, and when you do that, you don’t have to drive about in half a caravan which can only carry one person…Rinspeed SqubaInspired by James Bond’s Lotus Esprit from The Spy Who Loved Me, the Rinspeed Squba is a Lotus Elise Submarine. Since it would be nearly impossible to the make a British sports car completely watertight anyway, Rinspeed went all out with the open-top Squba, which in submarine mode fills with water and requires occupants to breathe through scuba-style diving regulators. Underwater the electric-powered Squba can travel at up to 3km/h, and on the road its top speed is 120km/h.Reliant RobinIt’s almost impossible to drive a Robin around a corner without rolling over. With just one front wheel dealing with the weight of the engine and direction changes the laws of physics simply don’t allow the Robin to turn successfully. Despite this, a 2011 survey reported that Reliant Robin drivers were actually Britain’s safest drivers -- presumably because almost all of their cars had crashed and been taken off the roads long before the survey was done.Pyramid Dream CarYou know what’s wrong with modern automotive design? There’s not enough ancient Egyptian influence. Which is probably what lead George Zanis to produce the Pyramid Dream Car. Clearly it’s well-designed to be the final resting place of a pharaoh, but it also claims to be a rival for the Bugatti Veyron as world’s fastest car. Mr. Zansis says that this fully electric vehicle could one day do a massive 400km/h, which would make it significantly quicker than the McLaren P1 and the Ferrari LaFerrari. Allegedly.Smart Monster TruckThe Smart Car is probably the least appropriate monster truck donor vehicle in the world. Designed to squeeze into parking spaces sideways, and pootle around congested cities efficiently, the Smart’s job description is the polar opposite of a monster truck’s. Monster trucks should also look tough, and the Smart Car looks about as menacing as a poodle pup. But at least with the standard 62kw Smart engine on board the fuel bill won’t be scary.Citroen/Michelin PLRBack in the 1970s Michelin needed a vehicle to test its development truck tyres. But rather than simply purchasing a truck, Michelin decided to enlist the services of Citroen, and the pair came up with this monster. It’s got ten wheels, four-wheel-steering, two 5.7-litre V8s, and it weighs more than ten tonness. One V8 is used to power the rear six wheels, and the other is used to spin and, ultimately destroy, the test tyre. Summernats here we come… GM XP-21 Firebird IIIToday supercar manufacturers are trying to make their cars feel like fighter jets for the road. For example, Pagani likens the noise and the thrust of their Huayra’s engine to that of a jet engine and say the body was designed to mimic the form of a jet taking off. And it’s a similar story at Lamborghini. But none of these cars capture the ‘fighter jet for the road’ feel in the same way that General Motors’ Firebird III did. It’s got wings, a central tail fin, air brakes, and a pair of bubble canopies. The steering is even operated via joystick – which should make it a hit with those who grew up playing Pac-Man on an Atari. Batman Tumbler 2013 Gumball 3000When you’ve got ridiculous amounts of money you can afford ridiculous things that make a Cadillac with a hot tub seem a mundane yawn. For example, you could have your own replica of the Batmobile built, then take it on a rally tour of Europe with a convoy of your similarly overindulged supercar-toting mates. This custom built, ‘street-legal’ monster was created by a Middle-Eastern group called ‘Team Galag’ which completes the Gumball 3000 rally each year. The Batmobile seats three and is powered by a 370kW Chevrolet V8. But with a top speed of 160km/h, you could overtake it in your nanna’s Toyota Corolla.

The Volvo XC90 SUV is one of the oldest vehicle designs still for sale as a current model. It has gone largely unchanged since its introduction in 2003, while its German rivals have been completely redesigned several times since then.However a brand new XC90 is finally expected to be unveiled at this year's Paris Motor Show featuring design language previewed in Volvo's recent concept cars – the Concept Coupe and XC Coupe.And the second-generation XC90 will be a landmark vehicle for Volvo, as it's the first one to utilise the new Scalable Platform Architecture that will underpin every new large Volvo in the future. The Swedish manufacturer has also teased the new model before, revealing small details about its front-end styling.A large rectangular grille with round edges dominates the second-generation XC90's front with a pair of headlights incorporating 'T'-shaped LED daytime running lamps on either side. The new model also features sharp 'kicked-up' strakes in the lower front fascia.These latest spy shots taken by Carsguide's spy photographers give us a first glimpse at the actual vehicle during cold weather testing in Volvo's homeland – Sweden. While they aren't giving much detail away as to the car's design, the images give clues about the new model's overall proportions and size.Similar in size to the new BMW X5, the new XC90 features a raked windscreen and high beltline which rises further towards the rear of the car giving a sportier overall appearance compared to the current model. The front is also bluff and square which should equate to a strong and dominating appearance.When it goes on sale the new Volvo XC90 will be one of the safest vehicles on the road. The new 'SPA' chassis architecture that the XC90 rides on blends a mix of different steel grades giving the passenger cell greater strength and rigidity over previous generation Volvos.The XC90 will also feature adaptive cruise control with steering assist, smart seat-belt pre-tensions, plus new camera and radar systems designed to detect and prevent accidents. The XC90 will even be equipped with a pedestrian airbag. It's all to help Volvo achieve its aim of having zero fatalities or serious injuries in its vehicles by 2020.Rumours also suggest the new XC90 may use a new 1.5 litre three-cylinder engine currently under development, because of the new car's lower overall curb weight compared to the outgoing model.

Audi's third generation TT sports car has been locked in for a March unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show, but we're getting to see increasingly more of the new car in the lead-up to its global debut. We saw the sports coupe's stunning air-craft inspired interior at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, and now a prototype TT has been spotted by Carsguide's spy photographers wearing almost no camouflage during an evening drive.Predictably, the next generation TT's design is evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Like the current TT, the new model's design incorporates a low, sleek roofline with a rear hatchback and flared wheel-arches. New design cues include more aggressive, angular headlights, a sharper, larger grille and LED taillights. The rear of the car also appears to have been influenced by the R8 supercar with a similarly short overhang and clean design.Beneath the metal, the new TT utilizes the Volkswagen Group's highly versatile 'MQB' platform – the same chassis architecture used by the Audi A3 and Volkswagen Golf. Thanks to increased use of aluminium in the vehicle structure, the new TT will be lighter than the outgoing model – an improvement that is likely to bring increased efficiency and performance.The entry level TT will likely carry a 132kW 1.8-litre TFSI engine powering with front wheels alone, while quattro all-wheel drive models powered by a 2.0-litre TFSI engine tuned to 162kW or 221kW in TT S trim are expected to complete the launch model line-up. It is believed a TT RS will also debut at some stage, potentially with a 300kW version of Audi's 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine.Gearbox options are tipped to mirror those of the current A3 range, meaning a standard six-speed manual or optional seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox will be available. After its Geneva unveiling, the new TT will go on sale in overseas markets towards the end of the year, and arrive here some time in 2015. 

With the new BMW M4 Coupe out in the open it's only a matter of time before its convertible counterpart is unveiled. Carsguide spy photographers have captured the new M4 Convertible in minimal camouflage, leaving little to the imagination.The front-end design is, logically, identical to that of the M4 Coupe. BMW's new 'connected' headlight design – integrated with the wider kidney grille -- features with large, aggressive-looking air intakes below. Like the M4 Coupe, the Convertible also features a bonnet bulge, more aerodynamic door mirrors, 'gills' in the front fenders and quad exhaust tips.The M4 Convertible is also considerably wider than standard 4 Series Convertible models with flared front and rear wheel arches housing wider wheels and tyres that give a sportier stance. A metal folding hardtop that exaggerates the convertible's hip width has also replaced the Coupe's long sloping roof so the M4 Convertible looks especially aggressive when viewed from the rear.And with a 3.0-litre twin turbo straight-six engine under the bonnet, you'll probably be seeing a lot of the M4's rear. Peak power is up from 309kw to 315kw and torque has risen from 400nm to 550nm compared to the old M3 Convertible, which the M4 replaces. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a standard six-speed manual transmission or optional M-DCT double clutch system. The M4 transmits its power to the road through an electronically controlled limited slip differential dubbed 'Active M-Differential.'In Coupe form the M4 takes just 4.1 seconds to reach 100km/h if the M-DCT gearbox is optioned or 4.8 seconds for the three-pedalled car. But the convertible is expected to be slightly slower due to its extra curb weight. Like the new M4 Coupe the latest topless M car is expected to be significantly lighter than the M3 model that it replaces thanks to increased use of aluminium and carbon fibre in the body. The new model will also be more fuel-efficient than the old V8-powered M3.Expect the new BMW M4 Convertible to debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month and go on sale in overseas markets shortly afterward, possibly reaching Australia at the end of the year or early in 2015. 

Canada generally wants to be known for not being the USA. But it’s mainly known for its maple syrup, angry grizzly bears, and even angrier ice hockey matches. What it isn’t known for is supercars. However, this may be about to change, with Canadian racing driver Antoine Bessette having just unveiled his pet project, the Felino CB7. And it’s undeniably a supercar. Bessette's creative input over the three-year project has resulted in a carbon-fibre vehicle that looks like a cross between the Batmobile and the Morgan Aero Coupe. Measuring 4.2 metres long, 1.9 metres wide and just 1.1 metres high, it’s long, wide, and extremely low with classic GT car proportions, and the driver sitting right on the rear axle looking out over the stretched bonnet. Beneath that long nose lives a GM-sourced 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 that produces a handy 391kW and 662Nm of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a standard six-speed manual gearbox with a sequential system available as an option. Performance details are yet to be released, but some sources are suggesting that the CB7 can complete the 0-100km/h sprint in a Ferrari 458-rivalling 3.5 seconds. Given that the car weighs just 1135kg it’s not difficult to believe. The Felino CB7 rides on an independent suspension front and rear with an optimal 50:50 weight distribution. Fully adjustable spring and damper rates also allow customers to set up the car to their specific tastes. Stopping power is supplied by conventional steel discs with six piston calipers at the front and four pistons at the back, but lightweight, fade-resistant carbon ceramic brakes are also an option. Bessette says the CB7 is "purpose built for the track" but could also be used on the street -- presumably as long as it meets the legal requirements of your particular street. While still a prototype, but the Canadian supercar is apparently production ready. The firm hopes to sell the car across North America at a price below the US$100,000 mark ($112,460) before marketing the car globally. Watch the desktop version of the Felino CB7 supercar revealed video here.   

Sadly, Holden will not be manufacturing vehicles in Australia beyond 2017. However, its local design studios will continue to showcase Aussie talent on a global level even once Holden’s manufacturing facilities are closed.The latest project to come from Holden’s Global Design Center in Melbourne is the Chevrolet Adra concept, the result of collaboration between GM India and Holden.While images of the Adra show it with a Melbourne background, the car was created for an unveiling at the Indian Auto Salon in New Delhi. The Adra was conceived, designed and developed in collaboration as the first project by General Motors Technical Center India (GMTC-I) and specifically targets the emerging Indian market.Because Holden’s Global Design Center is one of just two GM facilities in the world capable of fabricating the concept car, Holden was responsible for constructing the Adra.The result is a small, affordable SUV – under 4m in length to qualify for India’s tariff breaks on small vehicles -- similar in concept to the Ford EcoSport.  Holden says it features ‘high’ ground clearance, ‘generous’ interior space and sporty styling.The carmaker says that while in the past design projects undertaken in Australia would have been seen on Australian roads, GM has moved towards a ‘whole world’ approach. “Today, GM designers work on global programs, the majority of which are for international markets and Adra is a perfect example of this,” GM’s international operations design boss Michael Simcoe says.“Holden’s design capabilities are recognized worldwide. They have a reputation for being a mature and highly experienced design center with incredible scope including creative design, clay modeling, animation, color and trim and fabrication,” said Simcoe. “The end result is a show car that is sure to impress the Indian public and one that GM India should be incredibly proud,” he added.