Articles by CarsGuide team

An amphibious ice-cream truck, dubbed HMS Flake 99, sails with soft serve favourites in tow. Take a look at our video to see it in action.

…20 years after becoming the first and only Japanese car maker to win the famous race.To mark the anniversary and at the invitation of organisers, Mazda will demonstrate the winning Mazda 787B on the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France on Saturday June 11 before the 24-hour race begins. Additionally, the 787B will also take part in the Driver's Parade through the Le Mans city centre on Friday June 10.The Mazda 787B is the first and only Japanese car, and rotary-engine car, to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.Jointly developed by Mazda and Mazdaspeed, the organisation that managed Mazda's racing program, the 787B has a chassis designed to meet Group C racing car technical regulations and is powered by a four-rotor rotary engine that produces 700 horsepower.Due to a change in the race regulations, 1991 was to become the last year that a rotary-engine car could participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.Since 1991, the winning Mazda 787B has mostly been on display at the Mazda Museum in Hiroshima, Japan.As part of the 20th anniversary celebrations, various members of the 1991 Mazda team will also return to Le Mans.The winning driver Johnny Herbert (England) will be joined by 1991 Mazda drivers David Kennedy (Ireland), Pierre Dieudonn#aace (Belgium) and other team members.

…..with a truly spectacular and futuristic concept car, the Vision EfficientDynamics, appearing as the sole hero BMW at the show, and representing the future of the BMW mobility. Adding to the growing list of concept cars appearing at the Melbourne event, the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics is a four-seater sports car featuring avant-garde design, futuristic technology, impressive performance and unsurpassed efficiency figures. BMW says the Vision EfficientDynamics is representative of the future of driving pleasure as a result of ground-breaking drivetrain technology. The combination of a three-cylinder turbo-diesel with a hybrid synchronous motor at the front axle and a full hybrid engine at the rear axle enables a maximum power output for the system of 241kW. This innovative technology allows the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics to achieve 0–100km/h in just 4.8 seconds – extremely impressive for a car that also achieves 3.76 litres per 100 kilometres, and a CO2 emission rating of just 99 grams per kilometre. The eye-catching performance, efficiency and emissions figures are no doubt helped by the 1.24-metre high coupe’s slippery shape – with an aerodynamic drag coefficient of just 0.22. As a “plug-in” hybrid, the Vision EfficientDynamics features a lithium-polymer rechargeable battery housed centrally in a longitudinal chassis element, which can be fully charged at a conventional power socket within just two-and-a-half hours. The electrical stores of the BMW permit zero emissions motoring for a range of 50 kilometres – with the 24-litre diesel tank, that range extends up to 700 kilometres. While it may look like a motor show-only concept that will never see a showroom floor, the wild-looking vehicle is expected to make it into production as the BMW i8 by 2013. BMW’s new i sub-brand has been established to focus on developing sustainable mobility solutions, and the i8 has been announced as one of the first two vehicles to launch. Australian International Motor Show event director Russ Tyrie says the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept is what motor shows are about. “It’s a sexy concept car that previews incredible futuristic technology,” said Mr Tyrie. “They are the two elements that make motor shows exciting." “The good news is that it actually is a true representation of vehicles that we will be driving in the future – given BMW’s plans for its new i sub-brand." “If the Vision EfficientDynamics Concept is what the future is going to look like, I’m pretty sure motor show visitors are going to be keen to sign up for that future.” Phil Horton, BMW Group Australia managing director believes that the Vision EfficientDynamics is a true representation of the direction of BMW both globally and locally. “Through the Australian International Motor Show in Melbourne we have the rare opportunity to exhibit a concept car to Australians that exemplifies everything BMW represents, in terms of our dedication to increasing efficiency and minimising emissions while never compromising the performance BMW is famous for. “By varying our approach this year and steering away from showing the usual BMW range we are free to present something for visitors to get even more excited about, as this is the future for BMW customers. “The Vision EfficientDynamics Concept is proof that improving the efficiency and emissions of motor vehicles does not have to mean anything less than exhilaration and absolute driving pleasure – because creating the Ultimate Driving Machine will always sit at the heart of every car BMW produces.” The Australian International Motor Show is on at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and opens at 6pm on Friday 1 July and runs until Sunday 10 July.

His stylized bikes run on solar power and his trees are embedded with solar cells that can produce energy. What's more, both are gorgeous enough to be classified as art.