Articles by Karla Pincott

What kind of wheels make you attractive to the opposite sex? Muscle vehicle, sports, luxury... little motorbike ones with strange LED screen capability? Yes, it's the last of those, according to a commercial out of Thailand. The ad -- showing attractive women choosing geek on small bikes over tough guys on muscle bikes -- is for ‘Wheelies’, an aftermarket bike accessory designed to turn  a wheel into a full-colour LED screen projecting images and animations while in motion. The technology uses 'persistence vision' – the brain sewing together coherent imagery from input at high speeds, in this case generated from 424 LED lights on each of the eight-spoke wheels, with a computer monitoring the speed and position of each spoke to project the image. The company's chief technology officer, Chris Ziomkowski, said the idea cam to him after seeing a spinning lightsabre in a Star Wars movie, and he applied the same persistence vision principles. “You have to track the where the wheel is at any given time and have to know the exact position of each blade," he said in a statement. "Then you have to light the LEDs based on what you want the picture to be, and you have to do that very fast.” The use on a vehicle would make it difficult for anybody except surrounding traffic to see the image -- no onboard movie screenings for the passengers, we imagine -- so, it's obviously looking like the next step in vehicle billboards. Created by Bangkok tech brand World Moto, the Wheelies are still in development stage and at the moment can play only 30 seconds of video on a loop -- but there are plans to extend that time to full-length movies. “The technology has the potential to turn essentially any wheel in the world into a brilliant, full-color billboard or video screen,” World Moto CEO Paul Giles said, adding that it could add personality to a motorcycle.  “It gives the bike a face, sort of like an avatar.”   Watch the desktop version of the Wheelies video here.   This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott  

Twenty years after the first WRX STI Impreza appeared, Subaru has unveiled the all-new latest car, promising more refinement and agility.The STI will continue with a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder -- an uprated version of the mill in the current car, with power raised 6kW to 227kW but  a drop of 14Nm at 392Nm of torque. Both power and torque hit carryover peaks of 6000rpm and 4000rpm respectively.  The engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission -- there's no sign of the five-speed auto -- and Subaru's symmetrical all-wheel drive system split 49:51 per cent front/rear.The STI also gets  faster steering, a retuned and stiffer suspension set-up with 16 per cent less body roll, upgraded Brembo brakes and new vehicle dynamics technology including active torque vectoringFollowing the leaked photos of the STI last week, we've already had a decent look at its more aggressive bodykit treatment -- in signature WRC hero blue set off with gold BBS wheels -- with the expected high rear wing, which will feature on a limited-edition 1000 unit launch model that also scores a short-throw shift. The WRX STI will go on sale in April in overseas markets and arriving here after mid-year. The sedan (also unveiled in Detroit in a more sober silver) will be the only body for the STI, with Subaru axing the hatch variant in the face of shrinking buyer interest.However the brand is determined to prove the STI can continue to be hot without a hatch, and last week revealed a race version armed for the Nurburgring 24-Hour -- in which it's won the SP3T class three times in seven years -- with an arsenal of track kit, including bolt-on wheel-arch flares, high-performance rear wing, bar and diffuser, and carbon-fibre splitter and ailerons at the front.Subaru US president Tom Doll also signalled Subaru's intentions for the 2014 World Rally Championship with the news that Travis Pastrana will return to the helm this year.

When you think of dune buggies, you think of bugs -- VW Beetles, to be precise. So it's little surprise that the German carmaker has revived the name -- also seen previously on a concept at the 2000 LA show -- for this year's Detroit event. Teased in a single sketch last week, the Beetle Dune boasts a 5cm suspension lift and off-road styling tweaks compared to the production Beetle coupe.  The yellow and black 'Arizona' livery carries over to the interior trim, with yellow dash, black and yellow trim and sports-inspired materials that include seats with leather and breathable fabric upholstery.The cabin gets an enlarged 7.7-inch touchscreen display, with the system including apps that deliver POI information -- including alerts if any of your friends are nearby --  extra gauges and a new dash-mounted grab handle for panicky front seat passengers.It rides on 19-inch, five-spoke wheels and Volkswagen suggests there is the chance for some of the cues to reach production -- or at least, more of them than those of the 2000 concept. The carmaker says the 2014 show car is  “is a lot more feasible ... potential for a new production version of the sportiest Beetle".However any move from show to showroom shouldn't expect to stray too far from the bitumen, as despite the ride height and rugged looks, the Dune's 155kW 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder (from the limited-edition Beetle R-Line sold overseas) delivers drive via a six-speed DSG dual-clutch auto only to the front wheels, with no all-wheel drive to back up its cosmetic attitude.

Hot on the heels of Infiniti announcing a $51,900 entry yesterday for the new Q50 in Australia -- and tossing a price challenge at the Merc C-Class, BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Lexus IS -- the brand has unveiled the car's halo concept at Detroit motor show.Inspired by the Red Bull Racing RB9 Formula One car -- and named for the famed corner of Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps track -- the Eau Rouge comes with the promise of a high-performance engine if it heads for production, with Infiniti boss Johan de Nysschen saying it could see outputs of more than 373kW and 813Nm."If we built this car I would expect it to feature over (those figures)," de Nysschen says in the accompanying press statement. "Through our various alliance partners we have access to a range of engines featuring this performance capability which, with a fair amount of engineering effort, can be developed to exhibit Infiniti character and accommodated within the Q50 engine bay."The engine we are evaluating for the Q50 Eau Rouge is a big personality, V-cylinder engine with forced induction. I think our engineers have been waiting for a project like this."The Eau Rouge is slung low and wide on light 21-inch forged wheels, with weight-saving strategies including liberal use of carbon-fibre for the panels, roof, bodykit and mirror housings. Race-bred cues include 

The silk has been officially pulled off the 2014 Porsche 911 Targa -- although official photos also leaked onto the internet from a Chinese website in the early hours of the morning. As expected from spy photos and earlier leaks, the 911 Targa echoes the classic roof design of its 1960s ancestors, while the B-pillar has been beefed up to add more strength.The roof is comprised of a soft top, lightweight magnesium frame and glass rear window. The centre roof section slides back at the touch of a button, furling neatly behind the rear seats in a 19-second choreography that includes the window opening and tilting to allow the fabric top to pass and be stowed into its compartment, while the window closes once it's clear.Porsche is initially launching with all-wheel drive Targa 4 and Targa 4S variants, carryng the 257kW/390Nm 3.4-litre and 294kW/440Nm 3.8-litre flat sixes, each availavle with a seven-speed manual or PDK dual-clutch auto transmission. The German carmaker claims a 0-100km/h time of 4.8 seconds for the Targa 4 and 4.4 seconds for the 4S.The chassis has been given a working over to ensure it maintains its road manners with the new roof, helped by torque vectoring to aid cornering and the option of the Porsche Sports Chrono pack to up the performance.Porsche has confirmed that the 911 Targa will apear locally by mid-year, and command a premium of $2,300-$3,300 over existing Cabriolet models.2014 Porsche 911 Targa pricing:Porsche 911 Targa 4 manual - $247,900Porsche 911 Targa 4 PDK auto - $253,850Porsche 911 Targa 4S manual - $285,100Porsche 911 Targa 4S PDK auto - $291,050

The Volvo Concept XC Coupe shows the fresh new styling that will revitalise the aging XC90 SUV and future crossovers on the way for the Swedish brand. The Concept XC -- like the Concept Coupe at Frankfurt -- is underpinned by Volvo's new scalable platform, which is also likely to spawn a smaller sibling further down the track.The Detroit show car echoes the Frankfurt one with sleek styling and a three-door fastback body. The cabin gets only four seats for the motor show version, but that number will grow by the time it hits the production line, expected to happen sometime after the real world vehicle gets a debut later this year at Paris motor show.The team led by chief designer Thomas Ingenlath says the concept was inspired by high-tech sports equipment and aimed to appeal to the active lifestyle but also for those still looking for Volvo's signature safety. The sporting accents show in cues like the orange accents on the  21-inch wheels and the matching front and rear skid plates -- neither of which are destined to survive the journey to production.However you can expect to see influences of the Concept's streamlined design appear in the XC90 and other Volvo SUVs, along with the raised ride height, vertical floating grille and muscular sills, although the T-shaped LED section dividing the headlight clusters, and the stylised extremes of Volvo's hook-curved tail-lights will likely be toned down.Expect the XC90 in production form to have a full arsenal of the latest Volvo safety tech, including pedestrian-detecting automatic braking and collision-avoiding 'convoy' system that lets you autonomously follow the car in front.The earlier Concept Coupe carried a hybrid drivetrain with a turbocharged and supercharged 1.4-litre engine working with an electric motor to produce a combined 300kW of power and 600Nm of torque. However while a hybrid is a possibility for the production XC90, the range will continue to offer more conventional engines such as the current  choices of a 179kW/320Nm 3.2-litre petrol unit -- although possibly downsized -- and a 147kW/420Nm 2.4-litre diesel.And the XC90 is just the first SUV planned to come off the platform, with the smaller XC60 also due for replacement in the next two years and Volvo indicating they'd like to add a little XC40 to enter the growing baby crossover field.

Nearly everything about the GT Stinger hints that Kia is on the way to adding the first sports car to its range. The concept car at Detroit may look like a radical departure for the brand, but the custom chassis and independent rear suspensin it rides on shows that this is more than just a skin-deep design indulgence.The sleek design with see-through A-pillars looks purposeful, and a sports-focused interior with huggy seats and flat-bottomed steering wheel echoes that attitude.We already know those pumped wheel-arches are filled with 20-inch alloys dressed with weight-shedding strengthening carbon-fibre inserts, 275/35R20 Pirelli P-Zero performance tyres and Brembo Gran Turismo two-piece cross-drilled rotors with four-piston calipers.We've also already had a look at its Ignition Yellow face with the Peter Schreyer-designed signature 'tiger mouth' morphed into a low-slung grille surrounded by a glowing bezel, and flanked by LED headlights.And Kia has also revealed under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder developing 235kW (33kW more than the 2.0-litre in the current Hyundai Genesis Coupe) but mated to a short-ratio six-speed automatic driving the rear wheels.However the brand has said there are no current plans to build a production version of  the GT Stinger, but hints strongly about a future possibility with the statement that it “has a history of delivering production vehicles that bear a strong resemblance to the concept that preceded them, and the GT4 Stinger provides a possible and highly provocative glimpse into Kia’s future. ”

Mercedes-Benz is moving the new C-Class closer to the top shelf, which will make even more breathing space for the very affordable CLA (which starts at $49,900) underneath the C's kick-off -- currently about $10,000 higher.So the new 2015 lighter and more powerful C-Class unveiled just a couple of hours ago ahead of the Detroit show doors opening tomorrow owes a lot to the S-Class flagship, including some styling cues and high-end technology that will take the fight to the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series and 4 Series.The fresh exterior makeover is matched in the cabin with hand-stitched leather upholstery, a 7-in touchscreen that can be optioned up to a massive 8.3-in with touchpad control, premium Burmester audio, a heads-up display option, and internet connectivity and apps. It will also be the first in its class to offer adaptive air suspension, with modes switchable from Comfort, ECO, Sport, and Sport+ via the Agility Select switch.The engine line-up starts with the base model C180's turbocharged 115kW/250Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol unit, with Mercedes claiming a 0-100km/h time of 8.2 seconds and fuel economy of 5.0L/100km. Moving up the scale, the C200 is powered by a 135kW/300Nm turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol with official 0-100km/h time of 7.5 seconds and 5.3L/100km economy.The C220 Bluetec carries a 125kW/400Nm 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel with an urea injection system to reduce emissions to the tighter coming EU6 standards, and claims a 0-100km time of 8.1 seconds and 4.0L/100km economy. The frugal focus is helped by all engines getting stop-start and brake energy recovery systems, and by the car having dropped up to 100kg in weight, depending on variant.Transmission choices for the launch models are a six-speed manual and seven-speed auto, with those gearboxes driving the rear wheels in the initial line-up. However an all-wheel drive will join them later in the year, as well as more engines: a petrol-electric hybrid at one end of the spectrum and a fire-breathing twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 for the AMG variant.And the C-Class is also getting a hold, as motor authority points out on the S-Class's mantle as the world's safety leader, with an arsenal of standard features including attention-monitoring, collision prevention that helps brake the car if it senses a bingle is imminent, and options including lane-keeping, active parking assist, extra brake helpers, a 360-degree camera and in some markets a system that can read traffic signs.We'll get the new C-Class in the later half of this year, and should have news on any price changes closer to the local launch. For more news on the Detroit show, head over to our dedicated mini-site.  

Bad boys, bad boys, wotcha gonna do?  Well, for a start, they're going to don some suave kit and help Jaguar sell the F-Type Coupe to the US as part of the brand's Super Bowl campaign. And the first teaser shows they've got some top-shelf baddies lined up as part of the 'British Villains' theme.First off the leash is screen and theatre legend Ben Kingsley -- with a shelf of Oscar, Grammy, BAFTA, Golden Globe and SAG awards, but most recently seen as the Mandarin in Iron Man 3.The Kingsley teaser is titled Rendesvous: The Set-Up, which suggests we could see a series of several pieces before we get to the Super Bowl in February. But its moody start gives little else away. "So they're coming ... all the usual suspects," Kingsley intones. "Oh -- and one new one. You'll be hearing from us." (Cue ominous laugh).The F-Type gets a quick cameo in the teaser as well, suggesting that we're going to see some blasting action in the finished piece. This promises to be one of those times when it's good to be bad.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott Watch the desktop version of the 2014 Jaguar Super Bowl teaser ad here.

Hamburg has launched a 'Green Network Plan' that will link -- and add to -- the 40 per cent of the city already designated as green areas and public spaces, eliminating the use of cars by its 8 million residents. Already classed as one of the world's most livable cities -- although it dropped from 10th in 2010 to 17th in 2012 -- Hamburg's large amount of parks, squares, gardens and other 'green' spaces will be integrated into a unique pedestrian and cycle network covering the entire city. "Other cities ... have green rings, but the Hamburg green network will be unique in covering an area from the outskirts to the city centre. In 15 to 20 years you’ll be able to explore the city exclusively on bike and foot," a spokeswoman for the city's department of urban planning and the environment told the Guardian. The green spaces in the city's seven municipalities will be networked, and more will be added to help absorb CO2, help moderate Hamburg's climate -- with the city having seen the average temperature rise 1.2ºC in the last 60 years. It will also be designed to help prevent flooding, which has become a growing threat with Hamburg’s sea level rising about 20cm over the 60 years and predicted to rise another 30cm by 2100, according to the Guardian report. And Hamburg is not just targeting car use within the city limits. The city spokeswoman said the increase in recreational activities in the planned 7000-hectare green network would make it unnecessary for people to head away for the weekends. "It will offer people opportunities to hike, swim, do water sports, enjoy picnics and restaurants, experience calm and watch nature and wildlife right in the city", she said. "That reduces the need to take the car for weekend outings outside the city." This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott