Concept

The Mini Beachcomber Concept made its debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show today and made a big impression. Featuring an all-wheel drive powertrain, the Beachcomber is a throwback to the original Mini Moke sans doors and roof.

Some of you may remember the Moke (based on the ancient dialect name "donkey") or may even have driven one while on vacation in the Caribbean, where these cars are used as beach buggies. That said, the original design was for a lightweight military vehicle, but somehow key essentials like ground clearance and appropriate tires were missing from the equation. It was therefore relegated to work duty as as cheap, utility vehicle with production beginning in 1964 and running through 1993.

A few weeks ago we brought news of the Aston Martin Cygnet concept. It has now been reported that these petite luxury commuters will only be available to current owners. The Cygnet is essentially a plush and upgraded version of the Toyota iQ and will use the same 1.33-liter engine good for 97 hp and 91 lb-ft of torque. Surprisingly, a top speed of 105 mph is attainable.

Aston Matin's head honcho, Ulrich Bez, has been quoted as saying, "This concept is akin to an exclusive tender for a luxury yacht." The company has decided to go this direction now that environmentally friendly city cars are top of mind.

Like many brands currently in automotive limbo, the future of Hummer is unclear. China's Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co. Ltd apparently has some big plans but nobody knows what those may be. Right now there is no pipeline and product development is non-existent.

What we do know is that Hummer's new owner wants to focus on environmentally-friendly vehicles with a smaller footprint than today's behemoths. As such, a Romanian designer named Andrus Ciprian has created some renderings of what a potential Tengzhong-produced SUV might look like. His Hummer HB Concept is a unique and engaging proposal for the future of the brand's lineup.

For the last couple of years, CAR magazine has challenged designers from major auto manufacturers to come up with designs that upgrade Santa's sleigh to the toy-delivery vehicle of tomorrow. In 2008, the likes of Bentley, Ford, Nissan and Rolls-Royce all delivered spectacular creations. This year Vauxhall, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Audi and Land Rover came through with some crazy cool concepts. 

Land Rover has created transportation for Kris Kringle that follows their brand aesthetic remarkably well. The particle accelerator propulsion system is a nice touch and we dig the optional CRS (Chimney Recognition Software) technology. But we're not sure how Santa is supposed to see over the big dome of the reindeer in front of him and it looks like every time the animal swivels its head, it would skewer ole Saint Nicholas, but these are just minor quibbles.

Last week, pictures emerged of the new Lamborghini Madura concept, a proposal for the upcoming hybrid model the company plans to release in 2016. Slavche Tanevsky, the creator of this concept, worked closely with designers at Lamborghini and Audi on this endevour. Now, he is introducing an even more aggressive concept that looks to elevate the current Reventon's design to the next level. Known as the Lamborghini Ankonian concept, this mid-engine supercar has a far out look that would make the Batmobile jealous.

The Lamborghini Ankonian design study consists of a slimmer body style with a mid-engine mount and sharp angles. Special OLEDs are embedded between surfaces to serve as headlights. The name for the Ankonian comes from a bull famous for its black hair. Even though Slavche Tanevsky is an independent designer, this is no simple pipe dream.  As with the Madura concept, he received factory support from the pros over at Lamborghini and Audi who added their finesse on the project to create a finished design that is both polished and stunning.

Nissan's V2G is taking home the coveted Design Challenge award at the 2009 LA Auto Show. Sporting a futuristic and funky style that has captured the imagination and excitement of the contest, the Nissan V2G looks a little like a high-end trike sporting some lobster claws, but what do I know. A panel of design professionals based the winning design on "originality of creative concept, integration of futuristic design elements and level of adaptation to the needs of the youth consumer in 2030." In any case, check out the full press release and image gallery after the jump.

Fighting forest fires is a ridiculously tough job, with extreme temperatures, rough terrain and vast expanses of land that must be covered. Designer Liam Ferguson has a vision of how to take on these challenges with a military-style truck-size ATV dubbed the AMATOYA. This highly capable reconnaissance and suppression vehicle functions as a light tanker with crew safety paramount. The AMATOYA is so cool that it would probably make applications for firefighters quadruple over night if ever put into action. Check out the details of this amazing concept in Liam's own words after the jump. The logic and planning involved is quite fascinating.

BMW Motorrad has just introduced their new C1-E electric scooter concept as what "a safe, environment-friendly and highly practical single track vehicle for city traffic could look like in the future." Some of you may remember the C1 scooter that was available in Europe between 2000 and 2003. Offered in two trims, the 125 (124cc) and 200 (176 cc), the original C1 purported to provide a standard of accident protection that was comparable to a European compact car, with a reinforced canopy. The party line was that this thing was so safe you didn't even need a helmet. The C1 was off to the races with sales over 10,000 in 2001. However, due to very poor sales the following year, production ceased in 2002 as market demand cooled.

The BMW C1-E Concept, like it's predecessor, features a fully-enclosed cabin with built-in rollover protection, a front-end impact zone, a four-point safety belt and a low center of gravity. In the years since the C1 was released, BMW Motorrad has advanced a host of electronic aids such as integrated ABS, Traction Control, Tire Pressure Control and Anti-Slip Control. BMW is even toying with the idea of "forward-looking rider assistance systems" that help with cross-traffic and traffic light guidance as well as warning alerts for road hazards, emergency vehicles, sudden braking or advancing bad weather.