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By Bertie Abarth
Well the waiting is over and Ikea have delivered to us the Leko or not, as the case may be...
Quicker than you could say flat-packed - off comes the dustcover to reveal - in a nutshell it is a car sharing scheme for Ikea customers.
We think it is a cute idea, so which shop would you most like to adopt a car-sharing scheme?
Well, while you ponder, here are a few more green features for you to enjoy...
Posted by Cameron Countach
Looking for a car that has decent performance capabilities but is also kind to the environment? The new Golf GTI’s sister car, the diesel-powered GTD, could be the ideal motor for you.
The GTD will have similar features to the new GTI, thanks to the same front-end design, badge style and honeycomb grille that will come on the sixth generation of the high-performance Golf.
And the performance capabilities aren’t bad either, with sporty diesel propelling you from 0-62mph in 8.1 seconds with a top speed of 136mph. OK, so it's hardly the stuff dreams are made of, but with a fuel economy of 53.3 mpg and the ability to cover a range of over 650 miles on just one tank of fuel, the GTD should go on to become one of the leading hot hatches on the market. And its CO2 emissions are as low as 139g/km, so you'll have the added bonus of saving some cash while doing your bit for the environment.
Following in the tyre tracks of the new GTI which launches on 22 May, the GTD will go on sale a month later on 22 June, with a starting price of around £22,000. UK customers will be able to place orders from the end of April.
It’s far from cheap - but if you’re looking for an economical hot hatch, we think you’ll be hard pushed to find one better than the new GTD.
Published by Cameron Countach
Andy Warhol's name isn't one you'd immediately associate with the world of motoring. But for those of you who weren't paying attention in art class, one of his favourite pieces of work was a BMW M1 he painted back in 1979. Who would have thought?
And the exciting news is that Warhol's BMW masterpiece has just gone on display at Grand Central Terminal in New York, alongside other BMWs painted by big names from the world of art, including the likes of Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg and Frank Stella.
All of the cars have been painted as part of the BMW Art Project, which has commissioned 16 art cars since it launched back in 1975. US artist Alexander Calder was the first in a long line of world-famous artists to have contributed to the project which continues today, with most recent effforts from the likes of David Hockney, Jenny Holzer and Olafur Eliasson.
If you're heading to New York in the next week, it's definitely worth checking out the show which is at Grand Central Terminal until April 6, and will continue to tour the world through to 2010.
And if you’re an art fan, we'd like to know which artists you'd like to see create the next BMW Art Car. Perhaps Banksy might want to get his hands on the new BMW Z4 Roadster, or Tracey Emin could be commissioned do a bizarre reinterpretation of the new 7 Series? Let us know your thoughts.
Posted by Cameron Countach
The big-wheeled Panarella PR5 concept car is a futuristic city car that its designer Davide Panarella believes we could see on the roads come 2020.
With just 11 years to go until that year arrives, we're pretty confident that this car, with wheels that would make those of the Big Foot car pale in comparison, won't ever be make it to the road (after all, where would you find a factory large enough to house its production?), but that doesn't stop it from being an intriguing concept that wouldn't look out of place in the latest sci-fi movie from Steven Spielberg.
In line with the belief that most cars of the future will be powered by environmentally friendly energy sources, the Panarella will run off electricity, powered by two electric motors which can be found at the base of the car's rear wheels. The car is also the latest in a long line of cars we’ve featured that are based on insects - this time with its protective, cocoon shaped chassis. And, despite the massive wheels, and a body size that implies it could house a whole family, the Panarella will only be able to accommodate two passengers.
We give the Panarella PR5 a thumbs-up for its original, futuristic design, but in our opinion it’s a well-designed fantasy car at the very best.
Check out more images of the Panarella PR5 >>
Source: diseno-art.com
Posted by Cameron Countach
Tesla has reaffirmed why many consider it to be the world’s leading green sports car marque by unveiling the stunning, seven-seater Model S.
But it’s not just the sexy sedan’s good looks we’re getting excited about. It’s the car’s capability of covering a range of 300 miles on one charge alone that we think is worth celebrating. That’s the kind of statistic that should even impress the legend that is Jeremy Clarkson, a man who notably criticised the Roadster on Top Gear towards the end of last year. There will certainly be no room for criticism from JC if the Model S delivers that kind of performance when it finally hits the road in 2011.
It should be noted that we’re not entirely sure how it’s going to accommodate seven passengers (five adults, two children) because it looks like it could only house five at the very most. But we won’t let that spoil what is a gorgeous car to look at, and one which you can (partially) charge in a mere 45 minutes. That’s simply mind-blowing in the green car world.
Posted by Cameron Countach
Summer may still seem a long way off, but aside from the warm weather and trips to the beach, if there’s one other thing we're looking forward to it has to be the launch of the drop-top Fiat 500 C.
And that prospect has just got even better, with Fiat announcing über-cheap prices for the convertible 500, starting at just £11,300 for the 1.2-litre Pop version, with the most expensive 1.3-litre MJet Lounge still coming in at a price of just £14,100.
We'd love to say that being able to get your hands on a soft-top version of the coolest supermini on the road for just 11 grand is Fiat's response to the recession, but the 500 is already selling for less than £10,000, and for another grand we think your money would be well spent on the convertible version of this classic Italian car.
Though we've seen a great deal of the Fiat 500 over the past couple of years, this drop-top version was still one of the highlights of the recent Geneva Motor Show, with its homage to the classic 500. The canvas roof that folds backwards (reminiscent of the Cinquecento of the ‘50s) is certainly a classy way to combat the dilemma of turning the 500 into a drop-top without losing the car’s distinctive looks and style which have made it so popular around the world.
Similar to other versions of the 500, the convertible version will have low emissions thanks to its impressive Euro 5 range of engines.
“The sophisticated new 500 C is a faithful yet thoroughly modern take on the rich heritage of our sought-after 500, which highlights its strong, attractive personality,” says Elena Bernardelli, marketing director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK. “It is a car for people who want to express themselves and demonstrate their own personality. I am sure 500 C will make a host of enthusiastic new friends!”
The best news of all is that the UK will be the first country to take delivery of the Fiat 500 C (yes, even ahead of Italy) in recognition of our apparent obsession with convertibles. We find that suggestion a bit dubious, given that the weather in the UK is actually quite awful, but if it gifts us the 500 C before anyone else, we're certainly not going to argue.
Posted by Cameron Countach
If ever a car could be accused of having the Marmite Effect, it’s the Porsche Cayenne. Some love it, and some just plain hate it – but we defy you to tell us the Cayenne GTS Porsche Design Edition 3, just unveiled by Porsche, isn't one sexy SUV.
Launched as part of the company's plan to expand the Cayenne range, only 1,000 units of the Design Edition 3 will be made, and we can see it selling very quickly. All we can say is, if KITT from Knight Rider were to be remade as an SUV, Knight Industries would choose the Design Edition 3.
We're already in love with the "lava grey” metallic paintwork which is claimed, along with the stripes and the alloy wheels, to emphasise how sporty it is.
The Porsche SUV’s performance capabilities are also impressive, with its 4.8-litre V8 engine pushing out 405bhp, and the car capable of a top speed of 156 mph and a 0-62mph of 6.5 seconds. In short, the Design Edition 3 is certainly no slouch of an SUV.
If you've got plenty of cash to splash around, and you want to get your hands on this smoking-hot Porsche (priced at £64,753), the Design Edition 3 will be available to order from May. And you can also look forward to getting hold of a lovely Porsche Design-themed watch and some branded luggage to go with it. If that kind of thing floats your boat.
Posted by Cameron Countach
While researching for our latest article, some news stories we come across require a moment to let the information sink in.
The latest story to have this impact is that of the Ikea Leko Concept car. Yes, that's right. The world's leading flat-pack furniture store is potentially going to add a car to its incredibly long line of products.
Very little is known about the Leko Concept right now, but the company has released a video along with a launch date of 31 March (so it can’t be an April Fool’s Day prank… can it?).
The car is claimed to be able to operate as either a convertible or a coupé, and should be kind to the Earth.
The last time we heard something this ridiculous was when news broke about the thousands of people who visited a “computer tanning” website after seeing it promoted on the London Underground. So we're remaining cynical as to whether this is real, or just a big wind-up from the Swedish furniture giant. But at this moment in time, it seems like the Leko is going to become a reality.
What’s more, the cute, friendly panda in the bottom right-hand corner of the image means the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has something to do with the whole affair. Because, after all, animals and cars famously go well together (the term “road kill” springs to mind). What would the RSPCA think?
One thing’s for sure, if this gets the go-ahead, our trips to Ikea in Croydon will never be the same again.
Sadly, we don't have any pictures to show you of what the Leko Concept might look like, but to fuel the imagination, we’ve put together a lovely gallery of (admittedly non-flat-packed) some equally weird cars so you can dream of how it might turn out.
See some of the weirdest cars out there >>
Sources: Jalopnik, Autocar
Posted by Cameron Countach
Mazda has unveiled a 15-strong line-up for its all new Mazda3, which goes on sale in the UK in May.
We won't bore you to death by going over the vital stats for each car in the range – we'd be here all day – but we can tell you that the hatchback and saloon bodystyles will look more powerful and dynamic than the previous generation.
As a rival to one of the UK's best-selling cars, the Ford Focus, from the images we've seen so far – including those of its debut at the recent Geneva Motor Show – we think Mazda has done a pretty impressive job with the new generation Mazda3.
“The all-new Mazda3 is going to be even more popular than its best-selling predecessor,” says Mark Cameron, sales & marketing director of Mazda Motors UK.
“The new Mazda3 brings the sophistication, style, technology and refinement of the new Mazda6 to the compact family car market. The new model is improved visually, technically and in terms of comfort, with even more generous specification at each equipment level and safety-boosting DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) fitted as standard on every model, while continuing to deliver excellent value for money.”
The good news for those of you who are looking to save money on your next car (and who isn't right now?) is that the talented engineers at Mazda have brought C02 emissions from all models in the range down to below the 160g/km tax threshold, which saves you a bit of money while you're doing your bit for the environment. You'll also get more miles for your money, with the combined cycle, consumption by manual transmission and petrol models ranging between 41.5 and 44.8mpg, while the diesel engines deliver 50.4 to 62.8mpg.
When the range launches in May, prospective owners will be able to choose from a range of nine colours, including a rather fab-sounding “aluminium silver metallic” colour which "contains aluminium particles that diffuse light and cause diverse kinds of reflections and shadow". Very cool.
No prices have been announced yet, but you can familiarise yourselves with the next generation of the Mazda3 by checking out our gallery below.
Posted by Cameron Countach
Having overcome more hurdles than those encountered by Barack Obama in the first few months of his presidency, the world's cheapest car has finally launched in Mumbai.
The Nano will go on display at Tata dealerships across India from the first week of April. First orders for the car, which should cost around £1,300, will be taken from 9-25 April 2009.
The story of the Tata Nano has been one of the most dramatic to come out of the motoring industry in recent times. Most people would have expected getting the world's cheapest car onto the road to be hassle-free, especially with the goodwill that has been shown by the motoring press.
Yet since the Nano’s first unveiling in January 2008 at the Auto Expo in New Delhi, Tata has faced numerous hurdles, including land disputes which resulted in having to move the location of the production factory. So as fans of this great little car, its launch in Mumbai brings a great deal of relief to us at the Orange Cars channel.
Speaking at the launch of the Nano, Tata chairman and multi-billionaire Ratan Tata said: “The Nano represents the spirit of breaking conventional barriers. From the drawing board to its commercial launch, the car has overcome several challenges. It is to the credit of the team at Tata Motors that a car once thought impossible by the world is now a reality.
“I hope it will provide safe, affordable, four-wheel transportation to families who till now have not been able to own a car. We are delighted in presenting the Tata Nano to India and the world.”
This good news comes hot on the heels of the recent announcement at the Geneva Motor Show that the Nano will be coming to Europe in 2011, but whether it will be as cheap as the Nano being sold in India is not yet known. In our opinion that's a fair old time to wait, and with it being so cheap, it might be worth seeing how much it costs to export. Just an idea...
There are said to be further issues that Tata could come up against, with The Times reporting that some Nano lovers could face a three-year wait to get their hands on one. This is due to the overwhelming demand for a car of which only 50,000 units will be made during 2009.
Such a small production run doesn't exactly make it the "people’s car" Tata claims it to be, but for now we're just glad it’s finally out there.
If you're not already familiar with the Tata Nano, you can check out pictures here >>
