Vespa x Fred Perry 100th Anniversary Scooter
To celebrate their 100th anniversary, quintessential brand Fred Perry teams up with the fourth largest producer of scooters and motorcycles in the world, Piaggio, to create a limited edition Vespa scooter. Limited to only 100 pieces, the scooter features iconic Fred Perry branding throughout, including the world famous logo and the tipping stripes, and will only be available in the U.K., the U.S., France, and Japan from August.
See more of the Vespa x Fred Perry scooter after the jump.
Fiat 500C by Diesel
At the Cinema Against AIDS Gala, the American Foundation for AIDS Research look to raise funding by hosting a charity event where several exclusive and luxury items will be up for auction. The seventeenth annual event will be held later this month at the Cannes Film Festival and host a slew of celebrities. One of the items up for bidding will be Fiat’s latest 500C model designed with the team at Diesel (of Diesel Denim fame).
This exclusive edition houses Fiat’s 100-horsepower 1.4-liter engine. The exterior features a special green metallic paint job and a retro folding fabric roof. Diesel logos are adorned inside and out of the vehicle. The most interesting feature would have to be the denim interior trim.
Continue to the jump to view the photo gallery.
The Veritas RS III
German company Vermot AG has released the first example of their Veritas RS III model, an open cockpit supercar that pays homage to 1940’s BMW racing. The aim of the Veritas was to provide the truest, least diluted driving experience possible. To do so, the designers kept weight to a minimum through the use of carbon fiber and Kevlar body panels and accommodations for the driver only. Power comes from a choice of two BMW M-sourced powertrains- either a 480 horsepower V8 or a 600 horsepower V10. The relatively low curb weight paired with the powerful, high-revving engines makes for impressive performance numbers: 60 mph comes in three seconds flat and top speed breaches the 200 mph mark. The Veritas is expected to retail for about $375,000, with only 50 cars planned for production. Keep an eye out for its official debut on July 22nd at this year’s London Salon Prive.
See more of the Veritas after the jump.
Nissan Qazana Concept
Following the success of the Nissan Qashqai concept that was shown at the Geneva motor show in 2004, the company’s central London design studio has been busy penning a smaller sibling, the Qazana, intended as a teaser of how a future production vehicle will look.
The curvaceous exterior draws its inspiration from beach buggys and mixes this with various nods to the design language and features of other Nissan products; boomerang taillights that are an evolution of those found on the 370Z, a side-window line that rises as it reaches the c-pillar like the production Qashqai and US-market Rogue and a practically full-width front grille that similar to that found on the Murano. The outsize wheelarches are also a nod to other Nissan SUVs and, together with the car’s high waistline, belie its relatively small dimensions (the Qazana being only slightly larger than the European Nissan Micra). The overall impression then, is of a compact yet tough vehicle.
Inside, the sporty character of the car is clearly present. The centre tunnel in particular draws its inspiration strongly from the forms of motorbike fuel tanks and the interplay of hard and soft materials lends a semi stripped-down feel that is balanced by the sweeping curves of the door panels, seats and dashboard.
Standing out from a sea of show cars that mostly failed to accurately gauge the mood of the times when it was unveiled earlier this year in Geneva, the big test for Nissan now is whether they can keep from watering down the unique character of this car as they ready it for production.
See more images of the Nissan Qazana concept after the jump.
Honda Hawk NT650 (1988-1991)
As naked bikes evolved from the cafe racers of the 1960s and 70s, the Honda Hawk came into existence. Hailed as the first production naked (meaning it lacks the fairings of a modern sportbike) motorcycle, the Hawk has since become a cult collector’s item. Honda design chief Toshiaki Kishi was credited with the beautiful aluminum frame, which has been copied decades after on countless other bikes. With a 4-cylinder, 650cc engine, the Hawk wasn’t going to outrun any of the sportbikes of the day, but it looked beautiful getting there. Naked bikes of today have certainly evolved past the NT650 from a technological standpoint, but it’s impossible to argue with the simple design and unique aesthetic of the Honda. A slow seller in its day, there are still a few well kept, unmodified examples out there fetching well over their original price as the demand for the bike has skyrocketed in the last decade.
Volkswagen Concept T from Detroit Motor Show in 2004
First shown at The Detroit motor show in 2004, the Concept T was designed in Volkswagen’s California design studio and is a crossover vehicle mixing elements of sports car, beach buggy and off-roader. Part of a long line of sporty off-road show cars, the Concept T distinguishes itself through stylish detailing and an avant-garde interior.
The body is a mix of sensuous, muscular surfacing and technical componentry, matching a strong rear fender and coupe-like volume with innovative, some might say quirky, features (the stainless steel tailpipes are located inboard of the rear lights, to improve the ramp angle at the back of the car for when you are hitting the big dunes). This latter feature also neatly echoes the tail lights of the mark five Volkswagen Golf, keeping the whole thing in the family, even if it is a lot wilder than its production stablemate, the Touareg.
More after the jump.
Elmoto E-Bike by Thomas Hentges
The Elmoto E-Bike is a battery-powered bike aimed at urban dwellers seeking alternative transportation options. The E-bike blurs the distinction between bicycle and motorcycle by incorporating an electric motor, suspension, lights, and gauges into a package that uses a bicycle frame and wheels and tires. Designed by Thomas Hentges, it has a 45 mile range with a top speed of 45 km/hr. On average, it takes about 70 cents to fill, which might prove impressive enough to make it a viable transportation option. Additionally, the E-Bike would likely have a lower initial cost than electric or hybrid automobiles that consumers might consider otherwise.
See more images of the E-Bike after the jump.
GTA Spano
After five years of R&D, GTA Motor of Spain has introduced their Lambo-bashing supercar, dubbed the Spano. This is such a complete supercar, it’s tough to pinpoint what we like most about it: possibly the outrageous Viper-sourced 780hp 8.3-liter V10, or maybe the carbon fibre, Kevlar, and titanium chassis? The Spano is a visual tour-de-force, boasting an aerodynamic body that is both funtional and visually stimulating. Frankly, it’s impossible not to like, and with only 99 slated for production, the exclusivity of such a vehicle is bound to draw the price even higher than the $670,000 quoted by GTA.
See more of the GTA Spano after the jump.
Ocean Emerald Yacht by Norman Foster
Renowned architect, Norman Foster, designed the stunning Ocean Emerald which is the first in a series of four identical super yachts being built for the YachtPlus fractional ownership program.
Foster is best known for landmarks such as London’s Gherkin and the Millennium bridge across the Thames, but this is not his first venture into yacht design. It was in 1991 when he created the 55 meter Ronin which showcased an atypical design but was a monumental achievement nonetheless.
The most apparent feature on his latest work is the dramatic grey superstructure that arches the entire length of the vessel. The yacht has extra deck space at 2,495 square feet being devoted to outside space and a further 2,790 square feet available for guest and crew accommodation.
The large main salon benefits from huge windows providing ample light. Décor throughout all of the cabins is modern but neutral to accommodate the differing tastes of up to 16 different owners. There is a centrally located spiral staircase, which traverses all three decks allowing light to flood the lower deck from the skylight above. At night the internally illuminated steps of the staircase will give the same dramatic effect.
See the rest of the yacht after the jump.
SE Service Harrier
SE Service brings us the Harrier, the first in a new line of so-called modern customs. It reminds us of a more raw version of Confederate’s current trio of bikes in that it focuses more on engineering quality and minimal comfort features. This BMW-powered Swede has an advanced braking system that channels switchable ABS through its enormous 6-piston calibers. It took second place at the European Championship of Customer Bike Building. Our only question is: with a bike this striking, who took first?
Check out a video of the Harrier’s construction after the jump.
