VIVA Bikes
Danish bicycle brand VIVA pedals over twenty years into twelve distinct and dashing models of cycles. The sportier racing models are recipients of industry awards, but it’s the luxury item aesthetic of VIVA’s Kilo, Papa, and Velo designs that really impress. With their handle grips and seats of fine leather and their all-over vanilla or caviar colored palettes, they’re the ideal, Euro-chic treat for the high style-minded cycler.
Continue reading to see more of the different models VIVA offers.
1965 Dodge Deora Concept
On September 26th, a 1965 Dodge Deora concept will cross the auction block during the Icons of Speed and Style auction at the Petersen Automotive Museum. The one-off pickup was built by revered hot rodders Mike and Larry Alexander, and is widely recognized by enthusiasts. The Deora won the coveted Ridler award at the 1967 Detroit Autorama and was immortalized shortly thereafter as one of the original 16 Hot Wheels cars. Originally based on the utilitarian Dodge A100, the Deora utilizes avant-garde bodywork and a forward opening windshield to aid ingress and egress. Restored to original show specs ten years ago, the Deora concept is expected to fetch between $350,000 and $550,000 at auction.
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Aston Martin Vantage Hellvellyn
All along, we thought that Aston’s V8 Vantage was a terrific car. It seems, however, that Canadian tuners MW Design + Technik thought it needed some improvements. Their design, dubbed the Hellvellyn Frost, was tweaked both inside and out to create a very unique car that just might best the original. Their Vantage was redone with a carbon fiber body kit, with the bold front and rear fascias demanding the most attention. The black 20-inch Modulare wheels are simply breathtaking when set against the alpine white paint, and the white Brembo calipers look terrific set behind them. The Vantage’s power output is boosted by a reworked exhaust and engine management system compliments of Racing Sports Concepts; this seemingly obvious combination produces huge horsepower gains and bumps the output to 445bhp from its stock 380bhp.
More images after the jump.
2011 McLaren MP4-12C
It was a daunting task for McLaren to meet or exceed expcetations when designing the sucessor to one of the greatest cars of this era, the F1. Their newest supercar, the MP4-12C (which cannot be abbreviated any further, trust us), promises to “re-write the rules of sports car design through Formula 1-inspired engineering, revolutionary chassis architecture, and absolute focus on efficiency.” Inspired engineering has led to the development of the midmounted bespoke V8 engine that will produce 600bhp from 3.8 twin-turbocharged liters. A pre-cog trasmission function helps prime the gearbox for an impending shift, leading to shift times to rival F1 cars. The chassis architecture that they speak of comes in the form of a 176lb one-piece chassis, a racing-derived piece dubbed the Carbon MonoCell. From an aesthetic standpoint, the MP4-12C doesn’t get too risky; it seems to borrow a little from other supercars such as the Saleen S7, Ferrari F430, and McLaren’s own F1. Expect the MP4-12C to debut in 2011, with its sights set against the Ferrari 458 and Lamborghini Gallardo.
Continue reading for more images of the 2011 McLaren MP4-12C
Royal Falcon Fleet 135 by Porsche Design
The world of superyachts is one in which a wide variety of designers and studios are dipping their toes, drawn not only by the big money but also the larger-than-life design statements that can be made with this scale of craft.
Porsche Design Studio is the latest to join the likes of Norman Foster and Philippe Starck on the ocean waves with this 135-foot catamaran designed for Singapore-based yacht builder, Royal Falcon Fleet. The Austrian design studio didn’t let the lack of salt water near their alpine studio dull their creativity and looked skywards for inspiration. The studio said the brief from customer Royal falcon Fleet was to create a “Spacecraft on the water” and the dramatic teardrop superstructure certainly lives up to that description, even if it lacks some of the subtlety that one might previously have associated with Porsche Design products.
The 135-foot long catamaran has a beam of 41 feet which translates into an impressive 680 square metres of floor space spread over three decks, enough for ten guests and a crew of ten. All of this is moved around at an impressive 35knots (about 40mph) by twin V16 turbodiesel engines which each produce 4,600 horsepower. The first yacht will be launched at the end of 2010 and is currently being built in Sweden.
More images of the Royal Falcon Fleet 135 after the jump.
The Unveiling of the Mercedes SLS AMG
SwipeLife was in attendance for the unveiling of Mercedes‘ latest supercar, the SLS AMG, at the Frankfurt Auto Show earlier this morning. Introduced by Dr. Dieter Zetsche himself, the SLS was presented as the future of the company, a demonstration of “automotive fascination and high-tech of the highest order.” According to Dr. Zetsche, the SLS is a “dream car that captures the imagination…that shows perfectly how dynamic a Mercedes Benz can be.” The Gullwing boasts a brand new AMG-sourced engine (6.3 liter V8; 571bhp and 650Nm of torque) and a revolutionary aluminum space frame that attest to the German marque’s steadfast commitment to consistent lightweight design and a pure driving experience. In keeping with the eco-conscious theme of the show, Mercedes boasted of its own leadership and initiative in producing green vehicles, and stated plans to develop a purely electric SLS AMG by 2013.
More images from the unveiling of the Merceds SLS AMG at the Frankfurt Auto Show after the jump.
Also be on the look out for more of our coverage from the Frankfurt Auto Show.
2010 Honda Shadow Phantom
Harley? What Harley? Honda’s newest cruiser, the Shadow Phantom, tries its best to be both badass and affordable, and succeeds admirably. Honda has essentially taken the Spirit and made it meaner; the front fender is chopped and is flanked by larger, matte-finished forks that do a great job of showing off the oversized tires. Black covers on the air filter air primary look great, and spoked wheels with black rims continue the theme, but the highlight of the Phantom is undoubtedly the blacked-out V-Twin engine that features a switch from carbureted induction to electronic fuel injection. The Phantom should hit dealerships this fall, and costs a paltry $7,999. If you want it in any other color, this might not be the bike for you.
Maserati A6G/54 Zagato Coupe Special
The Maserati A6 and its variants represents one of the last vehicles that the Maserati brothers had a hand in producing before ceding control of the prestigious company over to Adolfo Orsi. The Pininfarina-styled berlinettas were initially unsuccessful, not for the coachwork but rather for the feeble 65bhp engine. Orsi finally got it right the third time around, and with help from Zagato (among others) and Maserati’s own monoposto race cars, matched a 150bhp, twin-cam engine to a lightweight, stylish body. The design proved successful, and production reached its peak at this time. The example here is a 1956 Zagato-bodied A6G, number 2155. After being turned in for routine maintenance in 1957, Gianni Zagato himself crashed the vehicle and most of the body panels were destroyed. It was rebuilt to the specifications of the Trident’s newest production vehicle, the 3500, and stayed that way for years. Only recently did it return to its original form, and with the help of Orsi’s son, everything was done as historically accurate as possible. As all Maseratis at the time were built custom to the buyer’s specifications, number 2155 remains one of only two Zagato-bodied cars with their trademark double bubble roof.
See more images of the Maserati A6G/54 Zagato Coupe Special after the jump.
2011 Citroen DS3
Citroen plans to debut its new DS3 at the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show. The DS, for Different Spirit, marks the Parisian company’s first noteworthy foray into the luxury compact segment. With its sights set on the best-selling Mini Cooper and competitive Volvo C30, the DS3 is defined by its unique look and innumerable customizable options. At first glance, one cannot help but notice the color-contrasted roof and shark-fin B-pillars; LED lighting frames the grille of the car and is a nice touch as well. A total of five powerplants will be offered (2 diesel, in addition to 3 BMW-engineered petrol engines) as well as a bevy of techstuff. The DS3 seems to be a different spirit, indeed, and it looks like the engineers in France put a lot of work into this project. By getting away from the mass-produced people-movers and relatively generic executive sedans, Citroen has reminded us that they were responsible for the original DS, which shocked the auto industry with its revolutionary design in 1955 and was immediately heralded for its design. While the DS3 isn’t going to start a revolution, it’s certainly a step in the right direction.
More images of the 2011 Citroen DS3 after the jump.
BMW Land Yacht
It may not be on the streets anytime soon, but the BMW Land Yacht, from designer Stefan Radev, is absolutely on our desktop wallpaper. Continuing on BMW’s string of amazing looking concept releases the Land Yacht, with a windpowered steering sail and seating for one, looks like the type of land-rocket usually reserved for the Bonneville Salt Flats.
More images after the jump.
