The world’s largest simulator

Tired of playing Racing simulators on your PC or Xbox? This thing is just for you  Toyota has build the world’s largest driving simulator located at Toyota’s Higashifuji Technical Centre in Japan. This driving simulator puts a real vehicle inside a virtual-reality dome which serves as a giant 360-degree video screen. As virtual driving begins, the dome, which sits upon an elevated platform, tilts and vibrates while the platform glides across an area of four tennis courts.

As a result, the driving simulator provides realistic driving sensations like a sense of speed, deceleration and turns and other driving maneuvers. The purpose of such a simulator is to provides one of the world’s most-realistic simulated driving environments, allowing driving habits and reactions to be accurately gauged. It will mainly be used to analyze driving characteristics under such conditions as falling asleep at the wheel and drowsiness, glancing from side to side and not checking that the road is safe, fatigue or illness, as well as developing active safety technology for effectively reducing the number of accidents.

The wonderful single seater car

 A new car  to be released by volkswagen onto the Shanghai’s market in 2010.

It looks cool for a single seater car but  its price is US$600 only! The car will debut this year in the shanghai market and critics are having high hopes with the release of this single seater vehicle due to its low price and the fuel affordability.

Car the future

Guy Negre is a former Formula One motor racingengineer who has turned his attention to buildingclean cars. The Frenchman is the father of the Air Car, a car that runs on compressed air and could revolutionize the auto industry.

If a car that runs on air sounds like a pipe dream that could never reach mass production, think again. In India, Tata Motors has already signed an agreement to begin building the cars, and pre-production begins in 2008. In the U.S., Zero Pollution Motors has an agreement to build theAir Car. ZPM started taking orders in 2008 for delivery of cars in 2010. According to the ZPM website, the US version of the car will have a maximum speed of 96 mph, a range of 848 miles, and get the equivalent of 106 mpg. Zero Pollution Motors currently estimates the car will sell for $17,800.

Top fastest cars

SSC Ultimate Aero:

257 mph, 0-60 in 2.7 secs. Twin-Turbo V8 Engine with 1183 hp, base price is $654,400. Tested in March 2007 by Guinness world records, SSC Ultimate Aero was the world fastest car. For 2009 SSC decided to upgrade the the ultra-rare supercar’s twin-turbo V8 from 1183 hp to 1287. This kind of power also has SSC setting the bar for a new world record: 270 mph.

 Porsche Carrera GT:

Green concept cars

 Volvo 3CC

• rocket-shaped aerodynamics of a two-seat sports car but has seat for three

• can accommodate the full range of power systems
• fuels may be traditional gasoline or alternative fuels such as ethanol or hybrid and all electric.
• Three thousand lithium-ion batteries
• 105 horsepower.

Amazing bus advertising

Few cool buses painted with various ads are very interesting. More, advertising is everywhere… why not on buses too? From seafood and Pepsi ads to anti-smoking and driving campaigns, all can find their place on a bus – a bus that takes us to school, to work, to a park. etc and in most cases we don't even notice the way it looks. But a bus like the ones in these funny or weird pictures are hard to miss.

Wonderful Moller Skycar

Traffic jams -  a thing of the past?  Not a dream anymore…

In 1940, Henry Ford, Chairman, Ford Motor Company said: “Mark my word: A combination airplane and motorcar is coming. You may smile. But it will come…” And now it’s here, as he predicted… the ideal car…not yet for sale, but soon. It’s not a Star Trek gadget, it’s the new Moller Skycar, M400. The Moller Skycar is the most dreamed “flying car”, a prototype for a personal vertical take-off and landing aircraft of Paul Moller, who has been attempting to develop such vehicles for many years. The M400, which seems to be still under development, is intended to provide four seats and is known as a  car since it is aimed to become one of the most popular means of transport for anyone who can drive. It is a real wonder as no pilot knowledge is required ( this smart car will have automated flight controls incorporated) – the driver must only input direction and speed. The price for the first Moller Skycars is expected to be close to USD $1 million, but it will finally drop to one of a quality car, as it will have incorporated inexpensive Wankel rotary engines.

Beautiful Dekotora Trucks

…. also known as Decoration Trucks or Art Trucks. Widely spread in Japan, these trucks are usually impressively decorated, on the outside as well on the inside, with all kinds of neons or ultraviolet lights, extravagant paint jobs, and shiny stainless or golden exterior parts. These aren’t your typical truck accessories for sure. They ask not only a lot of time and work, but probably a lot of money also…

How to survive

This is a list of the most important things to remember if you are shipwrecked. The list comes from Yan Martel’s prize-winning novel, Life of Pi.

1. Always read instructions carefully

2. Do not drink urine. Or sea water. Or bird blood

3. Do not eat jellyfish. Or fish that have spikes. Or fish that have parrot like beaks. Or that puff up like balloons.

4. Pressing the eyes of fish will paralyse them

5. The body can be heroic in battle; if a castaway is injured, beware of well-meaning, but ill-founded, medical treatment. Ignorance is the worst doctor, while rest and sleep are the best nurses.

6. Put your feet up at least 5 minutes every hour

7. Unnecessary exertion should be avoided. But an idle mind tends to sing, so the mind should be kept occupied with whatever light distraction may suggest itself. Playing card games, twenty questions and I spy are excellent distractions.

8. Green water is shallower than blue water

9. Beware of far-off clouds that look like mountains. Look for green. Ultimately, a foot is the only good judge of land.

10. Do not go swimming. It wastes energy. Besides, a survival craft may drift faster than you can swim. Not to mention the danger of sea life. If you are hot, wet your clothes instead.

11. Do not urinate in your clothes. The momentary warmth is not worth the nappy rash.

12. Shelter yourself. Exposure can kill faster than thirst or hunger.

13. As long as no excessive water is lost through perspiration, the body can survive up to 14 days without water. If you are thirsty, suck a button.

14. Turtles are an easy catch and make for excellent meals. Their blood is a good, nutritious, salt-free drink; their flesh is tasty and filling; their fat has many uses; and the castaway will find turtle eggs a real treat. Mind the beak and the claws.

15. Don’t let your morale flag. Be daunted but not defeated. Remember: the spirit, above all else, counts. If you have the will to live, you will. Good luck!

Weird electric car Eliica

It is one of the most elegant concept cars I've seen. Designed by a team at Keio University in Tokyo, led by Professor Hiroshi Shimizu, the car appeared a few years ago and caught everyone's attention. Powered by a Lithium-Ion battery, Eliica is not only one of the most interesting prototypes in the world, but also the fastest electric Sedan. The body of the four door car has a futuristic, bullet shape design which was tested in a wind tunnel. The front doors open forward and the rear doors open upward like wings. The car's platform contains 4 tracks of 80 batteries, which make for one third of the vehicle's cost. They currently require about 10 hours of recharging from empty to full charge, and can be easily charged off of a residential power grid. "We are talking about something like watches — a machine combining motors and batteries. As its price can fall quickly in the future, we think it's important to establish a superb brand image first," Hiroichi Yoshida told AFP.

Airlines in crisis

  American Airlines Flight 96

Detroit, June 12, 1972

Air crew: Captain Bryce McCormick and First Officer Peter Whitney

This DC-10 suffered explosive decompression when a cargo hatch blew out. Rapid decompression crumpled part of the cabin, damaged hydraulic controls, cut controls to the top engine and caused the rudder to stick at far right. Despite the severe damage to the aircraft, the pilots landed her safely with no loss of life. The cause of the accident was a faulty locking mechanism on the cargo bay door.

Most Useful Citymobil

Cars and buses without drivers? Can be the traffic more efficient in this way? 
Probably the answer will be given by Citymobil, the European project that caught my attention. The €40 million project involves 28 partners in 10 countries, and three trial sites have already been selected – London's Heathrow airport, the new exhibition center in Rome and the town of Castellón in eastern Spain.

The coordinators consider that the main responsible for traffic jams is the driver. Therefore a car without driver won't generate this kind of problems.

"The overall objective of this project is to achieve a more effective organisation of urban transport, resulting in a more rational use of motorised traffic with less congestion and pollution, safer driving, a higher quality of living and an enhanced integration with spatial development. This objective is brought closer by developing integrated traffic solutions: advanced concepts for innovative autonomous and automated road vehicles for passengers and goods, embedded in an advanced spatial setting. The city of tomorrow is in need of integrated traffic solutions that provide the required
mobility in an efficient, safe and economic manner."

Weird Beetle car

Volkswagen Beetle – pieces of history

1938 – “Car of the force by means of joy” by Ferdinand Porsche. Cars are no more a priviledge of the rich people, the economy Käfer is ready for the masses. Keywords? Best speed, consumption and price…

1939 – Car “which could swim“  With the beginning of the second world war, the small, cute Beetle was adapted to the new situation.

1945 – The war was over. Seriously damaged during this awful time, only a third part of the car factory in Wolfsburg stood up.

1953 – After Porsche’s death -  “Volkswagen of Brasil” and the “Volkswagen of America” were built, followed in 1964 and 1966 by another two overseas branches the “Volkswagen de Mexico” and the factory of South Africa.

1974 – Sales began to decrease and Beetle production was moved from Wolfsburg to Emden in order to make place to the new Volkswagen car: the Golf.

1978 – European production definitively stopped. The cute Type 1 Beetle continued being built only in Mexico

2010 – Even if the production in Mexico has been stopped also (last Type 1 were produced in 2003), over  21 million  wonderful Volkswagen Bettle models built cover the roads of Earth.

It was great to find all this information and put it together because I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS TIMELESS CAR!!!

Concept cars and designs

Everyone loves fancy cars and so do we. I guess most of us dream of owning a car like the one we see in Bond movies but only few live long enough to experience them.

Well, today we have compiled a list of the most fancy and luxurious cars concepts and designs modeled by some of the top automobile companies such as Audi, Mazda, Peugeot, Toyota etc.

Take a look and let us know the one you fancy the most.

 Peugeot e-Motion

Peugeot e-Motion is an electric-powered sportscar with a design characterized by the combination of concave and convex surfaces. The dynamic look is enhanced in the sideview by a sharp crease line which flows from the headlights, into the doors and continues with the rear lights.

Beautiful Caravan-Shaped Hedge

Possibly sculpted by Edward Scissorhands (or possibly not, but if anyone knows who did sculpt it we’d like to know). You might be able to guess from looking at it, but unless you’re a bird or an insect, this caravan is not much use as living quarters!

Weird earth caravan

What do you do when you’re a super-rich member of a Royal Family in the United Arab Emirates? In the case of Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, you build crazy but cool things. Not only does he own the world’s largest custom built Jeep and has his name dug into the sand of his own island so big it’s viewable from space, but he had this caravan constructed in the shape of a globe, exactly one millionth smaller than the actual planet. It consists of 8 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms and 4 store areas.

Classic american cars

1966 Oldsmobile 442. Technically, pre-1968 Olds 442s weren’t an actual model, but rather “442″ was an option package available for the Oldsmobile Cutlass. The standard L78 400 cid engine incorporated a single 4bbl carburetor and was rated at 350 hp. The favored set-up for muscle car buyers was the upgraded L69, which was a one-year-only configuration that featured a hotter cam and a triple 2bbl carb “tri-power” arrangement, which helped increase the power rating by another 10 horses. Quarter-mile runs were as quick as 14.8 seconds. Rarest of the rare was the W-30 version of the tri-power motor, which also incorporated an air induction system via tubing from the front bumper. There were only 54 factory-released copies of the W-30, although another 97 were dealer-modified installations. Finding a W-30 442 today is next to impossible (at this writing, one is available on eBay for $70k!), but lacking that, the “regular” tri-power L69′s are most desired by collectors

Incredible QTvan

Although there are a few bike towed caravans floating around worldwide, we choose this one as a home grown UK example. Commissioned by the Environmental Transport Association to promote the limitless possibilities of the bicycle during Green Transport Week and designed by Yannick Read, this mini living space features a single bed, a 19 inch flat screen TV and a kettle for hot drinks. Not actually available to buy, the QTvan turned out to be a viral promotion for scooter and bike insurance. At least for now anyway…

Incredible high up caravan

We’re not sure if someone has had a Noah’s Arc-style vision and couldn’t afford to build a boat, or how they’d fit two of every animal in such a small caravan, but we can’t imagine changing the water supply over is an easy task! Then again it could just be some children taking tree houses to a new level! Again, where this photo came from is a mystery, so if anyone has any clues please let us know.

The Floating House

Two brothers working together on various projects since 1999, French designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec finished the Floating house in 2006. The design is reproducible on a fair budget and it’s some surprise they are not in mass development yet (as far as we’re aware) to replace the smaller and less spacious traditional narrow boat.

Bizarre hotel Everland

Based on architecture from the 60s and 70s, this one room capsule is one large room with no doors and was designed for the Swiss Expo in 2002 by artists Sabina Lang and Daniel Baumann. The “floating room” spent 5 months in Yverdon, nearly a year in Leipzig and a year and a half in Paris overlooking the Eifel Tower for tourists to rent at €333 a night. The tour has now ended and the portable hotel is closed for the time being.

Multi-level caravan park

If anyone knows where this is located please let us know, as there seems to be limited information on this image available online. Another thing we’d like to know is how they got 6 caravans up there in the first place. We would make the guess that these caravans don’t travel around much seeing as they’d be difficult to attach to the back of a vehicle!

The Rolling Stone Eco Capsule

Designed by Nice Architects and submitted to the Andes Sprouts Society for a residency program, this environmentally friendly blueprint of the traditional caravan is work in progress. Built from environmentally-friendly materials the Rolling Stone is functional with natural energy and resources, powered by either wind turbine or solar panels. The front panel can be opened to double as an open studio space and water for waste and cleaning is sourced by two reservoirs. Could this be the next generation of caravan evolution?

Hamburger Harley

This bike was created by a very smart man.  When you’re trying to make good travel time, the worst thing to have to do is stop for food.  Not an issue with this motorcycle; it comes equipped with a hamburger, fries, and a shake.  Oh, and it plays the sound of hamburgers frying.  Win and win.

World’s Longest Motorcycle

You know those times when you just can’t fit anyone else in your car?  Not a problem with the world’s longest motorcycle.  You, your friends, and everyone in your neighborhood can fit on this bike.

BBQ Motorcycle

This motorcycle takes multi-tasking to the extreme.  Riders can cook a brisket or ribs on their way to their destinations.  You’ll never rush home to get dinner started when you own this ride.

Beer Barrel Motorcycle

One of the biggest problems in the world is running out of beer.  And everyone knows that beer is the first commodity to disappear in zombie apocalypses; with this motorcycle, you’ll be fully prepared for such an event.

Trike Motorcycle

Everyone should have this bike.  Seriously, who hasn’t always wanted elephant tusks on their motorcycle?

Star Fighter Motorcycle

You never know when you’ll need to fight space aliens… on the ground.  This is the picture that should accompany the saying, “You can never be over-prepared.”

Dodge Tomahawk

It looks like something Neo from the Matrix would ride, but this bike takes superbike to a whole new level.  It has a Dodge Viper V10 engine in it and can go 420 miles per hour.  Even Neo with his super speed abilities couldn’t move this fast.

Double Motorcycle

A bike made for people who are too busy to deal with reverse.  Instead, you jump off the bike and jump on the second cycle to go the opposite direction.  Perhaps the best part about this bike is that you’ll never have trouble backing out of a driveway again.

Big Wheel Motorcycle

This motorcycle is obviously for those who were deprived of a big wheel as a child.

Triangle Motorcycle

Looking for something different and unique in your next motorcycle?  How about a motorcycle with triangle wheels?  Why?  Because round wheels are so passé.  Plus, who wants a smooth ride when they’re on a motorcycle?

Incredible Cow Motorcycle

This bike takes cowboy to a whole new level.  Roping doggies was never so easy; this bike is proportionally faster than a horse.  Not just that, but your friends can participate; notice the extra pair of legs by the front wheel of the bike.

Unbelievable Shoe Motorcycle

This shoe isn’t just about looks, it’s about convenience.  Not only can it take you places, it’s also always there for you when a heel breaks.

Giant Off-Road Motorcycle

An off-road bike meets tractor with this motorcycle.  Who wouldn’t want it?  You can off road while you mow the grass.

Golden Ferrari and bike

Golden Ferrari 599 GTB from Hamann is absolutely stunning as well as the crazy Porsche…
Swarovski crystal and 24k gold plated bike.

Most Beautiful Roads

I have never ever seen such a wonderful road. I am wishing for to test it out once. The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) can be considered most beautiful road of the world. The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road extends for 7.3 miles with 60 turns up the mountain of a height of 1219m.The road scales the mountain with a beautiful view of the desert below and ends at a parking lot

with only a hotel and a palace belonging to the country’s rulers.

Beautiful Solar Airplanes

1. Solar Impulse
On June 26, world’s first practical solar airplane Solar Impulse is unveiled. The airplane is planned to have 36 hours of non-stop flight. Its a revolutionary airplane. The HB-SIA is the first prototype of the Solar Impulse project. Its mission is to demonstrate the feasibility of a complete day-night-day cycle propelled solely by solar energy. After fine-tuning on the ground, the aircraft should make its first test flights between now and the end of 2009, first of all at Dübendorf airport (canton of Zurich) and then

World’s Largest Yachts

Octopus is currently the world’s eighth largest super yacht, owned by Paul Allen. Octopus was launched by Microsoft’s “accidental billionaire” Paul Allen – worth US$20 billion according to Forbes, the third richest man in America and 7th in the world in 2003. It is the second largest super yacht that is not owned by a head of state. It has two helicopters, seven boats, a 10-man submarine and a remote controlled vehicle for crawling on the Ocean floor. The

submarine has the capacity to sleep eight for up to two weeks underwater.

Incredible Bike Made out of Spare Parts

 The Bangkok worker used recycled materials from old cars and bicycles to create a monster machine which is sculpted to look like a beast.

Artist Roongrojna Sangwongprisarn, 54, created the machine out of spare parts in his workshop in Thailand. He has four shops across the country – named the Ko Art Shop – and exports his creations to clients all over the world.

World’s Largest Cruise Ship

Oasis of the Seas will be launched in December 2009, Oasis of the Seas will be the world’s largest and most revolutionary ship introducing the cruise line’s new neighborhood concept byRoyal Caribbean, which will provide vacationers with the opportunity to seek out relevant experiences in seven themed areas based on their personal styles, preferences or moods. Oasis of the Seas measures a staggering 16 decks high, or 65 meters (213 feet) above the waterline, and measures 1,180ft long and 154 ft wide and has the capacity to accommodate 6,360 passengers and 2,160 crew members. Oasis of the Seas will be a luxurious traveling city, complete with shopping streets, bars, restaurants, an amphitheater the size of a football field.

World’s Safest Airlines

Below is the count down list of top ten safest airlines of the world.

10. Cathay Pacific

The Hong Kong-based carrier was founded in 1946 and its last fatal accident was in 1972. Since then it has made over one million flights without incident. The company serves more than 100 destinations in 36 different countries, and in 2009 flew almost 25 million passengers safely to different places around the globe.

Weird Cars

So we were browsing through the web, looking for wacko vehicle designs and surprisingly enough, found countless pictures of slightly absurd to downright crazy cars.

Following is a compilation of the wackiest of the lot. Would you want to be seen riding in any of the following?

Stiletto

Worlds Fastest Motorbikes

From 1999 to 2000, with one speed demon after another hitting the streets, motorbike manufacturers began to realize that the inter-manufacturer speed war had begun to get out of hand. In 2001, European and Japanese manufacturers agreed upon electronically limiting the top-speed of their motorbikes to 186 mph. Although there are manufacturers that aren’t bound by said agreement, most production motorbikes nowadays have top-speeds equal to or under mentioned limit.

Following is a list of the ten fastest motorbikes of the world in no particular order. Bikes with only the most consistent reported top speeds have been included.

Dodge Tomahawk

Largest Yachts of the World

Every year, SuperYachts.com compiles a list of the largest yachts currently on the water. Here is the count down list of world’s top ten largest yachts. These great yachts are some of the most expensive toys with unique and luxury features.

9. Serene
Length: 440 feet

Miraculous Tropical Island Paradise

Tropical Island Paradise is another amazing project from Yacht Island Design. It’s an island on a 295 ft (90 m) long luxury yacht equipped with swimming pool, tropical plants and even a small waterfall. The yacht-island can travel at a speed of 15 knots and has VIP suits, spa, bar and dining area on board. There is even a helicopter landing pad.

Solar powered aircrafts

Since solar energy carries the primary advantage of being a renewable source of energy, it is being popularly used in various places where energy is required the most. Aviation industry is also finding ‘green’ methods that can be used as a source of energy for powering its operations. Moreover, the cut in fuel consumption will also mean, a cut in carbon emission, which has thoroughly increased by 87 per cent by all means of air travel. At this moment of time when the aircraft industry is managing with circumscribed availability of fuel, increasing fuel prices and environmental issues related to carbon emissions from the aviation fuels, the idea of making use of solar power in aircrafts provided a major support to the aviation industry. By making use of solar power as a green way to power the aircrafts, the aircraft industry has also added itself in the picture of companies engaged in utilizing this eco-friendly energy. Here we have five of the famous solar powered aircrafts.