The skateboarding scooter designed by Jose Losada is intended for staff of the hardware store Fixit. The scooter is equipped to carry tools, client hardware, and creates a “strong visual identity” for the staff and the brand. This small electric scooter would likely give the staff an easy, cheaper and less tiring mode for transport. Whatever be its benefits, we guess the “staff” moving on such scooters will look quite funny, and won’t be all that happy.

Via: Jose Losada

The Vespa Piaggio 1+1 generation concept was created by designer Davide Panarella working together with Gino Finizio and Miguel Galluzzi (Ducati Monster’s designer). Created for the Domus Academy, the concept aims to study the shape a Vespa of the present may take, while retaining its features of the classic retro scooter.

The designer analyzed various characteristics of various Vespa scooters to capture the spirit of Italian design and created a minimalistic concept with minimum ecological impact. The concept puts the passenger/ drive in a standing position, so as to reduce space and increase “contact” between the driver and passenger.

[Thanks, Davide]

We’ve seen a motorcycle sidecar turn out as a car, and now the Tumbleweed Tiny Houses seem to be taking the word Motorhome too literally. The idea behind Jay Shafer’s houses is quite a simple one, to have only enough space to meet requirements of domestic needs, and preventing unused spaces. The “Tiny House(s)” occupy just 65-140 square feet and are actually classified as Travel Trailers. They move on wheels, and can be taken virtually any place an RV would go, only, they look like tiny homes. Prices begin at $39,000.

Via: Tumbleweed Houses/ Uncrate

The JGR/ Toyota Motocross bike concept unveiled at SEMA had a whole lot to show, by way of Toyota logos. This lightweight motorcycle was built by putting the 2009 Yamaha YZ450F on a diet, where the motorcycle lost a lot of weight. Toyota’s concept has carbon fiber body panels, hollowed out and cross braced frame, Toyota logos, and more Toyota logos.

Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota NASCAR group put in 100 man hours on the project, and created this motorcycle from components provided by 17 contributors to create this machine. So that means there are a whole lot of changes to the Yamaha the project started with, so much, that it isn’t much of a Yamaha anymore. Maybe that is why Toyota has decided to plaster its logo all over the bike.

Via: Hell for Leather

Triumph and Tag Heuer have come together to create a one off motorcycle to honor the legendary Steve McQueen. Both brands have been linked to the actor, and the motorcycle is their way of celebrating the connection. The Bonneville Heuer Triumph motorcycle was unveiled in Paris by Lewis Hamilton.

The motorcycle has a blue and orange paintjob reminiscent of the Porsche 917 K that Steve McQueen’s character drove in the 1971 movie Le Mans. The actor also wore Tag Heuer’s Monaco watch in the movie. The 50th anniversary of the Triumph Bonneville and the 40th anniversary of the Tag Heuer Monaco is what brought both brands together to create this motorcycle.

Via: Triumph/ Motoblog.it

The MINI WashMe video features art cars from 10 different artists, each created as casual art and displaying how a single Mini can be used to convey different ideas. The project from MINI Switzerland had 10 artists work on 10 different cars to create these unique and creative art cars.

Via: MINI Space

The BMW M3 is a high performance car, and the M3 GTS is a car “optimized for track performance” but still, street-legal. The first video (above) shows the development engineers at work on the M3 GTS, while the second video shows slow-motion pictures of the car during a test drive.

Videos: You Tube

SoundRacer seems to be slightly different than other such devices available in the market, as this one directs its energy towards you, rather than other people on the road. Or at least that’s how it appears. You get to choose from a V8 or a V10 sound device that plugs in to the car’s cigarette lighter. The device can calculate the engine rpm, and create the corresponding sound that plays through the car’s stereo system through an FM transmitter.

So you get to hear supercar sounds while sitting in the brand new ‘93 Taurus, while trying to believe that it’s actually a supercar. The best part apparently is that you can quietly and discreetly indulge in supercar fantasies without exposing your cheesy side. The SoundRacer is available for $40.

Via: SoundRacer/ OhGizmo

Now that the Mercedes SLS AMG is ready to hit the streets, with its legendary gullwing doors still making the mark, Gullwing America has taken upon itself to give the new cars modern look a bit more of its old retro-feel. And the new work looks as delicious as the 2009 Gullwing America 300SL they displayed earlier.

The SLS Panamericana’s bodykit has seven parts that are made of carbon fiber or hybrid aluminum. It has 2 side vents, chromed grille frame, Xenon headlamps, and a sport tuned muffler tip for the exteriors, while the interiors get alcantara center piece and brushed aluminum door sills.

Via: Gullwing-America/ Flylyf

In the quest for cleaner fuels, scientists from the Purdue University have created a new, solid rocket fuel. In a recent experiment, the nanoaluminum and ice combo was able to propel a rocket 1300 feet into the air. The new fuel called ALICE or Aluminum Ice and relies on the reaction between aluminum and water to provide the necessary energy.

Scientists say that the aluminum-water reaction could theoretically provide a lot of energy but the kinetics would be too slow and hard to ignite to provide acceptable thrust. To get around the problem, aluminum is chemically broken into small particles of nearly 80nm length and mixed with water for the desired effect. A length of 80 nm, scientists say, is most suited for providing the required thrust.

The test rocket was powered by a hollow rod of ALICE, which was seven inches long and three inches in diameter. Within a second of being fired, the rocket was able to reach a speed of nearly 200 miles an hour. That performance is slightly less than the thrust generated by conventional solid rocket boosters. And with the emissions of aluminum oxide, which is much more environmentally friendly as compared to the conventional rocket emissions, ALICE is a cleaner alternative. There is of course, a lot more to be done before the new fuel can find practical use in space missions, but for now, it appears to be on the right track.

Via: Discovery