The S-Class of vans

German coachbuilder, Xenatec, gets its kicks from making short cars long, long cars short, and long cars even longer. This is evident in their many zany interpretations, including their transformations for the Audi R8 and the Porsche 911.

BMW has announced the name and the date of its two all-new alternative-powertrain high-tech carbon-bodied cars. The plug-in diesel-electric AWD supercar, based on the Vision EfficientDynamics concept, will reach dealers as the i8. The artist formerly known as the Mega City Vehicle, a pure-electric city car, will be called i3. Both will be launched in 2013.

The gloves are off at Toyota. After a couple of false starts, Toyota now has a laser-lock on the cash cows of Chrysler, GM, and Ford: full-size trucks. And it's gone right to the heartland of truck culture to get it right this time, building a brand-new factory in San Antonio, Texas, to manufacture a truck codenamed 400N, the bigger, bolder, tougher replacement for the Tundra that's due to go on sale next year as a 2007 model.

At this year’s Los Angeles Design Challenge, the designers from the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studios in Carlsbad, California, surprised everyone with a revolutionary vision. Taking their inspiration from nature, they designed a vehicle which is fully integrated into the ecosystem, from the moment of its creation right through to the end of its service life. The Mercedes-Benz BIOME grows in a completely organic environment from seeds sown in a nursery. Out on the road the car emits pure oxygen, and at the end of its lifespan it can be simply composted or used as building material.

We never thought we would see anything as cool as the 1400 HP Camaro Dragster revealed in 2010 by Canadian automotive research and development firm, ECT Enterprises.

The bold push from General Motors Corp. to reinvent the automobile, first revealed in the AUTOnomy and Hy-wire concept cars, became that much more real today with the unveiling of the GM Sequel.

Photographer Julia LaPalme was impressed by the V-6's power and the Buick's cushy cabin. She adds, "The Heads Up Display really is a wonderful feature, providing speed and radio info (you can change what it shows) within peripheral vision.

On the heels of the the BMW 6 Series Coupe Concept which debuted earlier this year at the Paris auto show is the production-ready version of the 2012 BMW 650i Convertible. It looks very much like the Concept Coupe sans fixed roof, and BMW seems fully prepared to make the new 6 the technological showcase the Concept promises.

The ability to detect pedestrians on the road and highlight them on the display in the instrument cluster to warn the driver has been a feature of the Active Night View Assist Plus since 2009. Now Mercedes-Benz is presenting the latest development stage of the system as a world premiere in the form of a spotlight function. The new assistance system goes a significant step further: it highlights the possible source of danger in the driver’s immediate field of vision by specifically directing light on people on the road. A positive side effect of this is that the pedestrian is also alerted to the presence of the approaching vehicle. The new spotlight function will be included as a standard feature of the Active Night View Assist Plus in a luxury class Mercedes model from the summer of 2011.

The ZDX has proved itself to be a sporty, reliable conveyance for long drives. One staffer recently drove it to Las Vegas to cover a trade show, "and was pleasantly surprised by this crossover. Good acceleration and excellent passing power, but it could use a little more juice or a little less weight. I really like the way this thing handles, and I like the ride. It wasn't nearly as rough as I'd feared.

Let's Get Small: The Pod-Like Cars of the Future Won't Fly, But They'll Be WAY Easier to Park

The Canadian police have added a new vehicle to their fleet starting 2011. The new Dodge Charger

The Future of BMW Design: One Part Gran Turismo, One Part Sports Car

The Auto Express spies have caputured photos of a 1:4-scale clay model of the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class ahead of the full-size version’s reveal later this year.

Despite its size, the design model reveals that Mercedes has toned down the current car’s innovative MPV hatchback body style. The model is clearly inspired by the Mercedes Blue Zero F-Cell concept, which can be seen full-size in green-gold and hidden by a cover.