Artist imagines eerie world where cars have no wheels

Filed under: , , , , ,



The wheel ranks right up there with the telescope and four-slice toaster in the pantheon of inventions that have moved humankind forward. But what if a circle in three dimensions had never occurred to anyone, and we all had just moved on without it? Perhaps we'd be driving around in Lucas Motors Landspeeders with anti-gravity engines. Or maybe we'd have the same cars we do today, just without wheels.

That's the thought experiment that seems to have led French photographer Renaud Marion to create his six-image series called Air Drive. The shots depict cars throughout many eras of motoring that look normal except for one thing: they have no wheels. The models used include a Jaguar XK120, Cadillac DeVille (shown above), Chevrolet El Camino and Camaro, and Mercedes-Benz SL and 300 roadsters.

Perhaps one day when our future becomes our past, you'll be able to walk the street and see with your own eyes the rust and patina of age on our nation's fleet of floating cars. Until then, Monsieur Marion's photographs will have to do.

Artist imagines eerie world where cars have no wheels originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Jan 2013 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The List #0248: Attend the Woodward Dream Cruise

Filed under: , , ,

Jessi Combs in Corvair with Scott Burgess at 2012 Woodward Dream Cruise

The Woodward Dream Cruise is billed as the largest one-day automotive event in the world. Around 1.5 million people show up on a Saturday each August and line both sides of a seven-mile stretch of historic Woodward Avenue in the outskirts of Detroit. They come to watch some 40,000+ classic, custom and muscle cars cruise all eight lanes of road at little more than idling speed. Begun only in 1995, the Cruise feels like it's been happening since the golden era of Detroit that it honors. For Detroiters, it's become a way of life. For everyone else, it's high up on the list of 1,001 Car Things To Do Before You Die.

We sent Jessi Combs to the D during Woodward week to experience the event for herself and report back for The List. As we suspected, she encountered all types of native Detroiters who love the Woodward Dream Cruise, as well as some anti-Cruisers who don't share that sentiment. Sans Patrick for this episode, Jessi met up with Autoblog/AOL Auto's own Scott Burgess, who was participating in the Cruise in his own 1964 Chevy Corvair Convertible.

Scroll down to watch The List #0248: Attend the Woodward Dream Cruise.



Have an RSS feed? Click here to add The List.

Click here to learn more about our hosts, Jessi and Patrick.

Continue reading The List #0248: Attend the Woodward Dream Cruise

The List #0248: Attend the Woodward Dream Cruise originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Stillen wants you to design its FR-S body kit

Filed under: , , , ,



There is little doubt that the darling of this year's SEMA Show in Las Vegas will be the Subaru BRZ/Scion FR-S twins. Stillen is one of many aftermarket tuners hoping to capitalize on the popularity of these two cars, and, in addition to developing performance parts like a cold-air intake, cat-back exhaust, big brake kit and sway bars, will reveal its first body kit for the FR-S in November at the big show in Vegas. The thing is, while Stillen is working on the performance parts, it wants you to design the body kit.

Stillen is now accepting submissions for a contest to design its new FR-S body kit, and what we like in particular about this competition is that you don't have to be a professional designer to win. Stillen is providing the templates to work with, so all you have to do is draw or render what you think the kit should look like from various angles. The contest rules say not to worry if you don't render 3-D objects for a living; judging will be done on shape and design rather than how well you can arrange 1s and 0s.

Submissions will be accepted until August 14th, after which Stillen will choose the top five entries and let the winner be decided by popular vote on Facebook. That person will get a two-night trip to Vegas to attend the SEMA Show in person where his/her design will be unveiled before it goes on sale to the public.

Stillen wants you to design its FR-S body kit originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The List #0777: Attend SEMA

Filed under: , , ,

Patrick McIntyre and Jessi Combs of The List at SEMA

Every year in November, the Specialty Equipment Market Association hosts a trade show out in the desert. You know it as the SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Held in the sprawling square footage of the Las Vegas Convention Center, the SEMA Show is where just about every automotive aftermarket company and supplier comes to share its wares. About 1,500 new products debut there each year, and even automakers brave the crowds to show off their most wild and custom concept and performance vehicles.

Despite being a trade-only event and technically not open to the public, we've included it on The List because so many enthusiasts have told us they want to attend and, based on our experience, many of them find a way in. We got Jessi and Patrick passes for this past year's SEMA Show to experience the chaos, and they filed this report.

Follow the jump to watch them check off "Attend SEMA" from The List.
  • Have an RSS feed? Click here to add The List.
  • Do you have an idea for The List? Click here to tell us what would be on yours.
  • You can also click here to learn more about our hosts, Jessi and Patrick.

Continue reading The List #0777: Attend SEMA

The List #0777: Attend SEMA originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments