Chevrolet FNR Concept Dreams of a Self-Driving Future

While we wait for real versions of self-driving vehicles to emerge, a few automakers continue to play with the question of how different a self-driving car could be. While the Mercedes-Benz F015 was one such answer, here's another from an unexpected source: Chevrolet. 

The Chevrolet FNR Concept was built in Shanghai by General Motors' Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center as a self-driving electric vehicle from a future that's more "Blade Runner" than "Idiocracy." Start with the starter; the car turns on via eye scanner. Headlights and taillights illuminate via lasers; motive power comes from hubless electric motors in each wheel, with energy stored via a wireless charging system, and the "dragonfly" doors add an extra level of drama. 

And of course, the car has enough software to map its own routes, sense the surroundings for self-driving and let the driver turn around 180 degrees and talk to passengers. The first self-driving car to wear a bowtie badge won't look like this, but it will take this much intelligence to build

Hyundai Verna 2015

A mellower version of its former self, the 2015 Verna stays close to its original fluidic recipe while adding more spice to its overall looks. The front fascia has been thoroughly redesigned to reflect contemporary tastes and trends. The signature hexagonal grille has made way for a wing shaped one with dual chrome slats. Surprisingly, the daytime running lights introduced in the 2014 Verna have been ditched for a simpler headlamp unit with projectors. Aggressively redesigned front bumper features boomerang shaped fog lamps that give the Verna a sportier

Datsun Go +

Stretch the Datsun GO a few inches, throw in a third row of seats and you get the GO+. When observed head on, one really cannot tell the difference between the two because everything from the hexagonal grille, angular headlamps to the well-sculpted bonnet remains the same. In profile, the addition of 210mm beyond the C pillar is the major change and Datsun has done that job neatly. The sloping roofline, rising beltline and the rear quarter glass are seamlessly integrated and give the car a mini-MPV stance. However, the undersized 13-inch wheels that don’t fill the wheel arches are an eyesore. Nothing much has changed in the rear, save for a more upright windshield and the number plate that’s been shifted to the tailgate. Though not exciting, the Datsun GO+ has a simple and elegant exterior design.

Tata Bolt

The Bolt looks a lot similar to the Zest in a passing glance, there are new elements that visibly distinguish it from the sedan. The front grille is very similar, sans some chrome garnish, but the smoked projector headlamp units are an elegant touch. The fog lamp housing is carried forward from the Zest but the Bolt gets only a chrome strip instead of the Daytime Running Lights. The flowing character lines and chrome beltline are similar to the ones on the Zest but the blacked-out C pillar and an integrated spoiler look neat and give the car a floating roof effect. However, the C pillar is blacked out using a vinyl sticker, not an integrated fibre panel like the i20.Dashboard layout and equipment are nigh-on identical to the Zest but the all black interiors slightly dent the premiumness. On the flipside, the ‘snazzy java black’ finish will keep the enthusiasts happy. The orange inserts as seen in the preview pictures might be offered as an option. The centre console is lifted from the Zest and the piano black inserts and silver accents look as impressive. 

DC Avanti: India's first Super car

DC Design, which is famous for vehicle customization, has forayed into producing a complete automobile with the DC Avanti. Considered as India’s first supercar, the DC Avanti will be offered for Rs 30 lakh. It will initially be equipped with a mid-mounted, Ford-sourced, 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing 261 bhp and mated to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. A Honda-sourced V6 version with 394 bhp is planned for future release. DC Design is expected to start customer deliveries of its super car Avanti from January 2015.

1,035 hp LaFerrari FXX K

The Ferrari LaFerrari is one of Maranello's greatest creations, the ultimate expression of today's Prancing Horse. At 950 hybrid horsepower, it's about as monstrous a machine as one could possibly build for the public roads. So the track-only version, well, that should be something else: Meet the 1,035 hp LaFerrari FXX K.Arriving with Pirelli slick tires, the FXX K clearly isn't street legal. What's more, it isn't even legal to compete in any sanctioned races series around the world. It remains, what Ferrari calls, an experimental car, and will be part of its Corse Clienti customer racing program, available only to Ferrari's most loyal customers. Basically that means it's not bogged down by regulations, allowing Ferrari to create what it deems to be the ultimate driving experience.The powertrain in the FXX K has been gently massaged, featuring new camshafts, a modified valve train and a reworked intake manifold. Now, the naturally-aspirated 6.3-liter V-12 produces 838 hp all by itself, boosted by the electric motor to create the staggering final figure. That motor is a tuned version of the HY-KERS system in the stock LaFerrari. It arrives with four settings that optimize its flow of juices based on the driver's preference: Qualify mode, for maximum one-lap performance; Long Run mode for consistency; Manual Boost mode where all the power is unleashed instantly; and Fast Charge mode, where the system does its best to recoup energy and recharge the battery.Beyond power, the aero package on the FXX K is, as one would expect, rather spaceship-like. The diffuser on the back is just preposterous and the front splitter appears larger than my dining room table. The split-rear wings effectively act as guide vanes to boost the spoiler's efficiency. As the air swoops of the sloping roof-line, the adjustable spoiler, which extends a further 60mm when fully deployed, helps improve total downforce by 50 percent over the production LaFerrari in low drag configuration and 30 percent in high downforce settings. Ferrari claims that 1,190 lbs. of downforce are created at 125 mph. That figure in of itself is pretty telling of this car's performance level.The safety nannies in the FXX K are tuned specifically for the track, meaning you don't have such a wide variety of intervention, rather you enjoy an ability to fine tune based on preferences and track conditions. The ABS, for instance, has five different settings to adjust its aggressiveness.What we have here is one of the world's fastest cars with a roof. Like McLaren's P1 GTR, it's an opportunity for its most trusted customers to experience Ferrari uncut -- gone mad. Only a handful of FXX Ks will likely be built, and buyers typically won't get to bring the car home. Ferrari will keep it at the factory, delivering it to the track when a buyer wants to go crazy. Pricing for the FXX K hasn't been released, but if you lack many dollars and many Ferraris, it probably doesn't matter anyway.

2015 Mercedes-Benz C Class

Older siblings in the family are influencers on their younger counterparts as children generally admire their elders and look to them as role models. Same is the case with cars, and the newest example is the 2015 Mercedes-Benz C Class, as it inherits many character traits from its big brother S Class. The current generation S is certainly a technology and style masterpiece, so if the new C Class is inspired by the Mercedes flagship, then there should be a lot to like about it.
You would be forgiven for mistaking the new C Class for the S in a passing glance. A closer look will only leave you more impressed, because it’s not just a scaled down version of the flagship and the new C has its own details and styling upgrades. The S Class-inspired LED adaptive headlights are definitely the highlight of the front design, while the grille is shared with the younger and more youthful siblings. Bumper is sophisticatedly sculpted and the chrome lines add just enough finesse to it.