Volkswagen doesn’t offer the T-Roc or T-Cross here in the U.S., and now it’s debuting another stylish small crossover that will likely remain forbidden fruit on our shores. The Volkswagen Nivus will launch soon in Brazil and other markets in South America.
Measuring 168 inches in length, the Nivus about the same size as subcompact crossovers we’re familiar with, like the Nissan Kicks. It’s about 17 inches shorter than the Tiguan, the smallest crossover VW sells here in the U.S. The Nivus sits on the flexible MQB architecture that underpins the Golf, Tiguan, and a host of other Volkswagen Group vehicles.
If you think you know the Batmobile, think again, Bat fans. Recently, Warner Bros. live-streamed The Batmobile Documentary, a film detailing the origins of the coolest comic-book car in the world, and its various iterations on the small and big screens. Rats, missed it? Don’t worry, you can watch the documentary for free below. And watch it you should.
The film covers everything from the classic George Barris 1966 creation from the campy TV series to the tough-ass Tumbler that played its own starring role in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy. There is one hitch: The nearly one-hour documentary is from 2012, so it does not include the Batmobiles from Batman v Superman, Justice League, or the upcoming muscle car Batmobile actor Robert Pattinson will drive.
Still, it is jam-packed with plenty of Bat-istics and features tidbits and tales from the actors and directors who had a [...]
When you’re shopping for a car, you must first identify your specific vehicular needs. If you’re buying it for work, where you’ll regularly need to haul things, then you’re probably looking for a truck. Need a family car? A sedan or wagon—or SUV, these days—might fit the bill. Or maybe this is a “treat yo’ self” occasion and you want a convertible. Those are all very different vehicle types, and rarely can you have the best of two worlds—let alone four—in one car. But in 1995, Mercedes-Benz challenged that notion with the transformable VRC concept.
The Variable Research Car, or VRC, made its debut at the 1995 Geneva Motor Show. Its main gimmick was its interchangeable bodywork that allowed the concept vehicle to be configured in one of four body styles, including a sedan, pickup truck, convertible, and wagon. The base vehicle was a compact two-door that could accept different top-mounted carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) superstructures, [...]
This year, for the first time ever, the Indianapolis 500, The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, will not be held in the month of May. Due to the global health crisis, Indy race fans will have to wait until Sunday, August 23, to hear the sound of Honda and Chevrolet race engines shrieking at 230 mph around the fabled 2.5-mile track.
They like their tradition at Indy, from the yard of bricks at the finish line that is the only remnant of the surface Ray Harroun’s Marmon Wasp rumbled over en route to victory in the very first 500 in 1911, to the rousing rendition of Back Home in Indiana that sets the stage for the most famous command in racing: “Start your engines!”
And that’s what makes the Indy 500s held from 1963 through 1968 the most fascinating of them all.
At the beginning of the ‘60s, Indy [...]
Most Bentleys turn heads no matter what color they are, but this special rainbow-themed Bentley Mulliner Bacalar likely would swivel every head nearby. Just look at it! The stunning drop-top’s special paint job blends seven shades that include Dragon Red II, Orange Flame, Yellow Flame, Apple Green, Jetstream II, Sequin Blue, and Azure Purple. (If you recall, Yellow Flame is the Bacalar’s debut shade, pictured below.)
While the rainbow-colored concept may be over the top and flamboyant, it somehow works. This could be the perfect vehicle to lead a Pride parade once life edges closer back to normal, or for enthusiasts of that weird fruity zebra chewing gum. But those uses are as hypothetical as the paint job itself—that’s right, this is merely a design study, Bentley’s winner from an internal company design contest it recently hosted.
