A biweekly roundup of automotive news, good, bad and just plain weird:
Boeing patents car-based force fields
Up shields, Mr. Sulu! Or whomever’s supposed to be in charge of that bit.
Last week, Boeing engineers patented the rights to a piece of technology that’d be familiar to any Tribble-lovin’ Trekkie: the force field. The system is intended for military applications, and is still in conceptual stages.
Well, as far as we know, anyways. There may be some super-secret test mules out there somewhere, raising shields and battling scientists dressed up like Klingons.
Boeing’s device is a two-part system that works by first detecting the initial shockwave of an explosion, and then creating a laser-induced, ionized chunk of atmosphere between the vehicle and the source of the explosion. It wouldn’t be enough to stop chunks of shrapnel entirely, but it would calm the buffeting of something like a roadside bomb, protecting the vehicle.
Quite frankly, it sounds like straight-up science fiction — but what if 20 years from now your car had an invisible bumper? Battle stations everyone, it’s rush hour.
Toyota plans WRC-based road-car
Quick, name one exciting Toyota car. No, models from Scion and Lexus don’t count, and neither do TRD versions of the company’s trucks.
Not much going on there, hey? Whatever happened to cool stuff like the MR2, Supra, and Celica? Not to worry Toyota fans, because there’s something pretty darn cool coming.
Toyota will be fielding a World Rally Championship team for 2017, one based on the Yaris. That’s right, a rally-spec Yaris, one equipped with a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive. That’s got your attention now, yes?
Even better than the racecar is the rumour about a road-going version, one to be fitted with the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine out of the Lexus NX200. The Yaris is already pretty good fun thanks to a short wheelbase and feathery curbweight, so strapping in some boosted power should make it a riot.
Toyota has also officially announced a new Nürburgring-themed version of the Corolla for the Thai market. Fitted with a CVT transmission and 141 horsepower 1.8-litre engine, this car is a lot less exciting, just some bodykit accessories and LED lighting.
Saleen reveals ultra-powerful tuned Mustang
Like the new Mustang but worried about Hellcats at the dragstrip? Steve Saleen’s company has the answer for you.
Saleen’s been in the business of tuning Ford products for years, and their highest-level version of the current Mustang is pretty impressive: a full 730 h.p. from a twin-screw supercharger bolted on to the 5.0-litre Coyote V-8.
There’s aerodynamic enhancements with real downforce as well, and a Saleen tuned suspension to help all that power get to the ground. Well, let’s be serious here — much like the Hellcat, there’s no way this thing’s getting all of its horses down. Expect a lot of smoke.
And where there’s smoke, there’s a fire. Saleen’s financial health was shaky last year, and is only slightly improved this year. If the company has success with this new model, something that seems likely given the current lack of big-power Mustang options from Ford, it might survive.
Uber Singapore starts supercar program
Ride-sharing service Uber has come in for more than its share of criticism over the past while, notably for the ways in which in skirts taxi regulations. However, clearly the company is doing well financially, and they continue to come up with clever ideas like this one.
Should you wish to summon a showy exit from your favourite Singaporean nightclub, just call up the Uber app on your smartphone and in an instant a Lamborghini or Ferrari will arrive to whisk you away.
Just think how well this could work in image-conscious, supercar-filled Vancouver. The service in Singapore costs about $150 for the first 15 minutes, but being able to get a thrill ride in a something exotic might just be worth it. Especially if you’re having a particularly unsuccessful date and want to bail in style.
Land Rover field testing Evoque convertible
If you’ve owned an old Land Rover, you already know the joy to be found in pulling the roof off, folding down the windshield and going for a spin. And by “joy,” I of course mean, “bugs.”
The convertible version of the Range Rover Evoque offers a somewhat more refined experience, and while some industry insiders have struggled to wrap their heads around the idea of a convertible crossover, we could see a new segment emerging here. After all, not all drop tops need to be low-slung and sporty, and the Evoque’s urban charms just get better when the roof’s down.
Naturally, I’d personally be far happier in a convertible Defender, wearing a trilby hat and with a border collie riding shotgun. But Land Rover knows they’ll make far more money selling a compact luxury vehicle, so that’s where their R&D money’s going.
Watch this space for all the best and worst of automotive news, or submit your own auto oddities to [email protected] Follow Brendan on Twitter at @brendan_mcaleer.
