This is the GENeco Bio-Bug, a methane-fueled VW Beetle cabriolet converted by The Greenfuel Company to showcase yet another alternative fuel possibility. Using "specialist equipment", GENeco processes waste using anaerobic digestion. Basically, anything biodegradable is eaten by bugs that, in an oxygen-free environment, release methane.
In order to make that methane usable as biogas (i.e. work without noticeable side effects), the CO2 has to be filtered out.
The firm claims that the Bio-Bug can run for up to 10,000 miles annually using gas collected from just 70 homes. Also, if it were possible to convert all the gas collected from the Avonmouth location, GENeco says it could potentially use this process to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 19,000 tons.
Found on the trademark office, are these patent drawings of the Volkswagen Jetta Coupe, or as the German automaker named the concept version of the car at the Detroit Auto Show in January, the NCC (New Compact Coupe).
Those skimming the photos may notice a couple of changes over the concept model that was motivated by a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain. These include the more production like grille and addition of fog lamps up front, and the visible exhaust tail pipes at the back.
There's a lot of speculation going around about whether or not Volkswagen will introduce a second generation of the New Beetle. Either way, independent designers from all four-corners of the world are continuing to offer their take on how a 2012 New Beetle should look like.
This here design study for a New Beetle MkII was penned by our Brazilian friend Eduardo Oliveira, who you may remember from previous concepts like the 2012 Jetta, Hyundai i30 Sedan and Ford Thunderbird CC. Unlike David Cordoso's futuristic-looking proposal (see here) that we showed you back in May, Oliveira's design for the New/New Beetle is far more retro.
Follow the jump to check the full image gallery and tell us what you think about it in the comments section below.
Now that their limited production Maybach 57S Coupe (see here) has made the rounds, here are some of the other proposals from Xenatec. Since the company's specialty is chassis modification (and the necessary body work thereafter), they've got some ideas for a lengthened (and shortened) "dream cars".
Have a look at the gallery below and see what tickles your fancy. The SUV limos are a bit much, but the rag-top conversions don't look too bad (especially the CLS and 300).
Independent designer David Cordoso sent us these designs proposals for a successor to the second generation VW Beetle that will soon cease production.
David says he envisions the New/New Bug as an emissions-free, fully-electric vehicle, and judging by the latest developments at the Volkswagen Group, a gasoline-electric hybrid or even an all-electric version of the next Beetle, could very well be on the table.
And while there's room for some fine tuning in the design details (e.g. head- / tail-light styling), overall, we like David's more masculine and sportier styling approach on the Beetle's replacement.
Volkswagen is testing the waters with its new Golf GTI Excessive study that was revealed today at this year's edition of the annual GTI-Meet at Wörthersee.
Making its debut alongside the limited production Golf GTI Adidas special (see here), the GTI Excessive features a series of motorsport-inspired add-on parts that the German firm says could make it into the catalogue of Volkswagen Original Accessories if there's enough interest from the public.
Finished in the same fire-red "Firespark Metallic" as last year's Golf GTI Wörthersee 09, the GTI Excessive gets a new bodykit trimmed in high-gloss black piano paint. The add-on parts include a front splitter beneath the front apron, side sills and rear diffuser and splitter, and flared wheel wells that add 30mm per side.
Volkswagen announced today that it will pull the wraps off two new variants of its latest Golf GTI hot hatch at the Wörthersee GTI meeting in Austria next week: the limited production Adidas Golf GTI and a potential, go-fast looking version called the GTI Excessive Study.
Starting with the Adidas Golf GTI that's pictured here, the limited edition model was created in collaboration with the famous sporting-goods maker Adidas and it follows in the footsteps of the Golf GTI Pirelli special. It will be produced in a limited run of 4,410 copies with sales set to begin in July.
Volkswagen has shown a new all-electric concept version of its bread-and-butter Golf model called the "Golf blue-e-motion" that will spawn a production version powered by zero-emissions electric motor in 2013.
The "Golf blue-e-motion" concept, which was presented today to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, is powered by an electric motor integrated in the engine compartment driving the front wheels. It produces 85kW or 115-horsepwoer and a maximum torque of 270Nm or 199 lb-ft right from a stop.
A new member has been added to Volkswagen's Up! city car concept series. Revealed at the Hanover Trade Show, the Milano Taxi is a potential prototype for a new generation of emission-free taxis powered by an electric motor.
The mini-MPV-esque show car measures just 3.73 meters in length, 1.66 meters in width and 1.60 meters in height, making it shorter and narrower than the Fox. It features a single swivel-sliding door on the passenger's side that opens in a forward direction.
Volkswagen says that the Milano Taxi concept is capable of carrying two passengers at the rear in comfort with legroom at the back measuring a luxury-saloon-rivaling 120mm. To improve space, the car uses the front passenger seat to carry luggage.
When people think of alternative fuels for their cars, we doubt that coffee beans make the list. Yet a team of wacky inventors from the BBC1 science programme "Bang Goes The Theory" have managed to create a vehicle runs solely on gas produced by espresso roasted coffee granules!
Nicknamed Car-puccino, this 1988 VW Scirocco that looks like a bit like the Marty Mcfly's time-travelling DeLorean DMC-12 from the 'Back to the Future' trilogy, has been heavily modified to us coffee granules to power the engine.
So how does it work? According to the graph, the first stage involves heating the coffee granules with charcoal until the beans break down into cool hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
The gas is then fed into a radiator to chill down before it is filtered out in the boot. The purified gas is then led through a rooftop pipe into the engine where it burns and powers the car.
Wait; isn't Volkswagen's new Scirocco supposed to be the spiritual successor to the long-gone Corrado coupe? Sure it is, but the folks from Miranda Media wanted to give an answer to the purely theoretical question of what would the Corrado look like in 2010 if Volkswagen designed a direct replacement for the fastback coupe.
The answer came from Patrick Moczarsky, a professional designer and graphic artist from Miranda Media, that sketched these design proposals for a new generation Corrado that modernizes the lines and styling elements of the original model.
"We realize, of course, that Volkswagen will not present such a car right now, but the flight of imagination is so fascinating that it won't give us a moment's rest", said Patrick Moczarsky as he was preparing for liftoff.
[Update: Unfortunately, VW requested the removal of the photos of the student project, but you can still get a glimpse of the micro car study in the video above]
Over the years, we've featured a great number of studies from independent and amateur designers as well from students here on Carscoop. However, what you see pictured here isn't one of your common photoshop / renderings but a real life concept model that was created by a team of interns at Volkswagen Design Brazil.
Named VW In, the conceptual study is the result of the combined efforts of Kauré Martins, Rogério Okabe, Guilherme Motta and Wadson Gomes Amorim (winners of the "Talento Volkswagen Design 2008") under the supervision of Oscar Mendoza and Marilia Biill.
The micro car was developed throughout 2009 and was displayed for the first time at a special event in Brazil this past December.
The goal was to create a Smart Fortwo-sized/like mini capable of accommodating two people plus some luggage in similar comfort to the VW Fox supermini.
The team came up with several proposals to power the 2.48 meter (97.6-in.) long car including VW's current 1.0-liter engine and various two-cylinder units (inline, V-shaped and boxer versions), all mounted at the rear, plus a plug-in version equipped with four in-wheel electric motors.
The vehicle's design is simple, but in a cool, 'Apple' sort of way, and is heavily influenced by the Volkswagen Up! concept series.
The main question we would like to pose here is whether or not a vehicle of this type and size could have a future in VW's range, especially after the presentation of the forthcoming 3+1 seater Up!. Have your say in the comment section below.
Volkswagen IN Concept: Product Description
Project developed by the interns of Volkswagen Design Brazil, winners of the "Talento Volkswagen 2008" contest. Aimed at developing the professional, creative and entrepreneur skills. Bringing fresh ideas to the company and a new mobility proposal.
We live in a time of changes in man-object relations. People wear not only with clothes, but with everything they consumes, seeing beyond the physical atmosphere of the products to absorb their values and concepts.
The proposal of Volkswagen IN is to align global trends for the development of the automotive industry, thinking of a car for nowadays that aims to minimize the traffic-jam of big cities, applying the concepts of sustainability and customization, creating a compact and versatile car, that fills most of the needs through creative solutions and especial materials.
Bringing the successful concept of the Volkswagen FOX called "Designed Around the Passenger", this project try to went a step forward, creating a 2.5 meters car for two people plus luggage, with the same comfort of the Volkswagen FOX, but with a clever use of each free space inside this, optimizing the relations between one person and the size which a car need to have to transport him.
This micro car takes advantages of the plug-in hybrid Technologies and in-wheels electric engines to provide even more inner space, and moreover this project contemplates the use of a small combustion engine fueled by ethanol, getting closer to the reality of small developing countries.
Innovating in an automotive product is not only to create an attractive shape, but also to rethink the solution for problems caused by this product. Acting effectively on solutions for the society, environment and mobility, considering individual desires of each customer, is the best way for a successful product.
Despite of the age or the needs of each user, this car is the answer for all those who increasingly are concerned with saving time and the environment.
What you're looking at here is the Volkswagen New Compac Coupe (NCC) concept that we first told you about this past weekend. Based on the next generation Jetta sedan (forget about the Polo nonsense that has been making the rounds on the internet...), the NCC made its world premiere today at the Detroit motor show and it previews a production version that will expand VW's portfolio in North America and other parts of the world.
The German firm positions the NCC concept, which comes with a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain, between the not-for-North America Scirocco Coupe and the CC hardtop convertible.
Although it features the same length ( 4.54 meters or 178.5 inches) and width (1.78 meters or 70.1 inches) as the current Jetta, the NCC is two inches lower at 1.41 meters or 55.6 inches and has a three-inch longer wheelbase at 2.65 meters or 104.4 inches.
Those of you that are disgruntled with VW's decision to not bring the sexy Scirocco Coupe over to the States might find some comfort in the German firm's plans to stage the world debut of an all-new sporty coupe at next week's 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Called New Compact Coupe or NCC for short, the show car will give American consumers their first taste of an upcoming two-door coupe model that's based on the next generation Jetta four-door sedan and is destined primarily for the U.S. market.
Our sources tell us that the NCC concept is in fact an almost production-ready version of the Jetta Coupe though we're not sure if the German firm will actually use this name when the car is launched onto the market within the next year or so.
Similar in size with the current Jetta sedan, the two-door concept model will also showcase a new hybrid powertrain comprising of a small displacement four-cylinder TSI petrol unit and an electric motor that may find its way into the Jetta and the Golf in the very near future.
PS: Even though many car websites and blogs are claiming / assuming that the above drawing is / may be official, fact is, it's a Carscoop sketch...
The star attraction at Volkswagen's LA Show booth is the Up! Lite Concept, a three-door, four-seater version of the German firm's future small car. Tipping the scales at just 695 kg or 1,532 lbs, the concept model is powered by a hybrid powertrain comprising of a 51HP 0.8-liter turbo diesel engine and a 13HP electric motor.
The three-door study, which is the fifth concept model in the Up! series, has a top speed of 160 km/h (100 mph) and accelerates to 100 km/h in 12.5 seconds (0-60 mph in 12 seconds).
Volkswagen has us a bit confused with the Up! Lite's fuel economy as the company announces two different figures: a combined fuel consumption of 2.44 lt / 100km (equal to 96.6mpg US) in the European cycle, and 70mpg on the highway for those of us that live on this side of the Atlantic.
Either way, the Up! Lite is -in theory always- extremely fuel efficient
The Germans claim there's a good possibility that the Lite may enter production within the next three or four years as it makes use of many components from the firm' New Small Family of cars that are expected in the market by the end of 2011.
In order to make that methane usable as biogas (i.e. work without noticeable side effects), the CO2 has to be filtered out.
