The Cookie Jar: The Vehicles of a Long Time From Now

So I have been sitting on this gold-mine for a long time now, but here I make my triumphant blogging return with a wicked good post. It all started with the LA Design Challenge, in which today's top auto companies were given the theme of "Motorsports 2025" to come up with some prototypes. The results were pretty awesome.

I personally favored the companies that included a story with their presentation, most especially Honda. They created a fictional "Great Race 2025" in which competitors must navigate through land, sea, and air.

Mazda also did a nice job of creating their own unique world. They centered their "car", called the KAAN, around the E1, which is sort of like 2025's version of F1 racing. "In 2025, California freeways have been resurfaced with a sub-level electro-conductive polymer that powers the electric cars of the modern world. MAZDA's patented electronic tire system uses this technology to power the KAAN to reach 250 mph with no harmful emissions." I may be biased since I have owned 3 Mazdas, but I think this one looks the sickest of the bunch.

My third favorite comes from powerhouse BMW, which came up with a hydrogen powered Salt Flat Racer. Not only is this vehicle not harmful to the environment, it is actually helping it because all the body panels and wheel discs come from recycled materials (trash can lids, oil barrels (lots of those laying around), etc.). Probably the most plausible of all entrants.

Audi also created a fictional racing circuit to present their R25. The cool thing about their creation is that this racing circuit and its vehicles are designed to allow for passing anywhere on the course (Imagine sliding up walls in tunnels, YEAH!).

Toyota's entry would have been one of my favorites if they had cleaned up the design a bit. Nevertheless, their concept behind the Lemans Racer is sweet. "The vehicle features two basic modes: High Speed Mode and Cornering Mode. In High Speed Mode, the body and wheels narrow, creating less drag and resistance to reach its highest speed of 350 mph.

To aid the driver in darkness or unreliable weather, the cockpit is a completely digital environment with a display enhanced by virtual reality, computer trajectory plotting, collision avoidance assistance and a robot co-pilot, which manages the on-board systems and repairs so that it can maintain full speed all the way to the finish."

With BMW here, you bet your bucket Mercedes came up with something as well. It comes in the form of the Formula Zero Racer, bringing with it a new form of racing: luxury racing. "Each team is allocated the same amount of stored energy and it is left to the teams and drivers to manage the variables to win the race.

Spectators at the Mercedes Benz Formula Zero racing Series are treated to a new dimension of racing as the transparent track is visible from all perspectives - even from below!"