Is there a more perfect project to build out of LEGO? Teslas angular Cybertruck shocked the world when it was revealed, completely devoid of any curved lines.Now, you could build your own desk-sized Cybertruck, if this project gets enough votes.The LEGO Cybertruck design was shared on the site LEGO Ideas, where users can submit their own LEGO set concepts and have people vote on them to become official products. The Cybertruck was submitted by user BrickinNick.Concepts go through a period where they collect votes, and when they hit 10,000, theyre reviewed by the company as a potential future product. The Cybertruck project has 592 more days to reach that 10,000-vote mark, and its already surpassed more than half that. Its more than just a cool design BrickinNick has a good reason for wanting to see a LEGO Cybertruck on store shelves.Teslas mission has always been to accelerate the worlds transition to sustainable energy, BrickinNick says. This aligns with the LEGO Groups goal of sustainability and leaving a positive impact on the planet. As of yet, EVs have only been marginally represented in the LEGO set catalog. The striking yet fun design of this LEGO Cybertruck would be an amazing way to get kids and adults alike excited about EVs and all the good they can do for our environment. The project also relies on Tesla granting LEGO a license to produce the brick truck. Whether the LEGO version or the Telsa version comes out first is the real race, since theres more than a year on the clock for LEGO fans to vote on the thing.If you just cant wait for a scale Cybertruck that long, one graphic designer has already released a template for a papercraft version you can print off and fold into a model yourself. Now if youll excuse us, we have to use the office printer for unrelated
Origin: LEGO, please make this blocky Tesla Cybertruck kit a real thing
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This 1918 Pierce-Arrow race car is made out of dessert
A race car you can eat? Sounds like the perfect combination for an era when the drivers were fat and tires were skinny.The Broadmoor Resort in Colorado springs has been building the sweetest car in the world since 1964, and each year they choose a vehicle to replicate in dessert form.This year, their selection was a Pierce-Arrow Touring Car from 1918.The vehicle is special to the resort, as in 1922, it was transformed into The Broadmoor Special by owner Spencer Penrose, master mechanic Angelo Ciminp and chauffeur Harry McMillen.The vehicle would go on to compete in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, where it took fourth place in 1926 and 1930.The time-lapse video of its construction shows 15 pastry chefs adorning the vehicle model with the tasty treats. It took two weeks to bake all the pastries.According to the Broadmoor Blog, the vehicle is composed of over 375 pounds of all-purpose flour, 425 whole eggs, 300 pounds of dark chocolate, 47 pounds of molasses, 412 pounds of butter and myriad other ingredients.The car looks impressive, but wouldnt have happened if it werent for the two magical wood workers that made the frame for the cookies to sit on.The real vehicle will be on display at the Penrose Heritage Museum, which is open Monday through Saturday from 9 to 5 pm and Sunday from 1 to 5pm. The museum is owned and operated by the El Pomar Foundation, a charitable foundation established by Spencer and Julie Penrose in
Origin: This 1918 Pierce-Arrow race car is made out of dessert
This French garagiste flees the police at 240 km/h in a Mercedes-AMG C63… only to run out of gas
A couple of days after police in Marseilles, southern France pulled over a microcar with a pony riding shotgun, authorities near Lyon had to deal with another kind of horsecrap a hot-rodder who thought he could evade the law via raw horsepower, but who also forgot to top off his gas tank.The citys Gendarmes de la Drôme explained via Facebook that it was prepared to hand out a red card to the driver of a Mercedes-AMG C63 in the late evening November 30 after clocking him doing 206 km/h in an already generous 130-km/h zone.“(The Valence motorway’s squad) caught up with said vehicle five kilometers (from the Pont de l’Isère on the A7) in a 90 km/h-limit zone where the vehicle was now clocked driving at 240 km/h. The Mercedes’ driver then used all the performance of his automobile to outrun patrolmen, but the latter did not give up,” reads the post, translated here into English.“The car is spotted 60 kilometers further, still traveling at crazy speeds. He will finally be found, stopped on the emergency shoulder, out of fuel because of its very high (fuel) consumption.”Indeed, despite the navy blue two-door coups sleek aerodynamics, the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 must have sipped all 66 liters in its tank much faster than its driver planned.Finding the powerful car out of gas, sitting by the curb side after such a folle course-poursuite, would have been enough for the officers to impound this aspiring-Alain-Prost driver and his bolide.Thats when the offenders doubled down on their trouble. Sitting in the back seat, they told police the front passenger and driver had already fled on foot, leaving them behind. Nice try.“On December 4, after investigations that determined the role of each, the driver, a 32-year-old owner of a Saint-Etienne mechanic’s garage, is placed in custody for three crimes: Repeated excessive speeding (since he was already convicted for a more-than-50-km/h offense); refusal to comply with police orders, and so endangering others; and tampering with the vehicle anti-pollution device.” The police investigation also found the C63 unfit for public roads the cars engine control unit had been opened illegally, the exhaust system modified and a replacement alternator improperly installed. The Gendarmes figured the car was making well above its stock 503 horsepower, and thanks to its wonky alternator, was liable to have burst into flames at any point.The drivers will face a total five infractions when he appears in Criminal Court in June. Until then, hes banned from driving for six months. Authorities still have his AMG at the impound lot, too, according to the post, leading one commenter to suggest the police keep the car anyway, it is the right color just add flashing lights. And a larger fuel
Origin: This French garagiste flees the police at 240 km/h in a Mercedes-AMG C63… only to run out of gas
This Nissan Leaf’s festive lights are powered by its own regenerative braking
This Nissan Leaf’s festive lights are powered by regenerative braking Nissan is this year showcasing its holiday cheer, alongside its renewable EV technology, with a Leaf dressed up as a Christmas tree. “The car is brighter than Rudolph’s nose,” says Nissan, which decked the Leaf’s halls with thousands of lights, baubles and a few reindeer on the roof, and hooked them up to the car’s regenerative energy system. The Japanese automaker says the festive lights display is powered by two of the hatchback’s regenerative functions: the e-Pedal, which allows drivers to get going, accelerate, slow down and stop using only the accelerator pedal; and ‘B mode,’ which generates energy under braking the normal way. So, it’s not a Christmas miracle — rather just solid, smart energy technology. “Santa shouldn’t be the only one with a festive mode of transport. We wanted to make the Nissan LEAF more fun at this time of year whilst driving home a very important message,” said Helen Perry, Head of Electric Vehicles for Nissan Europe.According to Nissan, the newest EV has the potential to regenerate enough energy over 18,000 km of driving to provide 20 per cent of the domestic electricity demanded by the average European household, or to power 266 Christmas trees with 700 incandescent lights for an hour, or to power 297 turkey-roasting ovens for one hour and subsequently give everyone food poisoning from undercooked poultry. The five-door Nissan Leaf arrived in North America back in 2010 and is now in its second
Origin: This Nissan Leaf’s festive lights are powered by its own regenerative braking
New Mercedes-Benz GLA previewed in new shots ahead of reveal this week
The new Mercedes-Benz GLA will be officially revealed on 11 December, with new spyshots and a design sketch giving us an early glimpse of the BMW X2 rival. Although still featuring some front and rear disguise, we can see that the GLA crossover’s shape takes plenty of inspiraton from the A-Class hatchback on which it is based, while the headlights are slimmed down variants of those found on the new GLB SUV. Although it sits lower to the ground than its predecessor, Mercedes has previously confirmed that the GLA’s roofline is more than 10 centimetres higher off the ground, allowing for enhanced headroom and a more upright seating position in line with larger SUV models. Legroom is said to have been improved as well, despite the model being 1.5cm shorter overall than the outgoing car. Earlier this year, our spy photographers captured the interior of the compact crossover for the first time. The image shows that the dashboard is also set to be very similar to that of the A-Class and Mercedes’ other new compact models, featuring rounded air vents and the twin touchscreens of the MBUX system. The new GLA will join Mercedes’ MFA platform-based range alongside the A-Class hatchback, A-Class saloon, CLA four-door coupé, CLA Shooting Brake estate and B-Class MPV. It also now sits below the GLB, the largest car on that platform and a new, fully fledged rival to the BMW X1 and Audi Q3. That leaves the GLA to compete with smaller compact crossovers such as the Audi Q2 and Ford Focus Active and is why it likely has a lower, more car-like profile. Minimal technical details of the GLA have been released yet, but we know it will be closely linked to the A-Class in terms of interior design and technology, engines and gearboxes. That means it will adopt Mercedes’ latest touchpad and voice-controlled MBUX infotainment system, alongside more advanced safety features and increased material quality. The engine range will kick off with a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol unit developed in conjunction with the Renault-Nissan Alliance. This will likely be available in two states of tune, while a 2.0-litre engine will top out the range for the time being. A 1.5-litre diesel will also be offered. Later on in the GLA’s lifespan, we will see a return of the AMG-tuned GLA 45, putting out anything up to 416bhp through a performance-focused four-wheel drive system. Before that arrives, there will be a 302bhp 35 variant, as is now available on the A-Class. The GLA will be produced alongside the A-Class at Mercedes’ factory in Rastatt, Germany. The A-Class will also serve as the basis of the EQA, an electric hatchback that’s scheduled to arrive next
Origin: New Mercedes-Benz GLA previewed in new shots ahead of reveal this week
Acura will bring this modified retro SLX to RADwood
While it says Acura on the front, underneath its skin, this truck is really a Honda Horizon. And under that facade, its really an Isuzu Trooper. Although in this video made by the brand, its much more than any of those.Acura threw together this retro clip showcasing one of its classic SUVs with a wacky, modern twist. It shows an enthusiast buying the vehicle, then taking it home to park it beside his partners new Acura SLX.A couple bottles of liquid are spilled on the floor to create a powerful potion, which, thanks to the magic of 90s video-editing, takes parts from the new vehicle and imparts them into the 1997 model.In real life, Acura modified the original 1997 model year truck to include a bunch of components from its latest models. Namely, theres the 2.0-litre turbocharged VTEC engine, the Super Handling All-Wheel Drive System and the 10-speed transmission. Various suspension components were also upgraded to give the truck better ride and handling that includes an independent rear suspension in place of the original live axle.The video preys on the nostalgia of the 20- to 30-year-olds of today, who perhaps grew up in the back of one of these classic 1990s SUVs and are now trying to relive that childhood. Good luck finding one like the hero car for $500, though.The end of the video shows the same goopy concoction being spilled in order to recreate the effect of the potion, but instead with a brand-new NSX.The vehicle will be on display at the upcoming RADwood car show in Los Angeles, along with a 1991 NSX, the earliest known example in North
Origin: Acura will bring this modified retro SLX to RADwood
Kia Canada sells its 1 millionth vehicle in Quebec – and this customer gets her Kia Soul for free
Walking into Kia Sherbrooke to shop for a new vehicle, Sonia Blais was not in high spirits.The special education teacher from Magog, Quebec had recently become a single mother of two, with a looming divorce sapping her finances, an expensive holiday season at her door and an already harsh winter blowing over her Eastern Townships home.But a new car is what she need, so after weighing her options, she picked out a Kia Soul, a stylish subcompact, delivered, of course, with Quebecs mandatory winter tires. She paid via a roughly $25,000 loan, with financing.The purchase also made Blais, unbeknownst to her, Kia Canadas one millionth customer, a milestone that coincidentally lined up with the Korean brands 20th anniversary in this country.Even more coincidentally, Kia Sherbrooke was among the brands first concessionnaires here, selling more than a handful of the first 1,417 Sportage and Sephias to hit Canadian shores back in 1999.When Kia head office rang dealership owner Daniel Beaucage, from Groupe Beaucage, over Blais new purchase, he assumed it was over a problem with the order. Not quite, it turns outBlais was invited back to the dealership with her millionième Kia for a little ceremony this past Thursday, hosted by the new VP and COO of Kia Canada, Elias El-Achhab.She figured out from that she was in for some sort of surprise. Beaucage and co-owner Tommy Morissette started off by announcing a list of $2,000 worth of options they wanted to gift her like a remote start to keep her warm, and a bike rack, since shes a frequent rider.Then El-Achhab interrupted the declaration: C’est nous qui payons votre Kia Soul, or We are going to pay your Kia Soul.Blais croaked out a Really? before starting to cry. Kia means it when it says its cars have the power to surprise.Morissette told Driving.ca that Blais really touched its sales representatives, and everybody at the dealership was so happy luck befell her in particular.She moved us with the work shes been doing for the past 22 years with learning disabilities kids, he said. She said she never won anything in her whole life, but now shes driving one of our vehicles her second Kia were going to take very good care of her, and her Soul.For those wondering if a million vehicles is a big milestone, consider that, these days, about two million new vehicles are sold in Canada every year.When Honda Canada celebrated its 50th anniversary March 2019, the manufacturer of Canadas best-selling car, the Civic, claimed just over four million vehicles
Origin: Kia Canada sells its 1 millionth vehicle in Quebec – and this customer gets her Kia Soul for free
This guy built a working ‘Star Wars’ land speeder in his garage
YouTuber colinfurze has taken Star Wars fandom to the next level by building a full-sized replica of the land speeder Luke Skywalker drives in A New Hope.Showcasing some old-school metal-forming techniques used by coachbuilders, Colin is able to bring a small model of the iconic craft up to 1:1 scale.In fact, he uses the toy speedster replica to get the real things proportions and details right.The body sits atop a stripped-down golf cart, which he bought on eBay for 1,300 pounds (about $2,200). In fact, most of the parts used for the build were sourced from eBay, which sponsored the build.The final product is incredible, and the detail Colin managed to translate into the full-sized replica is immense, right down to the exposed engine cover and the interior. Colin doesnt mention how long it took to build the land speeder, but were guessing it was more than a few days. According to Colin, there have been other fibreglass reproductions, but this is likely the first steel speeder replica ever made.This isnt the first Star Wars build hes done, either; previous projects include an AT-AT tree house of sorts; and Darth Vaders TIE fighter. However, this is the first project hes done that actually moves, and can be driven.The channel is not limited to Star Wars stuff; hes also built a jet-powered go-kart, a hoverbike and a hot tub BMW.Still to come from the YouTuber is a video of the vehicle being driven, and he also says that it will eventually get a paint
Origin: This guy built a working ‘Star Wars’ land speeder in his garage
This Porsche X Lucasfilm starship will get you pumped for the new ‘Star Wars’ film
The Porsche Taycan had an Imperial escort at its recent debut in Singapore, rolling along the black carpet beside a squad of stormtroopers. In fact, Porsche built an entire “spaceport” in collaboration with designers at Lucasfilm for the event, which also hyped the upcoming film Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker. And while those of us in the Western world have already seen the Taycan, we hadn’t laid eyes on the sketches of the spacecraft also co-designed by Porsche and the Star Wars team, presented at the event.The starship combines Porsche and Star Wars design elements for a piece of fantasy machinery that, though it probably wont appear in any actual Star Wars movies, looks like something a young Han Solo would totally enjoy hijacking. Its got bits reminiscent of the X-Wing, Y-Wing and U-Wing with touches of the Taycan.“Even though they do not seem to share many elements at first glance, both worlds have a similar design philosophy,” said Michael Mauer, Vice President Style Porsche at Porsche AG, in a press release. The close collaboration with the Star Wars design team inspires and fascinates us it was a pleasure to present the design process and some sketches together with Doug Chiang in Singapore. We are looking forward to finalizing the fantasy spaceship design within the next weeks.While they wait for said promised final product, super-fans of Porsche, Star Wars or both can nerd out at the Wired microsite dedicated to the build process, which includes videos, insights and even more sketches of the
Origin: This Porsche X Lucasfilm starship will get you pumped for the new ‘Star Wars’ film
This 25,000-piece Hot Wheels collection is for sale for six figures
When someone is set to splash north of a hundred grand on a car collection, it would be logically assumed at least one of the vehicles in the purchase would be able to move under its own power.Not this time. A collector in Virginia is parting with their entire fleet for US$125,000 and theres not a runner among them.Oh, yeah, did we mention its a Hot Wheels collection?An enormous Hot Wheels collection, to be precise. With the seller asserting there are no duplicates, nearly 25,000 of the toy cars are on offer. Like all good car ads, it contains the holy trinity of classified prose: bad grammar, a claim stating they know what they have, and assurances theyre definitely not parting it out.Spotted on a Hot Wheels collector page on Facebook by the gearheads at Hagerty, the ad contains twenty-six pictures of a mammoth Hot Wheels collection. The toy cars line walls, are neatly stacked on shelves and are displayed on a large dining room table. Asking price is in the US$125,000 ballpark according to the seller, though that sum was tossed out in the ads comment section and not in the advertisement copy itself.Everything looks to be meticulously organized and catalogued, with many of the models bearing a colored sticker dot on their box and others methodically arranged by year hung on enormous pegboards. Its a delightfully psychotic attention to detail.While $125,000 is certainly a lot of cheddar, it seems like a veritable bargain when one considers that collector Bruce Pascal once shelled out over $70,000 for a pre-production prototype Volkswagen Beach Bomb Surf Bus in hot pink. That toys current valuation? About double that amount.Included in the asking price are all the displays, so at least youll have a spot to park all these non-running
Origin: This 25,000-piece Hot Wheels collection is for sale for six figures
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