Carmakers are constantly coming up with new innovations to advance the automobile. But, let’s face it: most of them are rather evolutionary, rather than revolutionary. That’s why, every once in a while, the auto industry needs some creative out-of-the-box thinking. And that’s where Frank M. Rinderknecht comes in.

The brain behind Rinspeed never fails to raise some eyebrows with his innovative twists on the automobile which he invariably unveils at the annual Geneva Motor Show. And here we have this year’s debut.

Called the Dock+Go mobility concept, the Rinspeed design provides an interesting approach to a modern problem: While city cars (like the Smart ForTwo upon which this concept is based) may be a practical solution for those living in crowded cities, they don’t offer the kind of capacity needed for longer trips. Rinspeed’s solution isn’t to make the city car bigger, but to make it expandable with a third set of wheels and an extended cargo box.

The resulting appendage not only gives drivers some extra space for hauling what they’ve got, it also offers extra battery capacity. Plus, the rear wheels recharge the battery pack, giving the industry more to think about when it comes to extending the range – and space – of electric vehicles.

Continue reading Rinspeed expands capacity with Smart ForTwo-based Dock+Go concept

Rinspeed expands capacity with Smart ForTwo-based Dock+Go concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nothing communicates the Miami Vice-era coke-dealer ethos like a slantnose Porsche 911 Turbo. Nothing, that is, except this 1986 Rinspeed Porsche 911 R69.

The loony Swiss outfit put its twist on the Flachbau by adding hot pink paint, color-matched wheels, the requisite body kit, and Testarossa-inspired side slats. Inside, Rinspeed installed power seats, the best hi-fi audio 1986 had to offer, and steering-wheel controls that would give Ray LaHood a nervous breakdown today.

True to the era that spawned it, this car’s looks were dated almost before it left the factory floor.

In a strange way, though, that’s part of its appeal. If you’ve got ,000 to pony up, this Rinspeed R69, claimed to be the only one in the U.S., can be yours. Check out the entire eBay listing, or eyeball the photo gallery above for the whole plasticky package.

eBay Find of the Day: Rinspeed Porsche 911 R69 is spectacularly Eighties originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 08 Oct 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rinspeed‘s oddball creations are as much rare birds as they are strange ones. Every year we arrive in Geneva and take a good long look at the latest one before moving on, and then the cars are never to be seen again. And we wouldn’t expect any different from this year’s bizarre concept car.

Called the BamBoo, it’s the Swiss firm’s vision of a modern-day, all-electric, open-air beach buggy of sorts, and, like its predecessors, bears little in the way of resemblance to any other car on the road today. Well, maybe the old Fiat Jolly, Mini Moke and any number of fiberglass-bodied dune buggies…

So if you want to take a closer look at the BamBoo in its intended natural habitat – Saint-Tropez – check out the quartet of videos after the jump. Because the show will soon be over, and so will the car that Rinspeed built for it. Oh, and guys: looks like the driver above is single… says so right at the front of the car.

[Source: Caradisiac]

Continue reading Videos: Rinspeed BamBoo takes us on vacation from Geneva to Saint-Tropez

Videos: Rinspeed BamBoo takes us on vacation from Geneva to Saint-Tropez originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rinspeed has unleashed a mammoth collection of photos featuring its upcoming BamBoo. We eagerly await spying this grown-up golf-cart (their words) in person at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The photos are heavy on the stylized portrayal of wealthy youth enjoying a summer in Saint-Tropez, yet they reveal little of what’s under the BamBoo’s skin.

We do know that its German-made 54-kW electric motor will allow speeds of up to 75 miles per hour and that its battery (unknown chemistry) offers 65 miles of range. What’s more, it appears that there may be a bicycle or two taking up residence in the rear cargo area. Tech junkies will surely appreciate the included seven-inch (Android-powered?) tablet computer.

The photos are fun to look at (get a load of the inflatable roof that also serves as a beach blanket) and help give us an idea of what to expect when we finally train our own lenses on the real-life version of the BamBoo. In the meantime, feel free to check out the press release after the break.

[Source: Rinspeed]

Continue reading Rinspeed BamBoo frolics in the sunshine ahead of Geneva

Rinspeed BamBoo frolics in the sunshine ahead of Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There’s a lot of adjectives you could ascribe to Rinspeed’s wild creations. After all, each one is as different from the one that came before as it is from any other car on the road or the show stand. So if we had to pick one, it would be “unique.” And the latest Geneva-bound BamBoo concept car is no exception.

Initially released about a month back, the BamBoo is an off-beat concept for an easy-going car-about-town designed for vacation homes and resort destinations. A grown-up golf cart is what the quirky Swiss designer itself calls the vehicle. But in case it wasn’t unique enough, Rinspeed has now taken measures to make it even more so.

Teaming up with pop artist James Rizzi, the BamBoo has been turned into the kind of rolling canvas we know as an Art Car. But despite the image above, as well as the usual formula that calls for an all-enveloping design, by the time the veil lifts at the Geneva Palexpo in March, Rizzi will have applied his – there’s that word again – unique talents only to the vehicle’s inflatable roof surface. There will also be a little bird on the B pillar that, like a mood ring, is supposed to convey the occupants’ disposition to the world passing them by. Follow the jump for the full press release.

[Source: Rinspeed]

Continue reading Rinspeed BamBoo concept pops its top with artist Jamez Rizzi

Rinspeed BamBoo concept pops its top with artist Jamez Rizzi originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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