2008 Los Angeles Auto Show: Extreme Concept Designs

Motoring Channel Staff - 22/October/2008

Los Angeles, America  — The end of the year is always a busy time for automakers: it's motor show season.

In the last month we've had this year's biggest motor show, Paris, and no more than a week later the Australian International Motor Show bobbed up. 

Now it's time for America to have it's last big show for the year with the LA Motor Show, before we move to Detroit early in 2009.

Along with the usual range of new cars and products, the 2008 Los Angeles Motor Show will also be home to some wild new concept designs, which you can read about below.

Every year the L.A. Auto Show is host to a design competition, and this year's theme is "Motor Sports vehicle for 2025".

Because Los Angeles has one of highest concentrations of auto design studios on the globe, some of the designers have gone all out in 2008:

Mitsubishi Motors MMR25

This concept car is one of the wildest designs we've ever seen here at the Motoring Channel, first and foremost because of its running gear. 

The Mitsubishi MMR25 features bizarre-looking wheels, if you could call them that.

Half-way between a combine harvester's blades and Michelin's conceptual Tweel, these rubber coated 'blade' structures give the MMR25 the kind of go-anywhere ability that most 4WDs would die for.

As the photos show, snow and sand are no obstacle for this design concept which is purpose built for both tarmac and off-road surfaces. 

Mitsubishi calls the MMR25 an 8x4 wheel drive vehicle.

The 'bladed' wheels are omni-directional, which means the car can be facing one direction and moving in another. Would it need two steering wheels?

Mitsubishi's designers say this form of motion can aid the vehicle on race tracks because it can be perfectly aligned for corner exits before passing the apex, which is an interesting idea.

This concept vehicle has also got a number of rally racing options available to it and who knows? We could be seeing cars like this racing around in 2025 [it's doubtful - Ed].

Engine type is unknown, but is expected to be cold fusion or hydrogen powered which would give the car an explosive turn of speed with almost zero CO2 emissions.

It's also unknown where the driver and/or passengers sit, because the body appears to have been a design of form over function. However there are two small slits either side of the central snout that could be viewing portals.

The front and rear suspension struts are aerodynamically designed, in essence performing two jobs. As well as suspending the car and reducing surface impact, the suspension struts are quasi front and rear aero aids, acting like spoilers or wings to improve downforce and tyre blade grip.

Concept Wow Factor: 4.5/5

Mazda Kaan

It's not only the design of the Mazda Kaan that leaves us speechless, but the inner workings proposed by Mazda's designers.

The design features a 3-pronged approach, sort of like a high performance, wind tunnel-tested trike: the rear wheel drives the Kaan, the front wheels steer it.

Powered by electric motors, the aggressive concept design presumes that in the year 2025 all Californian freeways will contain an electro-conductive polymer underneath the top asphalt layer, which will power all electric vehicles - including the Kaan.

The high-tech wheel system would draw electricity from beneath the road surface, which powers the electric motors.

Mazda says the concept vehicle was designed with racing in mind, hence the low ride height, and would compete in the E1 instead of F1 championship. 

With no CO2 emissions, and in conjunction with a high-tech tyre and wheel system, the single-seater Mazda Kaan racer can reach speeds of more than 400km/h (250mph)!

Another interesting facet of Mazda's idea of a motor sports vehicle in the year 2025 is the idea of slip-streaming. 

The Japanese car maker proposes than in a 30 vehicle E1 race, the Kaan's ability to draft behind other vehicles would be the key to a podium finish.

Mazda talks about the concept vehicle's aerodynamic efficiency, which is improved in packs. It likens the idea to that of cycling peletons you'd see in the Tour De France, where the leader helps to drag everyone else along.

Concept Wow Factor: 3/5

Honda: The Great Race 2025

Honda has it's finger in a number of pies. As well as designing and manufacturing cars and motorcycles, it also makes boats, planes, and other modes of transport, which is why it has proposed The Great Race 2025.

Harking back to the famous 'Great Race' of 1908, where 17 competitors raced right around the world, Honda has developed this concept vehicle that can drive on land, float on sea, and fly through the air.

The idea is that the Great Race would be reinstated and, with its daring new concept vehicle, competitors in the year 2025 would traverse the Americas by land, Asia by sea, and Europe by air.

It's an idea that would make grueling events like the Dakar Rally look positively humble, and Honda's vehicle that could accomplish such a bold trek is very interesting.

Essentially a high-tech transformer, it utilises Honda's knowledge in robotics to change forms and the vehicle has three modes and can switch between them for the different legs of the Great Race.

There's the racing car mode, used for driving, the power boat mode for crossing bodies of water, and the air-wing mode for flying high.

Power is likely to come from an advanced electric generator system, possibly powered by radioactive crystals harvested from Mars.

Honda claims that to make this race a reality, which shows off Honda's expertise in all areas of transport, the vehicle would need to have highly advanced sensors that detect changes in speed, terrain and altitude.

Concept Wow Factor: 4/5

And who knows, maybe one of these three amazing race car concepts could inspire the way we move around our environments 17 years into the future? 

We believe that the Mitsubishi could take the honours in the competition, but there are entries from almost all makes across the world so it will be interesting to see which futuristic racing vehicle is judged the winner.

The Los Angeles Motor Show begins on the 17th of November, 2008.

Related Links:
- Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart + TMR Triton (2008)
- Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (Road Test)
- Mazda3 (2009)
- Mazda Kiyora Concept (2008)
- Mazda6 MPS (Road Test)
- Honda City (2009)
- Honda Civic Hybrid (Road Test)
- Honda Insight Concept (2008)
- Honda Jazz (2008)
- Honda Accord Euro (2008)