Awesome Rides

The Lumen is an urban bicycle with a retro-reflective coating. By day its frame and fork appear to be dark gray, but by night they both glow white under direct light. You can also pledge $499++ for just the frame and fork.

The NM4’s “neo-futuristic” design was inspired by manga and anime. It has a 745cc twin-cylinder engine that produces 50bhp and 50lb.ft. of torque. It will also have a variant that doesn’t have the wide rear utility boxes.

Behind the wheel of this powerful 2500hp Peterbilt semi is stunt driver Mike Ryan, as he does his best Ken Block impression hooning around between freight containers and evading capture. Ignore the acting. Enjoy the driving.

When European car maker SEAT invited guests to try the new Cupra, they thought they were going to try it in a simulator. Little did they know that the sim was an actual car, with blacked-out windows and video monitors for the driver.

Infiniti Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo takes on F/A-18 Hornet pilot Michael Keightley in an epic demonstration of speed on the ground and in the air, while comparing notes on how they each arrived at their incredible careers.

A preview of Volvo’s future station wagons, the Concept Estate is what hatchbacks look like when they grow up. It has a sleek silhouette and a luxurious interior covered in wood, wool, leather and copper. More on 95Octane.

The Quant e-Sportlimousine is a 912hp electric car powered by a flow battery, which generates energy by mixing electrolytes dissolved in water. Apparently this makes refueling nearly as fast as with a gas-powered car. More here and here.

Audi’s technology will tell you what speed to maintain so you’ll pass through the next traffic light when it’s green. It also counts down to the next green light if you’re already stopped at a red light. More here and here.

Rinspeed imagines how high-end cars might look like when autonomous driving technology matures. Based on the Tesla Model S, the XchangE is basically a compact hotel on wheels. With a motel bathtub paint job. More here.

The Zetros is a 6×6 all-wheel drive vehicle with a 326hp 2.7L 6-cylinder engine. These two units were custom built for hunting in Mongolia. It has modern amenities such as a marbled bathroom, a bedroom, a 46″ TV and a quad bike bay.

Leave it to the wizards at McLaren to build a convertible with virtually the same specs as its hard-top brother. The 650S Spider still goes 0-to-60 in 3.0 secs, and only weighs 88lbs. more. Though top speed is “only” 204mph, not 207.

The heir apparent to the GranTurismo, the Maserati Alfieri 2+2 shares the GT MC Stradale’s 460hp 4.7L V8 engine, and has a body inspired by the 1954 A6-GCS3 race car. More details and pics on 95Octane.

An all-terrain bicycle with 4″ wide tires and a 350w motor. Its 36v battery is removable and lets you go up to 20mph for up to 20mi. It also has an aluminum alloy body, 7-speed Shimano gear system and a control panel.

AMS Performance uses engineering wizardry to turn a stock 550hp Mercedes-Benz AMG E63 4MATIC into a 700hp animal – without changing a single part. It’s all done in software. Go behind the scenes at AMS on 95Octane.

Looking like it jumped out of an anime, the Civic Type R Concept has a 276hp 2L 4-cylinder turbocharged engine, a massive rear spoiler, wide front and rear fenders and 20″ wheels. A production version is expected in 2015.

The Smart rear-view mirror has a hidden LCD monitor. At the flick of a switch the driver can switch to a live feed from a camera mounted at the rear of the vehicle to get a view unobstructed by passengers or cargo at the back.

The Eve is the polar opposite of Bandit9’s Nero Mk II. It’s equally pencil-thin, but all chrome and curves. Based on a ’67 Honda SS, it will be available in 90cc to 125cc engines. It will also be available with a bronze finish.

Its 5L turbocharged V8 produces 1,360hp at 7,500rpm and a crazy 737lb-ft. of torque at just 3,000rpm. Mate that with its lightweight carbon fiber monocoque and 3D printed internals and you have a rocket ship that aims to hit 280mph.

Timbersled’s conversion kits let you transform dirt bikes from off-roaders into self-propelled snow-eaters which can tear up powdery slopes like a snowmobile, and catch some air as you jump over mounds of snow.

The family man’s best bet at owning a Jaaaag. The XFR-S Sportbrake is powered by the same 5L supercharged V8 that’s in the XFR-S, XKR-S and F-Type R, only this time you can hit 186mph with your loved ones and luggage in tow.

Online auto show Big Muscle calls this enchanting customized 1920s hot rod “a gold mine of imagination.” Ben McCloy and his friend made the car as a labor of love. It returned the favor by opening doors to new opportunities.

A street-legal bike that bears Paton’s rich racing history on its sleeve – or at least on its fairing. The beautiful S1 Strada has a 72bhp 649cc two-cylinder engine and goes up to about 134mph. Skip to around 1:50 to see it in action.

Motor Trend’s online show Roadkill is about getting clunkers and pushing them to the limit. For its 25th episode, the hosts take a look back and then gather the cars that they still have on hand for a fun series of challenges.