Awesome Concepts

LEGO Ideas members saabfan and gabriele.zannotti’s proposal for a LEGO set based on the 1968 Fiat 500 L. The scale model of the vintage Italian beetle is made of 1,157 pieces with lots of moving parts. It even has an Abarth 595 variant.

(SPOILERS) Frame by Frame examines what inspired design and visual effects studio Aaron Sims Creative when it conceptualized the appearance of Stranger Things’ Demogorgon and its bizarro-Earth home, the Upside Down.

Brickproject_7540 presents two awesome LEGO Ideas. One is inspired by factory gate and the S.S. Wonkatania from the 1971 version of Willy Wonka, and the other by the factory gate and the delivery truck from Tim Burton’s 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Mercedes’ concept coupé screams style and opulence. The 19+ft-long electric car has four motors that deliver a total of 768hp to its 24″ wheels, can go 62mi with just 5min of charging, and a wrap-around touch-sensitive glass dashboard and augmented reality windshield.

Researchers from ETH Zurich and Disney Research came up with a way to create highly detailed physical replicas of 3D models out of affordable materials. They thermoform the surface of the model to a gypsum mold cast from a 3D printed negative.

As part of Jeep’s 75th anniversary celebration, the company made a one-off homage to the original Jeep – the Willys MB. Based on a Wrangler Sport, the 75th Salute has a 286hp 3.6L V6 engine, a six-speed manual and old school military wheels and graphics.

We absolutely love builder Thommy92’s concept design for LEGO’s Architecture series, based on Tom Wright’s iconic, sailboat-like design of Dubai’s swanky Burj Al Arab hotel. Help get it produced with a vote on LEGO Ideas.

This daft, yet awesome concept design from YasidDESIGN combines the body styling of a Land Rover Defender with the ground-hugging properties of a stock car. Before you off-road and NASCAR purists get your panties in a bunch, it’s only a rendering.

Mercedes-Benz teamed up with luxury golf cart maker Garia to create a concept vehicle that embodies the German automaker’s impeccable sports car aesthetics. It rides on 14″ sports wheels, has a high-tech dashboard, and we love that the grille looks like a giant golf ball.

From Clustertruck developer Landfall Games comes a silly strategy game. Originally made for Castle Game Jam, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator uses ragdoll physics to turn military battles into a QWOP party. Sign up for the alpha here.

These amazing wheels allow a car to not only move in the typical directions, but to turn on a dime or move sideways. Their inventor says they’re driven using 24,000 pounds of torque directly on the tires, and are more precise and durable than prior omni-directional wheels.

Lenovo’s CPlus is a proof-of-concept smartphone that can be bent into a bracelet-like form and then straightened back into a traditional slab, albeit with an alarming cracking sound. Skip to 2:51.

Designed by Kram/Weisshaar for SapienStone, the Smart Slab is a discreetly high-tech table. Underneath its ceramic tabletop are inductive cooking, cooling and heating elements that let you cook and eat on the same surface, as well as keep food warm or cold.

BMW celebrates the 80th anniversary of its pre-WW II street racer with this one-off bobber. The R5 Hommage has a restored 1936 R5 engine, but the rest of it was mostly custom made by BMW Motorrad and Unique Custom Cycles.

BMW celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 2 Series with this fu-manchu’d machine. Inspired by the 2002 Turbo and built on the M2, the 2002 Hommage has racing-inspired spoilers and a carbon fiber stripe, huge wheel arches and the classic mirrored Turbo script up front.

Aston teamed up with Zagato to create the ultimate expression of its Vanquish sports coupe. The concept has bespoke carbon fiber body panels, a 600 hp V12 under the bonnet, a retractable spoiler, cool bladed taillights, and premium interior befitting a true grand tourer.

Honda commissioned designers and big thinkers from Map Project Office and Mori Inc. to conceptualize how autonomous vehicles could improve lives around the globe, and built small prototype models of their seven concept vehicles to help demonstrate. More here.

Thomas Mayer’s Interaction Design thesis project is a table tennis training program. The program is projected onto the playing surface itself, where players can view their stats, try interactive exercises and add visual effects when playing.

The fuel company turns its eye towards conservation, with the design of a city car that can get up to 107mpg (European). The diminutive 3-seater uses smart aerodynamics, lightweight materials and a low-friction engine design to minimize fuel consumption.

Just in time for the Voltron reboot, LEGO Ideas member len_d69 is proposing an official LEGO set of the Lion Force robots based on their classic appearance. The lions can transform and combine into a 16″ 2lb. Voltron mech.

Watchmaker Bell & Ross created a concept car to serve as muse for its new BR 03 AeroGT timepieces. The result is a fighter jet inspired supercar we’d love to see actually produced. Specs include a 602hp twin-turbo V8, a 0-to-60 of 3.0s, and a 200mph-ish top speed.

After selling its 100th FJ, Icon came up with a proof of concept for future FJ models, with new parts such as a supercharged 540hp V8, custom Brembo brakes and custom Fox shocks. The vehicle will be displayed at the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Jeep and Mopar celebrate the Easter Jeep Safari’s 50th anniversary with seven concept off-road rides. The highlight of the batch might be the Trailcat, a Wrangler with the Hellcat’s 6.2L Hemi V8, but the retro Jeep Shortcut has won us over. More here.