Awesome Rides

Focus Designs’ SBU (Self Balancing Unicycle) gets an unofficial endorsement (and some wheeltime) from MythBuster’s Adam Savage; Adam’s analysis? “It feels like the future!”

It’s not quite an M, but BMW’s 2011 Z4 sDrive35is gets an extra 35 hp/32 lb-ft of torque (+69 lb-ft with overboost), a deeper exhaust note, M Sport Suspension, and light-alloy 18″ wheels.

Santa’s Sleigh gets future-proofed for the next decade above; basically a what’s what of future GE tech, this reindeer-less ride boasts OLED lighting, icephobic coatings, and sodium batteries.

Aston Martin’s DBS and V12 Vantage Carbon Black are back-to-back black; each sports carbon fiber/Kevlar seats, black leather stitching, and a piano black dash. Thanks, James!

It sounds like a used car, but Ford’s 1995 GT90 is neither used or just a car: the 250+ mph concept supercar gets auctioned 1/21/10 with a 6.0L V12 and an all-carbon fiber body.

Triumph’s 2010 Thruxton Special Edition is a café-racer style bike with a powder-coated red frame, Crystal White paint, blacked-out engine, and a top-of-the-line 865cc parallel twin.

RaceChairs’ automotive-inspired cuff links let even desk jockeys stay at the track; they include brakes, shifters, steering wheels, and speedometers with silver polished silver finishes.

Mercedes Benz’ 2010 E-Class Cabriolet focuses on all-year drivability with an acoustic soft top, turbulence reduction, and neck-level heating; it tops out with the 388 hp E 500 convertible.

Audi’s new creme-de-la-creme A8 also gets Mountain View’s best of breed: drivers will be able to navigate in 3D using Google Earth on an 8″ LCD screen thanks to a built-in UMTS modem.

Love it or hate it, but you have to give MINI props for having the cojones to show off this Beachcomber Concept; it strips out the doors and adds AWD for a decidedly non-urban vehicle.

MIT’s Copenhagen Wheel is more than just a wheel: it uses regenerative braking to turn any bike into a hybrid and connects to a smartphone to serve as a personal trainer and navigator.

Calling all evil (but eco-friendly) movie villains: Julien Anglade’s 150-meter Ikkar yacht concept is not only powered by solar sails but can transform into a larger vessel while at sea.

Kepler Motors’ Motion is a hybrid supercar with one law of motion: fast; a 3.5L V6 and electric motor each provide 550 hp and 250 hp, good for a 0-60 of 2.5s and >200 mph top speed.

We can see Steve McQueen tearing up the backroads with Moto Guzzi’s Griso 8V SE; it sports a 110 hp/85 lb-ft engine, blacked-out powertrain, stitched leather seat, and Italian colors.

The RDSport RS46 completely reworks BMW’s M3; it features an F1-style 4.6L V8 with stainless steel parts and carbon/Kevlar bumpers, plus an upgraded suspension, brakes, and rims.

Possibly the fastest production car ever built, 9ff’s GT9-R is an 1120 hp monster with a 257.2 mph top speed and a 0-300 kph of 15.8 s; the street legal car will be limited to 20 units.

Edo Competition’s Lamborghini Gallardo LP600/4 gets a new front spoiler lip and 600 hp, good for 211 mph; it also sports an adjustable suspension system and three-piece 19″ wheels.

Trek teams up with Lance Armstrong for a one-of-a-kind custom version of their District Carbon bike; it features a yellow belt drive, Pauls brake levers, matte finish, and chopped bars.

Bred purely for the track, the 2010 Dodge Viper ACR-X pumps out 640 hp thanks to new headers and exhaust, sheds 160 pounds, and gets a roll cage, fuel cell and race seat.

The Donkervoort D8 GT’s long snout gets prepped for a long haul at 24 Hours of Dubai this January; the endurance version gets improved brakes, CF sandwich panels, and a rear diffuser.

Minimal exterior mods make Wimmer RS’ Volkswagen GTI an ideal sleeper: a new turbo and engine tweaks boost the 2.0 L TFSI from 211 hp to 386 hp and 336 lb-ft of torque.

Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, aka the VSS Enterprise, has been unveiled; with the help of VMS Eve, it’ll ferry 6 passengers and 2 pilots to the edge of space starting in 2011 for $200k.

You won’t go to hell, but Brimstone’s Quadracycle may land you in jail: made in the USA, this 4-wheeled hot rodding beast tops out at 750 hp and goes 0-60 in 2.8 seconds.