Where Cyclepedia was the must-have app for bike lovers, Road Inc. is it for car-lovers. It’s is a museum like experience with fully interactive Anthology of Cars. ‘Richer than the heaviest book, deeper than a video collection, more immersive than a game, Road Inc. offers users a whole new way of experiencing this most rich and fascinating of subject areas – legendary automobiles!’ A truly ‘classic-car enthusiast dream app’ as the NY Times puts it.
The app is made by Bowyer, a group of people with some really interesting apps and projects in their portfolio. Keep an eye on them!

The Dutch web designer Christian Annyas has put together the different designs of Chevrolet’s speedometers over the past 100 years in a very plain and graphical way. ‘Speedometers are those kind of items you look at thousands of times during your life, without ever really noticing. You notice the speed, not the meter. And if you do notice the meter chances are you don’t realize someone actually designed it.’ A really nice overview on a graphical evolution from 1941 to 2011. (Via Aisle One)

I’m almost daily questioning myself why today’s cars are so out-dated. Sure, there are a few smart ingredients, but it’s going so slow… Why isn’t there a proper touchscreen, fabrics that feel good, colors that match in the different materials?
Today, Volvo revealed the Concept You at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and I think this is everything we expect from a 21st century car. Scandinavian design meets smart technology.
To name a few: The car has a wooden floor covered with hand tufted carpet from the world-famous Swedish brand Kasthall. The whole interior fades from dark in the front to light in the rear. The touch screen in the upper part of the centre console remains in sleeping mode until the driver looks at it. A hidden infrared camera registers the eye movements and information is displayed on the screen. Another sensor registers hand movements and triggers the infotainment system’s control mode. The possibilities are different depending on if the screen is approached by the driver or by the front seat passenger. Welcome to the future.

Last week I was invited to LA to drive the new Scion iQ, a compact and super innovative car that will fit in an average pickup trunk. The car, also known as the Toyota iQ in Europe and Asia, will be released with a huge creative campaign, covering the music-, art-, photography- and fashion-scene with exhibitions, concerts, festivals and the launch of a magazine.
Since we’re not the car blog where we will feature all the tech specs but only want to share everything esthetic in lifestyles across the globe, we decided to do a pre-publication of the magazine which will be released September the 17th in the US. A piece of sic-fi where dogs get jetpacks and books have infinite blank pages to fill with lead pencils that would never go dull. Enjoy a story where metal meets sci-fi and fantasy.

“…a black leather-bound journal with infinite blank pages”

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Pre-publication: Grace Perry in Scion Magazine
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Grace Perry, of Phoenix, Arizona metal band Landmine Marathon, decimates listeners with her incredible roar. Perry is a science fiction fan and incorporated elements of this world when creating her ideal space and envisioning what her life would be like within it.

In a space limited to just 10 x 10 x 10 feet, the walls would need to be transparent for me, but mirrors to the outside world. I would use a futuristic projector to offer an ample amount of possibilities for my artificial surroundings. The walls would have to be made of a material that could absorb and repel gravity at my convenience, allowing for space travel. I would be equipped to combat even the most treacherous intergalactic obstacles.

The contents of the room would be minimal but critical. First, I would want a companion of some kind. Right now the only living creature inside my house, excluding myself, is my tortoise, Kitty. He unfortunately does not provide much entertainment, and to be stuck in such a small room with another person might lead to either murder or suicide. So my companion would be a dog, my childhood three-legged chihuahua named Samson, but with a bionic leg and a jet pack.

Also, there would be a library of sci-fi/fantasy novels and a black leather-bound journal with infinite blank pages, along with a lead pencil that would never go dull. The floor would be grass and the light inside the room would not have a direct source. Finally, there would be no visual door of any kind, only a portal that opens periodically every few hours, leading to an unknown destination.

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From the 17th of September you can check out Grace Perry’s science fiction reading list in the interactive version of this issue at scionav.com/scionmagazine20

landminemarathon.blogspot.com

Illustrations by Horsebites

Tomorrow I will visit LA for the presentation of a new car. To get me a little in the mood I stumbled upon this new publication by Assouline: The Impossible Collection of Cars, The 100 most exceptional cars of the twentieth century.
“It is the dream of many to own the world’s most beautifully designed automobiles. In this spectacular, limited-edition volume, each exceptional luxury vehicle featured—from a 1909 Blitzen Benz to a 1997 Porsche 993 Turbo S—was chosen for its revolutionary design, magnificent lines, and head-turning capabilities. This Impossible Collection is presented on cotton paper in a beautiful black rubber presentation box with a cutout metal plate.”
What more do you want than this book (and a yellow Porsche 993 Turbo S)? (Via Acquire)

My favorite car Nº2, straight after the Porsche 912, is Berlinette, a.k.a. the Renault Alpine A110. Built by Jean Rédélé in Dieppe, France, in 1954 and from 1962 till 1978 under the official license of Renault it won the Monte Carlo rally of 1971 with Ove Andersson and it became the first World Rally Champion.
Above a randomly picked set of images from the internet. Let’s hit the road!

My favorite car turned 50. I still remember how my grandmother drove her car and it’s probably the first car I sat in. Designboom celebrates the anniversary of this style icon with a really nice overview of all the Renault 4′s over the past 50 years. Love it!

I love the shape of this monster. The new 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4. ‘Aventador was a bull bred by the Don Celestino Cuardi Vides family that in October 1993 entered into battle at the Saragossa Arena, earning the “Trofeo de la Peña La Madroñera” for the outstanding courage shown during the fight.’ Hope this one wont end like the bulls in the fight…

Yesterday, during the launch of the new Nintendo 3DS, I’ve met Folkert Hengeveld, a fellow Anothersomething reader and heritage junk. At this moment he’s working on a crazy project, and he was so generous to share it with us. Folkert Hengeveld bought this old Medium Wheel Base Toyota LandCruiser (an extremely rare Japanese version) and started restoring the baby, reporting it on this neat little blog. If you like cars, if you like heritage, and if you like true dedication follow Folkert on his journey to make it a beautiful car!

Arrived to market in 1964 and now maybe eliminated and replaced… The incredibly distinguished 911 definitely is my favorite car. Singer Vehicle Design put together the spirit of the delicate 1960′s build 911 until the fast and sophisticated 964/993 series to create the The Singer 911 Concept. A bold, shockingly fast, beautifully build and breathtakingly stylish car in my favorite color. (Photo by Granbery Studios)

Last week, looking for furniture for our new office and Tenue de Nîmes showroom, we found this extreme cool car, the 1981 Delorean DMC 12, in an old barn covered with dust and cat tracks… Let’s make it our next Tenue de Nîmes x Anothercompany car. Haha…