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Gordon Murray reveals new Batmobile, Dark Knight gets serious about reducing carbon footprint
So you've finished building your Batman Forever-style Batmobile, your Tumbler's up on blocks in the front yard, and you're itching for a new project. It's not too early to start planning a DIY version of Gordon Murray's newly unveiled Bat-ride (part of the Batman Live World Arena Tour). The designer drew on his experience with the McLaren F1 for his new concept car, which includes a healthy dose of imagineering: there's a carbon-fiber body that "breathes," as well as LED-lit "virtual wheels." We're not sure how carbon fiber breathes or what virtual wheels are, but as Murray explains in the video below, they're based on Formula One materials as he imagines them 15-20 years from now. He also envisions a greener Dark Knight, whose ride runs on hydrogen fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries -- no longer will the caped crusader suffer a guilty conscience due to his excessive carbon dioxide emissions.
British Grand Prix: A rare glimpse behind the McLaren-Mercedes F1 team (video)
Jealous much? Don't be. I had to sacrifice my ears to the roaring engines at Silverstone last Friday, just for you lovely people. While the Formula One teams were taking a break from the Grand Prix practice sessions, I was able to sneak into the pit area and get up close to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes' shiny stallions -- no touching allowed, naturally, but I did learn a thing or two about their pre-race preparation. And to top things off, legendary driver Jenson Button also popped by to share some thoughts on McLaren's F-duct system (a cunning and legal trickery that lets the driver's left leg redirect airflow over the rear wing in order to stall the flap, thus reducing drag when doing straights), as well as a few grumbles about the sharp corners on the recently renovated circuit. Video's after the break, and be sure to crank up your speakers for maximum sensation.%Gallery-97407%
Vodafone launches trio of McLaren handsets from Sharp / Samsung
While we caught wind of Vodafone's plans to release a Mercedes McLaren-edition of Sharp's 770SH during our stint at CES, it seems that the carrier has now gone official with its plans, and tossed in two more special edition handsets for good measure. Partnering with the McLaren Formula 1 racing team, the duo has slapped that silver and red branding on the Sharp GX29 clamshell and the Samsung SGH-Z520M slider, and although we doubt the specs will change on any of these three mobiles, owners are sure to get a few glances from the updated aesthetics, and racing aficionados will appreciate the specialized Formula 1 news that will be delivered through Vodafone Live! throughout the season. Currently, details are scant with regard to pricing, specs, and availability, but we're sure it won't be too long before Vodafone offers its newfangled trio up to get a few motors running. Click on through for a few more glamor shots.[Via BenzInsider, thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sharp 770SH MILILITER gets McLaren makeover on Vodafone
McLaren isn't a stranger to spiffing up an otherwise run-of-the-mill handset, but the whole "automobile-electronics" partnership is most commonly associated with the bevy of high octane lappies out there. Nevertheless, it looks like Vodafone has picked up Sharp's Mercedes McLaren-branded 770SH, and aside from sporting an ultrathin, sexy enclosure dashed in red, silver, and black, it also boasts a central LCD on the lid, 320 x 240 inner screen, 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, a paltry 5MB of internal memory, miniSD slot, MP3 playback, Vodafone Live compatibility, USB connectivity, and 220 minutes of reported talk time. Although the luxurious title may force you to ponder which fixed assets you'll need to liquidate to afford all this, thankfully the pricetag is rather reasonable, as you can apparently pick this gem up in about two weeks for just €69 ($91) with a new agreement. Click on through for a more snapshots.[Via Xataka]
