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Orpheus and Eurydice. Pygmalion and Galathea. Cupid and Psyche. Zeus. Hera. Aphrodite. Artemis. Apollo. Narcissus. Atlas. Hercules. Odysseus. Prometheus. Helen. Paris. Achilles. Whoa! If my professor in Greek mythology would give me a memory test, do you think those names would be enough to make me pass the exam? I doubt it. Woe to my memory! At 31, I could say that sometimes, it’s true that it’s not death but forgetting that is the real enemy of man. Sometimes, we tend to busy ourselves about acquiring things, being somebody and going somewhere. The risk? We leave a lot of things (and people) behind. I’m not saying that you should shut change out of your life, no, no, that’s not my point. What I mean here is that at times, the world lures us towards struggling for the wrong things; fighting for the wrong battles, and living and dying for unworthy reasons. The pressure is just so hard, we often think, we don’t have a choice but go on. But you know what? That was one of the world’s biggest lies. And it’s in your hands whether to accept or reject it. Sigh…. Sorry. I’m just a bit serious today. But going back to my memory test, honestly, the results disappointed me. Why? Mind you, my Greek mythology book, the one written by Edith Hamilton, used to be my Bible before. Call me obsessed, I won’t deny it. But that was before. As you can see, I’ve almost forgotten half of the gods and goddesses’ names stored in my mind many years back. Well, that’s part of life. What matters more is that I forget not the names of important people in my life ‘coz they’re worth more than prowess in Greek mythology.

You might be asking why I am too engrossed with this Greek mythology thing when I’m supposed to be dealing with cars, auto news and reviews and other latest biz in the auto industry. Blame it to Giacomo Bertolio. Bertolio, a freelance car stylist from Italy, who designed the concept car called Jana ’08 to be released in his website sometime this year.

Jana ’08 was named after Janus, who according to wikipedia, is the god of gates, doorways, beginnings, as well as endings. He is represented with two faces that look at opposite directions. Thus, he symbolizes change, progression, growth, and transition. That’s precisely what a Jana ’08, a front-wheel-drive coupe, is all about. It features rear-facing seats for optimum weight distribution. According to edmunds.com, Jana ’08 also provides easy access with its scissors-style doors. In addition, it allows easy cargo unloading with its sliding tailgate in its roof. However, because of its rear-facing seats, Bertolio removed the space usually allotted for a vehicle’s trunk. But don’t worry about leaving your home empty-handed ‘coz between its seats is a room for some amount of baggage you might want to carry in your travel.

Furthermore, this four-seater concept car has a maximum speed of 117 miles per hour using its 1.6-liter V4 engine, which produces 110 horsepower. In terms of safety, Jana ’08 contains an airbag, designed to protect all its occupants.

Jana. According to Giacomo, in Sanskrit language, it means, “people” while in the Hindu-European area, it refers to an ancient woman’s name. Amid all this, he stressed that it’s primarily an application of Janus’ characteristic. Seeing what’s behind and what’s ahead at the same time. Whoa! But true! Perhaps, like you and I, Giacomo also marvels at the passage of time. Perhaps, like most people, he also desires to work through it all. But you know what? No technology, no matter how advanced it may be, can outdo the power of God to make things happen and the power of choice He gave us to see the best out of everything that happens.

You may not overcome everything with a Jana ’08 but isn’t it cool to have it around through it all? Wait ‘til it goes for production.

Salone Internationale dell ‘Auto Ginevra. Someone without a gift of language (I call it common sense) might be thinking that it refers to some beauty parlor and must be questioning my masculinity by this time (Everyone’s entitled to his or her own opinion and nothing to worry about, I’m a pacifist, while asleep.) Actually, Salon International de l’Auto is nothing else but the Geneva Motor Show (GMS)—the auto show we’ve been discussing all these time! The Swiss auto show opened the driveway for the hottest and finest production and concept vehicles last March 4 to 16 at Geneva Palexpo. For sure, you’ve already heard about the vehicles which premiered at GMS, which marked Europe’s auto show season. Volvo XC60, Ford Fiesta, Infiniti FX, Volswagen Scirroco and various concept cars you’ve already dreamed about—the Renault Megane, Rinspeed sQuba, Morgan LIFE Car and the Kia Soul concepts.

But of course, there’ll always be some vehicles that will stand out in a crowd of automobiles. In the concept cars category, here are GMS’ Top Eight concepts, published by Inventor Spot. On top of the list is the Audi R8 V12 TDI, designed with a 6.0-liter engine that produces 500 horsepower and 740 ft/lbs of torque. It was followed by the compact Suzuki A-Star, which boasts about its small yet efficient and clean gasoline powerplant. Next on the list was the hottest but least expensive model from Renaultsport—the Renault Twingo RS. A expected, the Renault Megane, with its dragonfly gull-wing doors, made it to GMS’ fourth spot. The Maserati Chicane, a masterpiece of students taking up Arts at the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED), was fifth among the concepts unveiled at Geneva.

Who would dare miss the car which bagged this year’s Best Concept Award? The E85 capable Saab 9-X concept ranked sixth on the list with its 1.4-liter turbocharged engine, which yields 200 horsepower. Same with the sleek Pininfarina Sintesi that features solar panels and fuel cells. With its maximum speed of 155 miles per hour, the stylish Sintesi got the seventh spot. Last on the list was the Giugaru Quaranta, which comes with a convenient interior due to its engine strategically mounted on its central portion.

These concept cars plus other state-of-the-art automobile innovations must be the reason why more or less 715,000 car enthusiasts were lured to the 78th Salone Internationale dell ’Auto Ginevra. See ya next year, for another fantastic Swiss auto show challenge!

It is something people like us often take for granted. Something we don’t even care thanking God for, since it’s been an ordinary part of our daily business. But you know what? This “something” that most of us disregard is sometimes, the ONLY thing someone in this world might be dreaming about. What I’m referring to here is mobility. Mobility allows us to move and go to places whenever we want to. It gives us an opportunity to explore what the world has to offer—from busy cities to quiet country sides. Unfortunately, some people cannot enjoy these little pleasures simply because their feet fail them each time they try to make a single step. Without their wheelchairs, they’ll be no less than paralyzed persons—trapped by their disabilities—deprived of socialization and worse, of chances to grow. With this in mind, Rehab Rt, a Hungarian company which produces and distributes rehabilitation therapeutic and orthopedic products for 90 years now, has developed a vehicle designed to address wheelchair users’ mobility need.

According to Medgadget, the Rehab Kenguru is a concept car designed to be a “vehicle inside a vehicle.” Unlike conventional vehicles, the Kenguru is not equipped with a front seat. Instead, it is replaced by the wheelchair itself, which can roll inside the car via its door located at the back. If you worry about the stability of this “wheelchair driver seat,” well, Kenguru features accessible locks, which allow the driver to remain steady.

Using a joystick, the driver can already maneuver this electric vehicle, which has a topspeed of 40 kilometers per hour. However, isn’t it risky for wheelchair users to drive this car alone? As you can see, this car was designed to fit only one person—the driver, who is a wheelchair user. What if mishaps occur? Another point to consider is the social stigma of being a handicap. Hopefully, using the Rehab Kenguru won’t subject its driver to any form of discrimination while on the highway.

Nevertheless, we cannot discount the mobility that the Rehab Kenguru can provide to wheelchair users who deserve to see the world the way normal people do. As Larry Walters, also known as the “Lawn Chair Pilot” puts it, “A man can’t just sit around.”

The midnight sun. The Bergen Railway, which offers one of the best train journeys worldwide. The Stavanger Region, known as the 2008 European Capital of Culture. The spectacular Lofoten islands. The Hanseatic wharf. These are just some of the reasons why Norway is on top of my list given a chance to travel in Europe (Hopefully, for free). Needless for travel agents to convince me with lavish accounts about the hidden treasures of this Scandinavian country (Though I somewhat envy the kind of work they have), Norway has already captured my heart in many remarkable ways.

However, since I’m an auto journalist, there really are so many things I need to drop from my priorities these days. And unfortunately, one of those is my plan to travel to Norway. But for some stroke of luck (I call it blessing), I think it won’t take me another decade before this job take me to the place of my dream—Norway. A concept car, called Ox, made by Norwegian automaker Think, that’s known for producing electric vehicles, was displayed at the Geneva Auto Show. The Think Ox is a five-seater electric vehicle, which comes in multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) as well as in coupe designs. It is powered by a 60 kW motor that runs via sodium or lithium-ion batteries. These rechargeable batteries require at least 12 hours of charging in order to achieve a range of 124 miles. The Think Ox MPV version is claimed to resemble a taxi featuring a bigger cargo space.

According to a press release published in Pure Green Cars, Think Ox utilized ABS and PP interior sytems allowing it to incorporate 95 percent eco-friendly components in the interior as well as recyclable materials in its exterior. In addition, it also features a solar panel mounted in its roof, which provides a cooling effect inside and delivers power sufficient enough to activate a sound system.

Other remarkable features of the Think Ox include its keyless entry fob setting, high-tech navigation systems and internet connectivity.

The five-door Think Ox has a wheelbase measuring 2775 mm, a length of 4120 mm, and width of 1814 mm.

It can travel with a maximum speed of 130 kilometer per hour. In terms of safety, it boasts of a five star crash rating, which means that it has outstanding safety features.

Indeed, this concept car will spell style and comfort in a much different way when it hit for production in the future. It won’t be too soon, I know. Norway, brace yourself for my arrival.

If you’ve been to Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh and Philippines, most probably, you’ve already got the opportunity to ride on an auto-rickshaw. Auto-rickshaws are three-wheeled small vehicles that are powered by motors. In Asia, particularly in the aforementioned countries, rickshaws are considered as the chief means of transportation. In addition, they also reflect these countries’ rich cultural heritage, with their fancy decorations. Moreover, auto-rickshaws are also considered as great sources of income for the inhabitants of these developing countries. In Bangladesh, for example, the rickshaw business serves as huge sources of income for over 12 million of its population.

As I was browsing the internet, I discovered something, which reminded me of these amusing vehicles. This vehicle wasn’t among the multi-branded concept cars launched at the Geneva Motor Show. In fact, it was first disclosed three years ago. But amazingly, it does still make news up to these days. The SUB G1 is the first-ever product of Southern California-based company SUB. It was engineered by Niki Smart, Nick Mynott and Jay Brett, three friends who share common interests in automotive technology. Like the rickshaw, the SUB G1 is a three-wheeler, influenced by Smart’s “One-up” concept, which mostly deals with vehicles’ “engineering aesthetic” including such features as single seat, superb aerodynamics and optimum performance. Thus, categorizing it is really quite confusing. But because it incorporates three wheels, primarily to achieve equal weight distribution between the engine and the driver, this qualifies the SUB G1 as a motorcycle and not a car. Also, it’s guaranteed to be very efficient via its 1000 cc-Suzuki V-Twin engine, which is capable of producing 135 horsepower and torque that reaches up to 105 Nm. The same engine is utilized in a Suzuki TL 1000R motorcycle.

The SUB G1 was described in Sub3Wheeler as “an ultra dynamic motorcycle concept, combining motorcycle engine technology, in a single seat driving experience.” Having three wheels measuring 200 mm at the back and 180 mm in front, and tires taken from motorcycles, it only weighs 727 pounds or 330 kilograms making it such a fun vehicle to drive. The SUB G1 is a certified customer-fit product with standard seats as well as pedals mounted on its floor, which can accommodate occupants who are 6’8”” up to 5’10” tall.

If you will notice, the SUB G1 looks so meticulously built. Actually, it is. SUB made sure that each component of this vehicle is carefully chosen and well-assembled. Maximizing the skills they’ve gathered from their previous work experiences–Smart, as designer also fabricator, known for the Aston Martin Vantage concept and the Ariel Atom sports car; Brett, industrial design expert and Mynott, a digital modeler, helped the team to use advanced 3D surfacing software to create the SUB G1 out of cost-effective yet top-of-the-line quality components. It also allowed them to adjust its speed as well as reduce vehicle construction errors for a complete package SUB G1 package oozing with style and quality.

Although the SUB G1 was originally intended for production, at present only three makes of this vehicle is in use worldwide—one in United Kingdom and two in United States, reports from Diseno-art said. Both have been tested to cover about 1000 miles efficiently.

Though nothing beats the fun of exploring new places, with an SUB G1, you won’t miss a rickshaw ride experience, even without traveling to Asia. That’s the power of innovation.

You know Pablo Picasso, right? How about Georges Braque? I’m not an artist, but there’s really something about visual art that I find so captivating. I guess, for me, it’s the challenge of seeing a masterpiece from the eyes of its maker–from a (trying hard) artist’s point of view, that is.

Just recently, while looking for something of much importance to me (Don’t bother to ask what) from my old pile of documents, I stumbled upon my hand-out in Humanities, which tackled one of my favorite topics back in college (I’m serious, I really had fun while learning this!): Cubism. If you’re also familiar with this topic, for sure you recognize Picasso and Braque–early painters who developed this famous form of art, in France in 1906.

Cubism is a form of abstraction in which geometric forms such as sphere and cubes are used to express a subject, as a means of following the statement, “Everything in nature takes its form from the sphere, the cone, and the cylinder.”

The same philosophy must have struck Japanese auto manufacturer Nissan as it unveils its revamped Nissan Cube, set to be released in the United States auto market later this year or early in 2009. The Nissan Cube is a utility-mini multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), which has a shape similar to that of a bus. Ever seen a bus? That’s it, square-shaped (Almost rectangular, actually) only that the Nissan Cube is half its size. Reports from Topspeed said that this vehicle runs with a maximum speed of 85 miles per hour using a 1.8-liter petrol engine that produces 90 horsepower. In addition, the Nissan Cube has an approximate fuel consumption ranging from 37 to 40 miles per gallon.

According to wikipedia, the Nissan Cube was first launched in Japan ten years ago and twenty percent of this 5-door hatchback was originally intended for disabled car buyers. In 2004, Nissan released the second generation of Nissan Cube, which featured more space inside. A year later, a seven-seater Nissan Cube, with a 1.4-liter engine and an “e4WD” system,” or electric four wheel, which includes an engine that boosts the vehicle’s front wheels as well as an electric-assist that propels the rear, hit the Japanese auto market. The e4WD, as explained in Autobloggreen, is a type of hybrid that utilizes a generator as a substitute to batteries in order to power its electric motors.

The next generation of Nissan Cube set to arrive in Europe and North America carries the features of the previous ones. Simple yet very functional. In fact, it was described in a press release as “From first glance, it looks like a child’s first attempts at auto design…some watchers in the industry say the Cube has the face that only a mother would love.” But that same typical cube shape makes the Nissan Cube unique from other contemporary vehicles. Why? Simply because it gives more space, enough to deliver convenience to its occupants—remember how a box works?

Two boxes working together and you get a Nissan Cube. One box in this vehicle is used to house its engine while the other one functions as a shelter to its occupants. You can just imagine the efficiency this vehicle can deliver.

I agree with what the press release further said about the Nissan Cube: “The wisdom of the Cube is the acumen of all cubes: Effectiveness is beauty. Experts say that to get ahead in the competition, one has to think outside the box. Well, Nissan thought of a box whilst doing that.”

So next time you see a box, look at it intently and expect another world-famous work of art or innovation.

Now let me test your knowledge in General Information. What do you think does Saab mean? I could almost see you typing http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Saab in your address bar. But before you get confused which among the 23 acronym meanings, provided by that website am I referring to, let me give you a clue: It is a car company.

Okay, okay. So much for your agony. The SAAB I’m referring here stands for Swedish Airplane Company. Before you think that I’m cheating you, that wasn’t actually an acronym but a translation. Before Saab became known as an auto company, it was originally conceived in 1939 to manufacture airplanes during the First World War, which were used by the Swedish air force. Just like any forms of business, Saab deemed that it has to diversify its products after the world war. In 1949, Saab ventured to car-making.

At present, there’s no doubt that Saab has really gone a long way. In fact, at the ongoing Geneva Motor Show, Saab’s latest concept, the SAAB 9-X BioHybrid, bagged the Best Concept Award.

In an interview with World Car Fans, Anthony Lo, director of advanced design for General Motors (GM) Europe, said that they were surprised to receive such an important recognition.

“The 9-X BioHybrid is a vision of what a future compact car from SAAB could look like. It is designed to reflect the priorities of youthful customers who seek progressive looks, responsible performance and high-tech communications, all in a sporty, fun-to-drive package,” Lo added.

The Saab 9-X BioHybrid was crafted based from Aero X concept design, shown in Geneva last 2006 as well as from the 9X concept, displayed in 2001 at Frankfurt. It runs on ethanol with its 1.4-liter turbo-charged cylinder engine, which delivers 200 horsepower. In addition, it features an advanced GM Hybrid System, capable of producing 147 kW. Furthermore, using E85, it has an acceleration ranging from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 7.9 seconds. On the other hand, with gasoline, the 9-X’s acceleration could take about 8.3 seconds. Moreover, it boasts of solar power, better aerodynamics, fuel efficiency of 36.8 miles per gallon and reduced carbon emissions. With ethanol, the Saab 9-X emits 105 g/km of carbon dioxide while on gasoline it moves up to 117 117 g/km, reports from Autobloggreen, said.

Inside, the three-door 9-X BioHybrid incorporates high-tech entertainment system such as iPod and Mp3. It can accommodate four passengers, who can enjoy Scandinavian ambience with its adjustable white lighting on the cabin, set to mirror the transition of seasons as well as Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity.

In a press release, Lo stressed that the Saab 9-X BioHybrid just manifests that converting concept works into a compact format is possible.

“It (the Saab 9-X BioHYbrid) has a number of features which will be developing further, such as the new driver-focused design theme, the importance of clean, uncluttered surfaces and the easy, seamless connectivity inside the car,” he said.

This was supported by Saab Managing Director Jan Ake Johnson, who, in a similar press release, said that the 9-X BioHybrid redefined the typical design of compact car.

“It shows how progressive Saab design can be combined with smart features and responsible, rightsizing performance that is in tune with the expectations of younger buyers in this segment,” Johnson said.

Other remarkable features of the Saab 9-X BioHybrid include a keyless entry as a replacement for door handles and rear-view camera pods as substitute for door mirrors. Safety is also a top priority in this concept car. It employs a Lane Departure Warning (LDW) function, which feeds the driver with warning messages via a camera.

On March 19, the Saab 9-X BioHybrid will have its North American debut at the New York International Auto Show.

It really pays to choose your friends. I mean, to surround yourself with equally-weird (I call it brainy) and young at heart individuals who would encourage you to watch cartoons as their special way of saying: KEEP DREAMING BIG, MY FRIEND. Most often that not, they influence my sphere of thought, speech and actions. (I’m not sure if they feel the same way about me, it doesn’t matter anyway.) But going back, on my quest for a fun cartoon series, I came across Doraemon. Haven’t heard anything about it? Well, it’s okay. I understand, I’m unique. Doraemon is a Japanese animated series which stars a robotic cat named Doraemon who time-travelled from the 22^nd century and befriended Nobita. In general, it is a comical TV show (Since ‘twas originally intended for kids) but unlike your ordinary cartoon show, Doraemon features lessons about courage, perseverance humility and other virtues, every child must learn and every grown-up must remember. In fact, because of its mass-appeal, Doraemon made it to the list of Time Asia magazine’s 22 Asian Heroes.

But before you forget that you’re supposed to learn something new about the auto industry, let me tell you this: I suggest you grab a copy of Doraemon DVDs. I don’t know how you’ll do it but I’ll keep my fingers crossed ‘til you get one. Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to send me a copy. In case you fail to get one, just look at this concept car, made by Nissan. Doraemon exacty looks this cute. This concept car made by Nissan Motor Company, one of the largest Asian automaker, based in Japan, is called the Nissan Pivo 2. If you have time (and of course, money to spend), you may come at the ongoing Geneva Motor Show and see this Doraemon-look-alike car on display.

Inhabitat, a website that promotes sustainability through technological and innovative advancements, said that the Nissan Pivo 2 comes with a personal robot, named RA, which stands for Robot Assistant (RA), that’s capable not only of talking but of detecting the driver’s mood as well, thus, paying high attention to effective and safe driving. Cool. I wonder how life would be if people would allow themselves be installed with the same software that enables RA to infer and divert the driver’s state of mind? Then everyone will surely find some good friends, and some true enemies (Laughing out loud).

Nissan Motor Senior Manager Masahiko Tabe, told Just-Auto, that RA, who comes with camera eyes and orange light-emitting-diodes (LED) smiling mouth, is Nissan’s way of expanding its navigation system. He added, “But the most important thing is good relations between the driver and the vehicle so I think we need some of the (features) like robotic sensing (to increase the human driver’s trust in the robot.”

Being an electric car, the Nissan Pivo 2 has a special electric motor, which delivers a doubled amount of power that a standard electric motor can produce. In addition, each wheel of this car is equipped with motors. Together, these motors can generate a torque that equals that of a V8 engine and power equivalent to a subcompact vehicle. Moreover, it also incorporates a lithium-ion battery, similar to the size of a standard battery, but twice its capacity.

However, if you have two or more friends, experiencing a ride to the Nissan Pivo 2 will surely bring you headaches, ‘coz its rotating cabin (Yeah, it can rotate for about 360 degrees, while its wheels can turn up to 90 degrees) can only accommodate three average-sized persons.

The Nissan Pivo 2 concept car was first launched last October at the Tokyo Motor Show while a production version of this car will hit the roads by 2010.

It really pays to choose your friend. And two years of waiting for another one is worth it.