Car Moon

Rinspeed, the Swiss design house that dares to be different, has released real-life photos and additional information on its 2011 Geneva Salon-bound BamBoo, a concept study for a pure-electric beach cart. The latest creation from Rinspeed was jointly developed and built with Swiss engineering firms 4erC and Esoro, and features several innovations.

These include the canopy-like inflatable roof tent, which is covered on the outside with a water-resistant coating while the inner side is made from bamboo threads, and can be used as a beach mattress. In addition, both rear seats are inflatable and stored in two aluminum cases on the open cargo bed, and – they too can be taken to the beach.

The 2011 edition of the Geneva Salon won't open its doors to the press and public for another three months and the organizers haven't even begun promoting the show yet, nevertheless, Frank M. Rinderknecht, the man behind wacky Swiss design house Rinspeed, has already revealed details about the company's all-new Geneva-bound concept model.

It's hard to imagine a Geneva Motor Show without an out-there concept from Frank Rinderkneckt and his Rinspeed brand. And true enough, the Swiss firm will perform the world debut of the all-electric "UC?", a concept micro car that is said to introduce a new mobility concept that integrates individual car ownership and public transportation.

And what exactly does that mean, we hear you ask? Well, according to the Swiss automobile and concept car maker, the UC? features an advanced railcar loading system that allows the driver to cover long distances by train.

For this year's Geneva Motor Show, Swiss tuner and concept car specialist Rinspeed has developed a modified Fiat 500 Abarth study badged "E2" featuring a dual power mode system that affects the engine electronics. What this system does is, with the touch of a button, it reduces the output of the 500 Abarth's 1.4-liter turbocharged engine, from 160HP to 60HP. The 60-horsepower 'Commuting' mode, which is more suitable for city traffic, helps the 500 Abarth achieve an average consumption of around 4.0 lt / 100 km or 58.8mpg U.S.