This isn’t an espresso machine that fits inside of a formula one racer, but it does look super fast with those two dials on top and the handle that looks like it could be a shifter. It was designed by Tadahito Ishibashi for Japanese retailer deviceSTYLE. The pod-espresso machine Brunopasso PD-1 sports a modular design concept that is actually inspired by the sports cars of the 60’s.

They took several automobile design elements like the gearshift-like handle made from beech wood, and the gauges. You would think that with such cool design it would be one of the most expensive espresso makers, but it’s not. It’s up there at $850, but still affordable. Make your coffee feeling like you are going about 120 mph, then shift gears and drink up, feeling like you’re going a jittery 150.

We’ve seen our share of concept cars, but Jorge Cross’s amphibious vehicle design for the year 2030 blows us away because it’s like a walk down memory lane thanks to it’s obvious retro sci-fi roots. It’s as beautiful as it is strange.

The three-wheeler actually has a large ball in front that rotates 90° to reveal a propeller or tire. Tire by land or propeller by water. The sleek chassis design was a study on the theories of hydrodynamics and how they work with a vehicle’s shape. Jorge Cross is a student at the University of Monterrey in Nuevo León, Mexico. Great job. We have to get these on the road soon. Not that many of us could afford one.

BMW has one hell of new concept car on their hands. It’s known as the GINA Light Visionary Model. It uses a seamless, plastic-coated lycra material, stretched over a metal frame that has moving parts. This gives it shape-shifting attributes. It can actually change body shape without tearing or even loosening of the fabric.(How many Gina’s do you know who can do that?)

Just like in the movies, the steering wheel, gauges and headrest will move into place after you sit down in the seat. The body is made of just four panels, the hood, both sides and one on the rear. Rain won’t ruin your fun either since the material is water resistant. This car can alter simple things like adding or removing a spoiler, or widening and extending fenders, but just think what it could do a few years from now. Looks like the Transformers are coming soon.

This Yamaha-branded Deus Ex Machina concept motorcycle was dreamed up by Jake Loniak, an Art Center Pasadena student. It obviously looks awesome. Like a robot and a vehicle all in one. Since it’s a concept, Jake went a little crazy with the specs. It will be powered by ultra-capacitors and doped nano-phoshpate batteries (like those in hybrid cars). 36 pneumatic muscles and 2 linear actuators are set along a spine consisting of seven vertebrae, and that’s what keeps it in control.

Another cool touch is that the helmet is pneumatically attached for ease-of-use. Jake claims that his design can reach a top speed of 75mph, I’m just not sure how well protected a human would be in this thing. I do know that I want to see it in action NOW.

Airwaves is a compact concept car designed by Lei Liu. The idea is that this little thing is super easy to park, making your automotive adventure less stressful. The Airwaves design is also intended to be safe, comfortable and an all around fun ride for the driver and passengers. You might even be ready for a big boy concept car after you’ve mastered this tricycle type. The car has an LCD screen on back that displays information like weather reports, news, or a greeting from the driver.

With an LCD screen in the back, just how many people are they thinking fit in this tiny thing? The good news is that the Airwaves is electric and has zero emissions.

The idea behind Hanyoung Lee’s Virtual Wall concept is that plasma laser beams would assist pedestrians while they cross from one side to another, so they don’t have to worry about being run over. The light-formed force-field type barrier would keep cars and humans apart.

Many questions remain, like what happens if your car runs into it? Will you get a flat? Will it kill your engine like a UFO? Despite our lingering questions, we can’t wait for something like this to become reality. Mostly because we like shiny red plasma laser beams.

The students at Virginia Tech are a pretty intelligent bunch. They’ve come up with a new system for automobile braking lights that will indicate whether you are stopping, or just slowing down, based on how quickly you put your foot down on the brake. The solution for a better brake, as it turns out is really pretty simple.

The concept uses an array of horizontal LED lights. When you start to slow down, the center lights will glow orange and after a pre-programmed time, the side lights will turn red. If you slam on the emergency brake, then all the lights turn red instantly. If we could just get it to flash the finger for those people who stay way too close behind you, I’d be happy. They think these will be easier to add as additional indicators on commercial vehicles at first, but who knows, one day soon all cars may sport these.

Now you can play Mario Kart in the real world away from your screen and in slot car form. The set includes 2 cars, a transformer, straights, curves, narrowing set, 2 hand controllers, guardrails and spare contact brushes, guide keels plus a track link.

Race Mario’s B-Dasher against Wario’s Brute on twenty feet of track. This should be a fun way to enjoy the classic game in a whole different way. I can only assume that more cars are forthcoming, since racing Mario against Wario could get boring after awhile. Some of us prefer Toad’s well balanced ride. This is a great fun concept. I’m surprised it’s taken them this long to bring it to market.

Volkswagen has developed its latest vehicle concept for an electric car of the future. Designed in collaboration with German design student Marc Kirsch for his diploma project, the Volkswagen Viseo is a three-seater that produces zero carbon emissions. Created to show that being environmentally friendly doesn’t mean that you don’t look sexy, the Viseo has that streamlined look that screams sports car sex appeal. Unfortunately we don’t know what kind of miles per charge the electric cars in the future will get so while the Viseo looks great it’s still an unknown performer.

One novel new feature about the Viseo is that the back-end of the car can detach and becomes a suitcase that you can wheel around. Something like this sounds great if you need to fly a lot and park your car longterm at the airport but as an everyday idea, it’s not so hot.

Later this week SlipperyBrick will be blogging live from the 2007 LA Auto Show Press Days bringing you up to the minute coverage and photos of the latest model debuts, hybrids, some cool concepts, electric vehicle technology and more. At this year’s show we’ve been invited as a guest of GM’s and are expecting to see as many as 10 models making their world-wide debut and in total over 20 new models making their first appearance North America. Some of the more notable debuts include the 2009 Pontiac Vibe, 2008 Mustang Bullitt, and the Honda FCX to name a few. The coverage starts Wednesday morning and continues through Thursday.

We will also have the opportunity to talk one-on-one with a couple folks from GM, namely Bob Boniface, Director of Design for EFlex and Denise Gray, Director of Hybrid Energy Storage Systems (batteries). Feel free to drop us a comment with any questions you have for these two and I’ll do my best to fit them in as both of these individuals are key players in bringing on the electric car revolution.

The Nissan NV200 concept vehicle gets you from your home to the office in under 10 seconds flat. That’s because your entire office IS the van. Instead of driving to work, you will instead, drive your work everywhere. It’s obviously designed for those people that work literally, all over the map. The entire back end of the van slides out, which gives you a nice roomy office inside, while exposing the exterior storage areas that are fully customizable.

For the 2007 Tokyo Motor show, they decked it out as if it belonged to an ocean photographer, complete with the storage area full of various tools of that trade. They even put in an editing station and a remote control panel for a spider camera. I think I’ve found my new office. Next time you read me, I’ll be on the road…

Mitsubishi took the wraps off of a new zero-emission, all-electric concept car called the e MIEV Sport. Aside from having a pretty cool look to it, the i MIEV Sport features a couple less-common additions to add juice back to the battery while driving.

As with many other electric and hybrid cars, this one uses a regenerative braking system, but also adds a solar roof and small wind turbines built into the front grill. Additions like these aren’t going to make a drastic difference in the range, but adding a convex solar roof was found to bring as much as an additional 20 mile range to a Prius. The turbines would likely be less, but certainly can’t hurt.

When I’m riding in a plane I love to see those little LCD’s in the seat that show you exactly where the plane is at as it follows it’s flight path, and just how much further we have to go. So it makes sense to me that kids would appreciate that as well, not to mention the chance that it might cut down on some of the repeated questions regarding our ETA.

For this device, Popular Mechanics got a …