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Everyone, even gadgety boys and girls, would describe Santa’s mode of transport as being wood-based and reindeer-powered.

Even though he has to travel at 1,000 km per second to get to each and every home of every good boy and girl on this planet.

You’d think that someone that can get all those gifts to all those people could afford to splash-out a little and get a leading car designer to create his next generation Cringle-mobile.

Well, those at Car Magazine are running a week-long competition doing just that.

Kicking off with a Jag and going through many a marque.

I’ve selected my personal favourites but feel free to click the link and head over to see them all.

Land Rover’s design includes height adjustable suspension and a particle accelerator. They say that the:

“Land Rover Design with Santa Claus reveals the Christmas sledge of the future – designed to meet the ever-increasing delivery timetable. It boasts all-terrain capability, is powered by particle accelerator technology and has optional laser guided present delivery. There’s even CRS – chimney recognition software!”

The team of creatives at Aston Martin Design sketched out theirs including some of the Aston design cues in particular the Vantage-effect rear end and they’ve rummaged around in the world’s most expensive parts bin to recycle the gorgeous One-77 rear light clusters. Check out the alloy front wing that’s designed to cut through the snowy air more efficiently and the slipstream is carefully managed so as not to disrupt Santa’s beard when flying across the chimney tops at 200mph.

Personally I reckon that Ol’ St. Nick would be more inclined to opt for some more luxurious surroundings – the kind offered by Bentley. Plush trim, large gift/luggage area, effortless travel with that classic nod to the brands heritage. Nicely done.

Bentley designers John Paul Gregory imagined a futuristic Santa Azure Sleigh (complete with rifled tailpipes and exposed Bentley Blitzen powerplant), while Yunwoo Jeong turned the Continental GTC cabrio into a sleigh with quad-outrigged headlamps and begoggled Santa. ‘This includes a classic piece of Bentley form and function with Rudolph’s nose providing extra illumination!’

The final one was actually the first submitted to the site and was designed by 25-year-old Jaguar exterior designer Thomas Smith. He graduated from the Royal College of Art in June 2009 and joined Jaguar this summer, after a placement in Coventry’s advanced design studio where he penned a luxury flagship coupé blue-sky project.

His version of Santa’s sleigh reveals a push-me-pull-you, very modern take on what a Jag could be.

Other designs from Audi, Nissan, Ford, Vauxhall and a classically Reindeer-powered Rolls Royce number all can be found at Car Magazine.

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Aston-Martin-bus1Ah, the Routemaster bus – its a London icon as much as Big Ben, The Tower of London and expensive beer prices.

So, when Mayor Boris announced a competition to design a 21st century version of the much loved Routemaster bus, ears pricked up at Aston Martin HQ.

They buddied up with Sir Norman Foster’s Gherkin-creating architecture practice Foster + Partners and have come up with the design before you now.

They devised that electric motors in the wheel hubs would drive this new Routemaster, reducing the height of the floors and making it easy for disabled people to get onto the bus. The bus is also far more nimble than its diesel powered forebear with a 10% better turning radius – handy with the amount of roadworks around this city!

The engine can easily be swapped out for maintenance and upgrades while the windows are far larger and include skylights to fill the bus with natural light. The sunlight will also charge the bus’s batteries – for those 5 weeks a year that it’s actually sunny!

There’s also the kind of luxury touches you expect from an Aston Martin design. Filthy fabric seats have been switched out for reconstituted leather and the floors featured recycled wood paneling.

OK – the pics are very clever renders, but the AM/F+P Routemaster will become a reality in 2011 when prototypes will take to the streets of London – I hope that it appears on my commute route!

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Mini Aston Martin – James Bond to get Cygnet City Car?

June 30, 2009 Click to read more →
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My dream of owning an Aston Martin may, at least, become attainable – not because I’m on the verge of signing a huge recording contract (wish!!) – Rather, Aston Martin is planning to go from one extreme to another – with the introduction of a tiny city car.
The renowned luxury car maker has [...]

Martin Jetpack Video Shows Pure Control

May 8, 2009 Click to read more →
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Do you fancy commuting by jet pack?
You have to check out the video below and start saving your coin boys and girls!
According to OhGizmo!, “The Martin Jetpack is capable of 30 minutes of flight at 60 mph” and can go a distance of 8,000 feet.
Martin plan to ship the first ten units this year at a cost [...]